Laying Down Life

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

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

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

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

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.

even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.

For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die.

And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.

If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

Don’t neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders.

Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another.

Whoever transgresses and doesn’t remain in the teaching of Christ, doesn’t have God. He who remains in the teaching, the same has both the Father and the Son. — read the full passage →

let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

who gave himself as a ransom for all; the testimony in its own times;

For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die. — read the full passage →

For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

“These things have I spoken to you, so that you wouldn’t be caused to stumble. — read the full passage →

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. — read the full passage →

Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.

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

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.

No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment from my Father.”

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.

not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.

See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good, for one another, and for all.

We exhort you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, encourage the faint-hearted, support the weak, be patient toward all.

Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.

Therefore as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.

“I command these things to you, that you may love one another.

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

Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,

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 →

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely.

and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.

Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.

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.

Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money; — read the full passage →

and to respect and honor them in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you,

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.

You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for me? Most certainly I tell you, the rooster won’t crow until you have denied me three times.

Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in the darkness even until now.

For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Lay hands hastily on no one, neither be a participant in other men’s sins. Keep yourself pure.

Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. — read the full passage →

God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.

One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.

When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.

whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

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.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer. — read the full passage →

Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. — read the full passage →

“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. — read the full passage →

Thus says Yahweh: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more. — read the full passage →

I will set up shepherds over them, who shall feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking, says Yahweh.

But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. — read the full passage →

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, — read the full passage →

For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, — read the full passage →

For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts;

Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.

Don’t receive an accusation against an elder, except at the word of two or three witnesses.

through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron;

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.

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.

Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. — read the full passage →

When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God. — read the full passage →

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister, Martha. — read the full passage →

He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.

It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!

They shall be mine,” says Yahweh of Armies, “my own possession in the day that I make, and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.

Her leaders judge for bribes, and her priests teach for a price, and her prophets of it tell fortunes for money: yet they lean on Yahweh, and say, “Isn’t Yahweh in the midst of us? No disaster will come on us.”

Therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who feed my people: You have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit on you the evil of your doings, says Yahweh.

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says Yahweh.

The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to those who are bound;

His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they can’t bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

Yahweh preserves all those who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this.

Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,

to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men.

I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you;

and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside to fables.

This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me; of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

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.

If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.

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