SUPERNATURAL Evidence for GOD

SUPERNATURAL Evidence For GOD

HOLY BIBLE QUOTATIONS

Bible quotations have been taken from the King James Bible. They have been personalized, and modern English used to give clarity to the reader.

CONTENTS

Introduction 1 God, Angels, Demons and Humans 7 2 God With Us 39 3 Gospel of Luke 61 4 Acts of The Apostles 134 5 The Jerusalem Prophecies 203 6 Supernatural Evidence 231 7 Scientific Evidence 268 8 Real Evidence 280 9 Questions and Answers 295 10 Biblical Timeline 327

THE SUPERNATURAL EVIDENCE FOR GOD

The supernatural evidence for God proves beyond all doubt. That since the beginning of creation, in spite of all the wars, sickness, disease, oppression and death, the history of humankind has been unfolding according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God.

Introduction

Supernatural Evidence For God

Prepare to discover the amazing and supernatural evidence for God. Supernatural evidence that proves that since the beginning of creation, the history of humankind has been unfolding according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God. Supernatural evidence of how you can learn to communicate with God!

It seems that most people are interested in the supernatural and the spiritual in some way or another. Some people want to know what the future will hold for them, and so they read their star sign in the papers, magazines or online websites. Some consult psychics or mediums, who are supposed to be able to communicate with their spirit guide or the dead. Some people have a sense of a spiritual dimension of something beyond this physical universe in which we live, but yet never really experience the wonderful supernatural world of God. Some people experience dreams that they feel are significant, but the dream doesn't make any sense to them. They try looking at dream interpretation books, or consult the alleged dream interpretation experts online, yet they fail to provide satisfactory answers.

In this book – Supernatural Evidence For God, author David Ramanauskas not only presents the irrefutable supernatural evidence for God you can read and examine as real evidence, David also explains how it is possible to communicate with God – now that’s really supernatural!

We speak to God through our prayers, and God may choose to speak to us through our dreams, or by sending an angel to us, or speaking directly to us, or granting us a vision (like a dream, but we see a picture with our eyes open). This is not impossible, it is supernatural and wonderful, that the Lord God of all creation

wants to communicate with us. You can learn how to communicate with God, and this book teaches you exactly how to communicate with God.

Chapter 1. God, Angels, Demons and Humans

In this first chapter, we look at the relationship between God, angels, demons and humans. We also discover how the history of humankind has been unfolding since the beginning of creation, to the predetermined plan and purpose of God (the real and supernatural evidence for God).

Chapter 2. God With Us.

In this second chapter, we discover more amazing prophecies of God, that foretell the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection (raised to life again) of Jesus Christ – who is ‘God with us.’ We also learn how it would have been impossible for these prophecies to have been added at a later date. The only way the prophecies could have been made, is by the one who not only knows the future, but who also decides the future thousands of years in advance, and that can only be God.

Chapter 3. The Gospel of Luke

In this third chapter, we read the complete Gospel of Luke from the Christian Holy Bible. Jesus Christ is ‘God with us,’ and here we read the very words spoken by God. We also read the eyewitness testimonies of those disciples and followers of Jesus Christ. It is through the gospel (meaning good news) that we read the good news of God’s plan for the eternal destiny of humankind, and for your own eternal destiny.

Chapter 4. Acts of The Apostles

In this fourth chapter, we read the complete book of The Acts of the Apostles, from the Christian Holy Bible. Here Luke is writing again, of eyewitness accounts of Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, His appearing over forty days, and proving His existence. We read of the Holy Spirit of God coming in power and empowering the followers of Jesus Christ with healings and miracles. We read of a young man called Saul who was zealous to persecute followers of Jesus Christ, and who had a supernatural encounter with Christ while travelling on the road to Damascus. It is this man Saul, who later becomes known as Paul, and who we know today as St. Paul.

In reading The Gospel of Luke, and The Acts of the Apostles, we gain an understanding that Jesus Christ was and is God. We discover what God has done for us and His love for us. Just as important as God’s love for us, is what God requires from each and every one of us, for this is important to our eternal destiny.

Chapter 5. The Jerusalem Prophecies

Why should anyone care about such a small nation, or who has control over Jerusalem? Because the prophecies and promises of

God tell us that Jesus Christ is returning to earth, and to His people – the Jews. Jesus Christ – who is God, is going to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and the capital city for His kingdom is the city of Jerusalem in the nation of Israel.

If you want to know how this present world will come to an end, and what God has planned for the eternal destiny of humankind since the beginning of time, then you must read this chapter.

