Ambition

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self?

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.

But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction.

each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s.

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

Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members? — read the full passage →

doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;

yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.

You lust, and don’t have. You kill, covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask.

For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits.

Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. — read the full passage →

But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringesof their garments, — read the full passage →

but to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath and indignation,

Let no one seek his own, but each one his neighbor’s good.

Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, — read the full passage →

doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; — read the full passage →

Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.

For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire; that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, riots;

for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren’t you fleshly, and don’t you walk in the ways of men?

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth.

This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John,

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth. — read the full passage →

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.

and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you;

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

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.

But not so with you. But one who is the greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Do you seek great things for yourself? Don’t seek them; for, behold, I will bring evil on all flesh, says Yahweh; but your life will I give to you for a prey in all places where you go.

This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer, he desires a good work.

For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.

But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

Turn my heart toward your statutes, not toward selfish gain.

I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your law is within my heart.”

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don’t know.

How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, who laid the nations low! — read the full passage →

I fed you with milk, not with meat; for you weren’t yet ready. Indeed, not even now are you ready,

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.

You, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty: — read the full passage →

Woe to those who join house to house, who lay field to field, until there is no room, and you are made to dwell alone in the midst of the land!

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king’s dale; for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in memory.” He called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom’s monument, to this day.

and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you; — read the full passage →

but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.

Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, — read the full passage →

He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?” — read the full passage →

It is joy to the righteous to do justice; but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” Then he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers,idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tender hearted, courteous,

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Here, moreover, it is required of stewards, that they be found faithful.

Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

A reed like a rod was given to me. Someone said, “Rise, and measure God’s temple, and the altar, and those who worship in it. — read the full passage →

Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.

Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.

In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in honor preferring one another;

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. — read the full passage →

You said in your heart, “I will ascend into heaven! I will exalt my throne above the stars of God! I will sit on the mountain of assembly, in the far north! — read the full passage →

Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. — read the full passage →

Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.

But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. — read the full passage →

“Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; — read the full passage →

Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous. A haughty man who doesn’t stay at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol, and he is like death, and can’t be satisfied, but gathers to himself all nations, and heaps to himself all peoples.

Yahweh, my heart isn’t haughty, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me. — read the full passage →

I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn’t accept what we say.

Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward. — read the full passage →

I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks, be made for all men: — read the full passage →

he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.

Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, — read the full passage →

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe. — read the full passage →

Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ; To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and servants: — read the full passage →

Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He has taken the wise in their craftiness.”

which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,

The devil, leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. — read the full passage →

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came near to him, saying, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we will ask.” — read the full passage →

Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’

Therefore thus said the Lord Yahweh: Because you are exalted in stature, and he has set his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height; — read the full passage →

Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the residue of the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon, — read the full passage →

He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh. — read the full passage →

Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves. — read the full passage →

Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. — read the full passage →

Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; — read the full passage →

Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen. — read the full passage →

In those days, when there was a very great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to himself, and said to them, — read the full passage →

Then Job answered, — read the full passage →

that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment? — read the full passage →

By your messengers you have defied the Lord, and have said, ‘With the multitude of my chariots, I have come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I will cut down its tall cedars, and its choice fir trees; and I will enter into his farthest lodging place, the forest of his fruitful field.