Church Building

`And I also say to thee, that thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my assembly, and gates of Hades shall not prevail against it;

and ye yourselves, as living stones, are built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Greater is the honour of this latter house, Than of the former, said Jehovah of Hosts, And in this place do I give peace, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts.'

`Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit made you overseers, to feed the assembly of God that He acquired through His own blood,

and if I delay, that thou mayest know how it behoveth <FI>thee<Fi> to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is an assembly of the living God--a pillar and foundation of the truth,

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as a custom of certain <FI>is<Fi> , but exhorting, and so much the more as ye see the day coming nigh.

What then is it, brethren? whenever ye may come together, each of you hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation? let all things be for building up;

and he said to them, `Having gone to all the world, proclaim the good news to all the creation;

Go up the mountain, and ye have brought in wood, And build the house, and I am pleased with it. And I am honoured, said Jehovah.

Is it time for you--you! To dwell in your covered houses, And this house to lie waste?

for where there are two or three gathered together--to my name, there am I in the midst of them.'

every day also in the temple, and in every house, they were not ceasing teaching and proclaiming good news--Jesus the Christ.

they then indeed, having been scattered, went abroad proclaiming good news--the word.

Then, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens of the saints, and of the household of God, — read the full passage →

A Song of the Ascents, by Solomon. If Jehovah doth not build the house, In vain have its builders laboured at it, If Jehovah doth not watch a city, In vain hath a watchman waked.

Ho, every thirsty one, come ye to the waters, And he who hath no money, Come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy Without money and without price, wine and milk. — read the full passage →

and may we consider one another to provoke to love and to good works, — read the full passage →

to whom coming--a living stone--by men, indeed, having been disapproved of, but with God choice, precious, — read the full passage →

And I call upon you, brethren, to mark those who the divisions and the stumbling-blocks, contrary to the teaching that ye did learn, are causing, and turn ye away from them;

every Writing <FI>is<Fi> God-breathed, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for setting aright, for instruction that <FI>is<Fi> in righteousness, — read the full passage →

praising God, and having favour with all the people, and the Lord was adding those being saved every day to the assembly.

unto the perfecting of the saints, for a work of ministration, for a building up of the body of the Christ,

for other foundation no one is able to lay except that which is laid, which is Jesus the Christ;

(and He manifested in proper times His word,) in preaching, which I was entrusted with, according to a charge of God our Saviour, — read the full passage →

have ye not known that ye are a sanctuary of God, and the Spirit of God doth dwell in you? — read the full passage →

for of God we are fellow-workmen; God's tillage, God's building ye are.

And on the first of the week, the disciples having been gathered together to break bread, Paul was discoursing to them, about to depart on the morrow, he was also continuing the discourse till midnight,

from whom the whole body, being fitly joined together and united, through the supply of every joint, according to the working in the measure of each single part, the increase of the body doth make for the building up of itself in love.

wherefore, comfort ye one another, and build ye up, one the one, as also ye do.

And in the day of the Pentecost being fulfilled, they were all with one accord at the same place, — read the full passage →

A revelation of Jesus Christ, that God gave to him, to shew to his servants what things it behoveth to come to pass quickly; and he did signify <FI>it<Fi> , having sent through his messenger to his servant John,

The husbands! love your own wives, as also the Christ did love the assembly, and did give himself for it,

on every first <FI>day<Fi> of the week, let each one of you lay by him, treasuring up whatever he may have prospered, that when I may come then collections may not be made;

and Peter said unto them, `Reform, and be baptized each of you on the name of Jesus Christ, to remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,

for God did so love the world, that His Son--the only begotten--He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during. — read the full passage →

`Therefore, every one who doth hear of me these words, and doth do them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house upon the rock; — read the full passage →

and He gave some <FI>as<Fi> apostles, and some <FI>as<Fi> prophets, and some <FI>as<Fi> proclaimers of good news, and some <FI>as<Fi> shepherds and teachers, — read the full passage →

each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love,

every Writing <FI>is<Fi> God-breathed, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for setting aright, for instruction that <FI>is<Fi> in righteousness,

and all those believing were at the same place, and had all things common, — read the full passage →

If, therefore, the whole assembly may come together, to the same place, and all may speak with tongues, and there may come in unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

and all things He did put under his feet, and did give him--head over all things to the assembly, — read the full passage →

for also in one Spirit we all to one body were baptized, whether Jews or Greeks, whether servants or freemen, and all into one Spirit were made to drink,

all things I did shew you, that, thus labouring, it behoveth <FI>us<Fi> to partake with the ailing, to be mindful also of the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

Have ye not known that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own,

A Psalm of David. Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> my shepherd, I do not lack, — read the full passage →

every man and woman (whom their heart hath made willing to bring in for all the work which Jehovah commanded to be done by the hand of Moses) <FI>of<Fi> the sons of Israel brought in a willing-offering to Jehovah.

A revelation of Jesus Christ, that God gave to him, to shew to his servants what things it behoveth to come to pass quickly; and he did signify <FI>it<Fi> , having sent through his messenger to his servant John, — read the full passage →

Bring in all the tithe unto the treasure-house, And there is food in My house; When ye have tried Me, now, with this, Said Jehovah of Hosts, Do not I open to you the windows of heaven? Yea, I have emptied on you a blessing till there is no space.