Chapter 6. Supernatural Evidence

In previous chapters we have discovered how God foretells the future, and then how everything happens, every prophecy of God is fulfilled with 100% accuracy. We have also read of the amazing healings, casting out of demons, miracles, and how God has foretold we would continue with this supernatural ministry of God until the end of this age. So in this chapter, we look at the supernatural evidence for God, not just as a matter of interest or simply to confirm that God is right again. The supernatural evidence for God is something that is open for you to experience in your own life, as you learn how to communicate with God.

Chapter 7. Scientific Evidence

Virtually everyone who went to school in the UK was taught the theory of evolution as though it was a scientific fact. In this chapter, you will read of the many scientists around the world, all with PhD's in their specific area of science, who say the science supports the six-days of creation in the Christian Holy Bible and refutes the out-dated theory of evolution! These scientists claim that God created the universe and that this present universe cannot last forever; it must come to an end! Scientists may have their own theories and predictions about the future, but only God knows the

future and God has revealed the future in the Christian Holy Bible.

Chapter 8. Real Evidence

In this eighth chapter, we look at more prophecies of God, and perhaps the most important prophecies of God because they reveal what we need to know about our salvation our eternal destiny. God has promised a new heaven and a new earth, and this chapter reveals how we can be sure we are alive and able to enjoy God’s new creation.

Chapter 9. Questions and Answers

In this chapter, we look at the most common questions and objections people have against believing in God. The answers to these questions will only really satisfy the question, once you have read the book. That is why the questions are at the end of the book and not the beginning. However, having read the book, the response to the questions should, hopefully, provide a meaningful answer.

In writing this book, Supernatural Evidence For God, David provides you with the rock-solid, irrefutable, and supernatural evidence for God. Evidence that you can read, examine, experience and verify as being true. You will not only discover that God is real and that God loves you, but you will also know for sure that you can trust in the promises and prophecies of God. You can be sure that whatever happens in this life, physical death is not the end of human life, and we will meet our loved ones again in that safe place provided by God called the Kingdom of Heaven.

6 God, Angels, Demons and Humans

In this chapter, we are going to look at the relationship between God, angels and humans. Then we start looking at exactly how the history of humankind has been unfolding according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God (the real evidence for God).

The first question is, does God exist? The second question is, what is God like? I remember being in the pub having a beer and contemplating these questions. I thought that if there really was a God who created the heavens and the earth and all forms of life on earth, then there must be a plan and purpose to life. It also seemed reasonable to me that God would want us to know what that plan was. The alternative would be for God to create everything, including humans, and then leave us all alone to see how we got on, as though we were like some interesting experiment performed in a giant scientific laboratory.

All we can really know about God is what God has chosen to reveal about Himself. Thankfully, God has revealed Himself to the world through the pages of the Christian Holy Bible. Now, with respect to those of you reading this book who may be of a different religion, or perhaps an atheist, I am not saying that God has not, or could not reveal something of Himself through other religions. I am of course biased in support of the Christian faith, but that is because in Christianity I have discovered more evidence, more irrefutable evidence for God, than in any other religion or faith group in the world.

In my own research, I was searching for God over some two years looking at different religions. I came to the conclusion that God did exist, but this God was so almighty, so great and so powerful, yet He was a distant God. It was as though God existed billions of miles away in some distant heavenly realm, and we humans were

like a colony of ants – insignificant to God. Certainly I felt as though I was irrelevant to God. It was only when I decided to read a modern version of the Christian Holy Bible I discovered something wonderful about God. I discovered that God loves and cares about me David Ramanauskas, and I know from the evidence that God also loves and cares about you. You may not believe that God loves you, but it is true. Hopefully, by the end of this book you will come to realise the power, the presence, and the love of God.

God has revealed Himself in the Holy Bible as God the Father of all creation, as God the Son – Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. Through the revelations of God in the Holy Bible, Christians came to believe that there was only one God, but that God was a Holy Trinity. This is a term to describe the mystery of God but in three Persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Many people have written books on this subject of the Trinity, and all of them struggle to explain what cannot be explained, which is a mystery of God. Perhaps the most important thing to remember when reading the Holy Bible is that there is only one God, and He has chosen to reveal Himself to the world as God the Father, God the Son (in Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.

It would be wonderful to have a photograph of all three of them together. What we do have are descriptions of God the Son, and a description of a vision of God the Father, in the scriptures.

