Acts 17:34

But many will be last who are first; and first who are last.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves.

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.

They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!”

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.

They took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is, which you are speaking about?

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the lawyer of this world? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth,

then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall tell the woman, “May Yahweh make you a curse and an oath among your people, when Yahweh allows your thigh to fall away, and your body to swell;

For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover other than the way it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Yahweh pardon everyone

The children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness. The Levites and the priests praised Yahweh day by day, singing with loud instruments to Yahweh.

Yet for all this, we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, seal it.”

Therefore men revere him. He doesn’t regard any who are wise of heart.”

I have sworn, and have confirmed it, that I will obey your righteous ordinances.

But many who are first will be last; and the last first.”

For I tell you that none of those men who were invited will taste of my supper.’ ”

I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.

and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.

What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.

All the saints greet you.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time,

All the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. Then the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.

The king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and all his soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book; and all the people agreed to the covenant.

They entered into the covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul;

All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who came out of the land of Israel, and who lived in Judah, rejoiced.

The king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.

A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.

A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

I have sworn by myself. The word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and will not be revoked, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.

You had now turned, and had done that which is right in my eyes, in every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor. You had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name;

“Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty.

Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!”

Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.”

Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast.

Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.

praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch;

Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you.

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 the multitude of the city was divided. Part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.

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.

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers.

but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.

Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those who didn’t seek me. I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me.”

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,

so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ,

For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s chosen ones, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,

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

Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?

and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly.

Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.

“Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father’s sons will bow down before you.

Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.

I also walked contrary to them, and brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled, and they then accept the punishment of their iniquity,

“To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the Tent of Meeting.

But you who were faithful to Yahweh your God are all alive today.

You shall observe to do therefore as Yahweh your God has commanded you. You shall not turn away to the right hand or to the left.

You shall fear Yahweh your God. You shall serve him. You shall cling to him, and you shall swear by his name.

She went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her. They went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

They lifted up their voices and wept again; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth stayed with her.

After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those who set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.

Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

His prayer also, and how God was entreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places in which he built high places, and set up the Asherah poles and the engraved images, before he humbled himself: behold, they are written in the history of Hozai.

He didn’t humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more.

because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God, when you heard his words against this place, and against its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes, and wept before me, I also have heard you,” says Yahweh.

Then Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore.

Then they said, “We will restore them, and will require nothing of them. We will do so, even as you say.” Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.

joined with their brothers, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of Yahweh our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes;

Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens!

that they might keep his statutes, and observe his laws. Praise Yah!

He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

“Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances.

He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.

But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions.

So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.”

One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?” He said to them,

Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

They went out of the city, and were coming to him.

You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.

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.

As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief women.

Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.

For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble;

All the saints greet you, especially those who are of Caesar’s household.