And they take from before Moses all the heave-offering which the sons of Israel have brought in for the work of the service of the sanctuary to do it; and still they have brought in unto him a willing-offering morning by morning. — read the full passage →

`Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed, and shaken, and running over, they shall give into your bosom; for with that measure with which ye measure, it shall be measured to you again.'

Seek ye Jehovah and His strength, Seek His face continually.

and they were continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles, and the fellowship, and the breaking of the bread, and the prayers.

and they were continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles, and the fellowship, and the breaking of the bread, and the prayers. — read the full passage →

being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being chief corner-<FI> stone<Fi> ,

for if the willing mind is present, according to that which any one may have it is well-accepted, not according to that which he hath not;

and whoever may have the goods of the world, and may view his brother having need, and may shut up his bowels from him--how doth the love of God remain in him?

Those rich in the present age charge thou not to be high-minded, nor to hope in the uncertainty of riches, but in the living God, who is giving to us all things richly for enjoyment; -- — read the full passage →

for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that because of you he became poor--being rich, that ye by that poverty may become rich.

and not according as we expected, but themselves they did give first to the Lord, and to us, through the will of God,

and he who is prophesying to men doth speak edification, and exhortation, and comfort;

to the necessities of the saints communicating; the hospitality pursuing.

There is who is scattering, and yet is increased, And who is keeping back from uprightness, only to want. — read the full passage →

For Mine <FI>is<Fi> every beast of the forest, The cattle on the hills of oxen.

till I come, give heed to the reading, to the exhortation, to the teaching;

And let him who is instructed in the word share with him who is instructing--in all good things.

And this: He who is sowing sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who is sowing in blessings, in blessings also shall reap;

According to the grace of God that was given to me, as a wise master-builder, a foundation I have laid, and another doth build on <FI>it<Fi> ,

And Jacob voweth a vow, saying, `Seeing God is with me, and hath kept me in this way which I am going, and hath given to me bread to eat, and a garment to put on-- — read the full passage →

And concerning the collection that <FI>is<Fi> for the saints, as I directed to the assemblies of Galatia, so also ye--do ye; — read the full passage →

sanctify them in Thy truth, Thy word is truth;

one body and one Spirit, according as also ye were called in one hope of your calling;

and ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

for let each one of us please the neighbour for good, unto edification,

And I return them word, and say to them, `The God of the heavens--He doth give prosperity to us, and we His servants rise and have built; and to you there is no portion, and right, and memorial in Jerusalem.'

the things above mind ye, not the things upon the earth,

And Jesus having sat down over-against the treasury, was beholding how the multitude do put brass into the treasury, and many rich were putting in much, — read the full passage →

And some, indeed, did God set in the assembly, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, afterwards powers, afterwards gifts of healings, helpings, governings, divers kinds of tongues;

Daily also continuing with one accord in the temple, breaking also at every house bread, they were partaking of food in gladness and simplicity of heart,

A Song of the Ascents, by David. I have rejoiced in those saying to me, `To the house of Jehovah we go.'

and God <FI>is<Fi> able all grace to cause to abound to you, that in every thing always all sufficiency having, ye may abound to every good work,

avoiding this, lest any one may blame us in this abundance that is ministered by us, — read the full passage →

and what agreement to the sanctuary of God with idols? for ye are a sanctuary of the living God, according as God said--`I will dwell in them, and will walk among <FI>them<Fi> , and I will be their God, and they shall be My people,

with Christ I have been crucified, and live no more do I, and Christ doth live in me; and that which I now live in the flesh--in the faith I live of the Son of God, who did love me and did give himself for me;

and the rumour of this having come, the multitude came together, and was confounded, because they were each one hearing them speaking in his proper dialect,

and the assembly at their house; salute Epaenetus, my beloved, who is first-fruit of Achaia to Christ.

God <FI>is<Fi> a Spirit, and those worshipping Him, in spirit and truth it doth behove to worship.'

but, there cometh an hour, and it now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father also doth seek such to worship him;

and if in the light we may walk, as He is in the light--we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son doth cleanse us from every sin;

and all things He did put under his feet, and did give him--head over all things to the assembly,

And having come near, Jesus spake to them, saying, `Given to me was all authority in heaven and on earth; — read the full passage →

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that the things lacking thou mayest arrange, and mayest set down in every city elders, as I did appoint to thee; — read the full passage →

but seek ye first the reign of God and His righteousness, and all these shall be added to you.

and He gave some <FI>as<Fi> apostles, and some <FI>as<Fi> prophets, and some <FI>as<Fi> proclaimers of good news, and some <FI>as<Fi> shepherds and teachers, — read the full passage →

having gone, then, disciple all the nations, (baptizing them--to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

and now, I commend you, brethren, to God, and to the word of His grace, that is able to build up, and to give you an inheritance among all those sanctified.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing each other, in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, in grace singing in your hearts to the Lord;

So, then, the things of peace may we pursue, and the things of building up one another;

All things to me are lawful, but all things are not profitable; all things to me are lawful, but all things do not build up;

Thus said Jehovah: The heavens <FI>are<Fi> My throne, And the earth My footstool, Where <FI>is<Fi> this--the house that ye build for Me? And where <FI>is<Fi> this--the place--My rest? — read the full passage →