God the Son is revealed in the scriptures. First as the Holy Trinity (Genesis 1:26), then as an angel, or The Angel of The Lord God (in Genesis and Exodus). God the Son also appeared as an angel in a number of appearances in the Old Testament. Two thousand years ago God the Son came to earth as a man – Jesus of Nazareth (Jesus Christ), and was born of the virgin Mary. While the writers of the New Testament scriptures tell us about Jesus, they did not tell us what Jesus looked like.

Jesus of Nazareth, who the writers of the scriptures refer to as Jesus Christ, was crucified (nailed to a wooden cross), died, raised from the dead and appeared to His followers over a period of forty days, before ascending to God the Father in heaven. Although none of the writers described what Jesus looked like, there was a description of a supernatural event when Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain. There they witnessed Jesus become transformed before them. Jesus's face shone like the sun, and His clothes became brilliant white like light, and they heard the voice of God the Father from heaven speaking to them saying “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him”. (Matthew 17:1-3).

Some six hundred years before this event, the Holy Bible describes a vision of God given to Daniel. First of God the Father (the Ancient of Days), and then of God the Son (who is Jesus Christ, one like the Son of Man approaching the Ancient of Days).

(Prophecy # 1.)

I watched until the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days sat down, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

I saw in the night visions, and, watched one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his

kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14. (c.600 BC). This was a vision of God given to Daniel, and it described an event of which will happen in the future (a prophecy of God). This will be at a time at the end of this present age, when Jesus Christ returns to earth and the Kingdom of God is fully established on earth, a Kingdom that will last forever. This way of showing a person what God is going to do in the future, is known as a prophecy of God.

Some years following the crucifixion, death, resurrection (raising from the dead), and ascending into heaven, God gives John a vision of God and what will happen in the future (another prophecy of God).

(Prophecy # 2.)

Look, he comes with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all people of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, said the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. 9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What you see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia; to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. 12 And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and worn around the chest with a golden band.

14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shining in its full strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying to me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that lived, and was dead; and, look, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. Revelation 1:7-19. (c. 60 AD).

At the end of the Holy Bible, God the Son (Jesus Christ) gives another vision, another prophecy of God to John.

(Prophecy # 3.)

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle (temple) of God is with humankind, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said to me. It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to them that are thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 They who overcome shall inherit all things; and I will be their God, and they shall be my children. Revelation 21:1-7. (c. 60 AD).

This is a prophecy of God, of what He is going to do in the future. A new heaven and a new earth, no more death or pain or suffering, for God will be with us, and we will be like His own sons and daughters to Him.

This is a wonderful prophecy, but those who are sceptical of God will no doubt say, how can we believe in God, and how can we believe in what God is supposed to have said, it could all be a fairy story! Before I became a Christian I probably would have thought exactly the same. However, I did make a decision to become a Christian based upon the evidence, and I know for sure we can trust the promises and prophecies of God, because of the irrefutable evidence, the evidence that will be revealed through the chapters of this book.

In the book of Isaiah, which forms part of the Old Testament of the Holy Bible, written some seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ. God makes a fantastic prophecy.

(Prophecy # 4.)

For thus says the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he has established it, he did not create it in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them; I did them

suddenly, and they came to pass. Isaiah 45:18, 46:9-10, 48:3. (c. 700 BC).

In this scripture, God not only declares that He is he Lord God of all creation. God states that there are no other gods and makes clear that it is He who had made promises and prophecies about the future. It has happened exactly as God described.

The Christian Holy Bible contains hundreds of prophecies of God, beginning at the creation of humankind, down through history to our present day, and to the end of this age. The prophecies of God finally ending with the wonderful prophecy of a new heaven and Earth.

According to the Encyclopaedia of Biblical Prophecy, there are some 1,800 prophecies of God in the Christian Holy Bible. While some prophecies were given and fulfilled in the lifetime of a person, many others were fulfilled hundreds and even thousands of years later. And while the sceptic might think all prophecies were added to the Bible after they were fulfilled, the irrefutable archaeological evidence proves the prophecies were genuine. For those of you who feel the need to confirm the prophecies are genuine, I would suggest you read the book Evidence For Truth: Prophecy, by Dr E. K. Victor Pearce. An eminent scientist, archaeologist and theologian, and who goes into great detail of the authenticity and evidence of biblical prophecy.

