Philippians 2:30

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men,

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

But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need,

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.

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.”

When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn’t a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

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.

Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.

May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

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.

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,

For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.

You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood—

I told him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great suffering.They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood.

When I saw that you didn’t save me, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and Yahweh delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me today, to fight against me?”

Saul said, “No man shall be put to death today; for today Yahweh has rescued Israel.”

They stood in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh saved them by a great victory.

Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal clothing, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, next to the king’s house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house.

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.

saying, “I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it.”

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.

“If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”

For he was counted with us, and received his portion in this ministry.

testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus.

But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.

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.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus; for that which was lacking on your part, they supplied.

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t faint.

He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

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

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ

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.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly,

but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.

Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it.

He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

The priest shall take from the meal offering its memorial, and shall burn it on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

(for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;

Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”

The woman came to Saul, and saw that he was very troubled, and said to him, “Behold, your servant has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.

When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, arose, and went home, to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.

Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek to Yahweh. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

to confirm these days of Purim in their appointed times, as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had decreed, and as they had imposed upon themselves and their descendants, in the matter of the fastings and their cry.

The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

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

As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

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.

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.

Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.

And the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

(I also baptized the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t know whether I baptized any other.)

Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.

And I wrote this very thing to you, so that, when I came, I wouldn’t have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be shared by all of you.

For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray for this: your becoming perfect.

So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.

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.

But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your thought for me; in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.

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,

Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.

looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

“Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Susa, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone.

She said to him, “My father, you have opened your mouth to Yahweh; do to me according to that which has proceeded out of your mouth, because Yahweh has taken vengeance for you on your enemies, even on the children of Ammon.”

Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell on the lords, and on all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than those who he killed in his life.

for he put his life in his hand, and struck the Philistine, and Yahweh worked a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”

In those days Hezekiah was sick and dying. Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Set your house in order; for you will die, and not live.’ ”

I said, “Should a man like me flee? Who is there that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.”

Then Mordecai asked them to return this answer to Esther: “Don’t think to yourself that you will escape in the king’s house any more than all the Jews.

For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles.

For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without fear, for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.

So then death works in us, but life in you.

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

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

For indeed he was sick, nearly to death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow.

But I have all things and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God.

whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.

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

They overcame him because of the Lamb’s blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn’t love their life, even to death.

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.