Exodus 37:4

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver. I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.

But he knows the way that I take. When he has tried me, I will come out like gold.

The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but Yahweh tests the hearts.

Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts.

knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Beloved, don’t be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you.

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God,

to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life;

I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will test them like gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will hear them. I will say, ‘It is my people;’ and they will say, ‘Yahweh is my God.’ ”

But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.

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.”

Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,

Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor?

each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.

Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

Blessed is a person who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.

You have proved my heart. You have visited me in the night. You have tried me, and found nothing. I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey.

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.

He said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.

Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.

through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for his name’s sake;

For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;

that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me if I don’t preach the Good News.

But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace

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

to which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am telling the truth in Christ, not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,

You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

In all this, Job didn’t sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.

that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?

Wait for Yahweh, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

Since you have been precious and honored in my sight, and I have loved you, therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life.

Therefore Yahweh of Armies says, “Behold, I will melt them and test them; for how should I deal with the daughter of my people?

and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer to Yahweh offerings in righteousness.

“The lord said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

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.

“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’”

But glory, honor, and peace go to every man who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.

Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.

For it isn’t he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

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—

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope;

I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service;

by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.

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

Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.

I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who overcame the beast, his image, and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.

You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.

You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be carried with them.

You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.

You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.

He took and put the covenant into the ark, and set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat above on the ark.

put a covering of sealskin on it, spread a blue cloth over it, and put in its poles.

They shall spread on them a scarlet cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

“On the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

They shall put on it all its vessels with which they minister about it, the fire pans, the meat hooks, the shovels, and the basins—all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of sealskin, and put in its poles.

“Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father should walk before me forever.’ But now Yahweh says, ‘Far be it from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me will be cursed.

The children of the Levites bore God’s ark on their shoulders with its poles, as Moses commanded according to Yahweh’s word.

My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, my yield than choice silver.

How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

But Yahweh said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am a child;’ for you must go to whomever I send you, and you must say whatever I command you.

Therefore my heart sounds for Moab like pipes, and my heart sounds like pipes for the men of Kir Heres. Therefore the abundance that he has gotten has perished.

Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations.

Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God?

You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

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.

But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

When he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry.

Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

saying, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’

I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.

Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,

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.

Paul, an apostle—not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

For this I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

No soldier on duty entangles himself in the affairs of life, that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.

that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ—

These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful.”