Here I would like to give a short explanation of biblical prophecy, and it is something that would be easy for anyone to verify. The Christian Holy Bible is a collection of writings (called books of the Bible) written over some 1,500 years. It is divided into two sections, the first section called the Old Testament, and the second section called the New Testament. Between the old and new testaments, there is a gap of some 400 years. The Old Testament contained the sacred writings of the Jews, and the New Testament

contained the sacred scriptures of the Christians. It was the Jews who had Jesus Christ crucified, and who led the persecution against the Christians. Therefore, if for no other reason than their hatred for the Christians, the Jews would never have altered the Old Testament scriptures just to please the Christians. Secondly, the archaeological evidence we have confirms the copies of the Old Testament we have today match exactly the copies written and completed 400 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. This means that the prophecies of God recorded in the Old Testament of the Jews, and fulfilled some 1,500 – 400 years before the birth of Jesus Christ are genuine.

We must also consider the prophecies of God cover a time span of over six thousand years, and that many of the prophecies have a focus on Jesus Christ, the Jews, the nation of Israel, and of the City of Jerusalem. When we consider these prophecies, we can only conclude they came from one source, and that is God. For only God is able to stand outside of the physical universe and create the universe, and give amazing prophecies in such abundance. Also, these prophecies of God are not random, but all are centered around the predetermined plan and purpose of God in Jesus Christ who is God.

These prophecies not only prove beyond any reasonable doubt, that the history of mankind has been unfolding according to a predetermined plan and purpose of God. They also prove, that even though some angels from heaven, and some humans on earth have done their best to prevent the will of God, these enemies of God are heading for complete failure and utter destruction.

In the first two chapters of Genesis in the Holy Bible we read that God created the heavens and the earth, and all the fish in the sea, birds in the sky, animals on the earth, and it was very good. It then becomes obvious from the following chapters that the heavenly

realms existed before the creation of planet earth, and God had already created angels.

Just as God created the angels separate from all other forms of life on earth, God created man and woman different from all other animals on earth. God created us in His own image, the image of God. This does not mean we are gods, but we share some of the characteristics of God, and we are very special to God.

We read in those first two chapters of the Holy Bible that what God created was good, and it was ‘very good.’ However, at the very end of the Holy Bible we read that God intends to create a new heaven and a new earth. The reason for this new heaven and earth, is that the original heaven and earth will have become in need of a complete transformation. The Holy Bible tells us that in the last days of this present age, the earth will be like it was in the days of Noah, it will be filled with evil!

So what happened to planet earth that was created by God, so beautiful and perfect? The heaven was filled with angels God created, and the earth filled with humans God created. Is it God’s fault there is so much evil in the world?

The Holy Bible tells us that God created the world, He created the garden of Eden with perfect conditions to live for Adam and Eve. God walked in the garden and spoke with Adam and Eve, He had created them in His own image, and He created planet earth to be lived in and enjoyed by them. God gave them responsibility over all forms of life on earth.

Angels and Demons

There are few descriptions of angels in the Bible. What was of more importance to the writers of the Bible is what they said and what they did. There is however, a description of one angel in the Bible, that of Lucifer, who became known as the Devil and Satan.

Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God; You were complete, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13 You had been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of your tabrets and of your pipes was prepared in for you in the day that you were created. 14 You are the anointed cherub that covered; and I have set you so: you were upon the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you. Ezekiel 28:12-15.

God had created the angels to worship Him and to serve Him, and God sent His most important angel Lucifer (Satan) to help and serve Adam and Eve. Unfortunately, Satan didn’t see his job as being servant to anyone, including God! Satan craved the worship and obedience of the angels for himself, not only did Lucifer (Satan) want to become like God, but he wanted to become more important than God.

How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how you are cut down to the ground, you who did weaken the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High God. 15 Yet you shall be brought down to hell, to the bottom of the pit. Isaiah 14:12-15.

As well as wanting to become greater than God, Satan also craved power and authority over planet earth. The fact God had created Adam and Eve in His own image didn’t concern Satan, and so

Satan decided to kill them and rule over the heavens and earth himself.

God had placed Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, and they had everything they could want and need, including food. The only restriction was that God had told them not to eat from just one tree in the middle of the garden. God told them do not eat it, and don’t even touch it or you will die! Satan then deceived Adam and Eve to eat from the fruit of that tree, and was confident that either Adam and Eve would die from poisoning, or that God would kill them for their disobedience. Unfortunately for Satan, his plan went badly wrong.

For their disobedience to God, Adam and Eve were now under the sentence of death, but then God did something amazing. Instead of killing Adam and Eve for their sin (disobedience), God took an animal, killed it and made clothing out of it for Adam and Eve to wear. The animal became a sacrifice for man and woman, for their disobedience to God. God had provided a way to atone for their sin, and when they looked at their new clothing, it was symbolic of the sacrifice provided by God for their own lives. This was the first sacrifice God provided for the sins of humankind.

As for Satan, there was no sacrifice by God for him, and God curses Satan and makes a Judgement of Death against Satan. This was, in fact, the first prophecy of God recorded in the Holy Bible by Moses.

(Prophecy # 5).

And the Lord God said to the serpent (Satan). Because you have done this, you are cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; on your belly shall you go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life:

15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. Genesis 3:14-15. (c. 1,400 BC).

It is Jesus who is the Lord God who is speaking to Satan, and God is saying that from this time onwards there will be hostility between Satan and his followers and the children of Adam and Eve. The time will come when Satan will hurt a descendant of Adam and Eve, but then be destroyed by Him. The one who will be born of a woman is Jesus Christ when He was born of Mary 2,000 years ago. The first part of the prophecy was fulfilled when Satan deceived the people into crucifying Jesus. But Satan’s plan went wrong again when Jesus rose from the dead. The second part of the prophecy will be fulfilled at the end of this age at the time of the doomsday prophecies of God, and Jesus Christ will completely destroy Satan.

Then in Revelation we read.

And there was war in heaven: The Angel Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,

8 but Satan and his angels lost; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world: he was cast out down to earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:7-9.

Incredibly, Satan manages to deceive a vast number of angels to follow him, and then launch an attack against God and the angels in heaven. Satan’s plan goes terribly wrong (there seems to be a recurring theme here!), and Satan’s angels I will now refer to as demons, so that when I mention angels I am speaking of the angels

of God.

Following Satan and his demons being cast out of heaven, we read something quite disturbing in Genesis chapter six.

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 That the sons of God (Satan’s angels that we will now refer to as demons) saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3 And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. 4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God (demons) came in to the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only continually evil. 6 And it saddened the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it saddened me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:1-8.

It is, of course, Noah and his family that God instructs to build an ark. His family and all the different kinds of animals enter the ark, and God sends a worldwide flood to destroy all life on earth. Satan and his demons had so corrupted humankind, even creating a hybrid from angels and humans described as the Nephilim, and such was the evil in the world, it risked the extinction of all human life on earth. Some people read of the worldwide flood and think God simply wanted to destroy humankind, but this terrible destruction on earth was, in fact, God’s way of saving humankind. This is a point to keep in mind later when considering the doomsday prophecies of God.

For those of you who are interested in learning more about these giants and the fossil evidence for the Nephilim, you may enjoy reading a book by L.A. Marzulli – On The Trail Of The Nephilim – Giant Skeletons & Ancient Megalithic Structures. 2013 Spiral of Life Publishing.

Here is a description of Marzulli’s book, taken from the rear cover.

Volume 1. On The Trail Of The Nephilim.

What you are about to read is not the stuff of science fiction; It’s not a fantastic fable or the musings of an overzealous archaeologist. It’s straight out of the pages of the Bible. The 120+ pictures displayed within this volume have not been altered in any way. What you are about to see is truly a ground-breaking revelation – an unparalleled discovery that may leave you in stunned silence.

This book is the culmination of a lengthy search for the physical evidence of the Nephilim, the Giants of Old Testament lore. A significant cover-up has taken place over the years, reducing these double-digit, gigantic hybrids to the dustbins of history. But make no mistake about it – they were here. Hundreds of excavated graves scattered throughout the world provide evidence of their genetic abomination – the product of the breeding of heavenly angels with the women of earth during the days of Noah. These ancient builders left behind evidence of their supernatural strength and technological know-how. Their massive, megalithic structures are legendary and evidence of Nephilim architecture abounds worldwide.

Marzulli and a team of scientists, archaeologists and scholars travelled to the jungles of a foreign land, perhaps the only place where they could gain access to the unspoiled evidence of this genetic manipulation – Peru – toppling perhaps the greatest cover-

up in mankind’s bizarre history. Crawling through caves deep in the Peruvian jungle, accompanied by a private native guide, they discovered the remains of an ancient civilisation, a shocking find that left the team in awe. As they held these strange, ancient skulls in their hands, the team knew this was a story that had to be told. The world must know the truth about “The Days of Noah”. See the skulls for yourself in On The Trail of the Nephilim – elongated, distorted skulls with massive eye sockets, bizarre jaw lines, and red hair! Simply put, these skulls are not human!

The story doesn’t end with jungles, caves and ancient skulls. While in Peru, they had an epiphany. What if these “fallen angels” were using their superior knowledge of technology to seek world domination, reducing mankind to mere slaves in their sordid scheme? Was it their desire to be worshipped as gods, like their leader, the fallen archangel Lucifer (Satan)? Were these angels building a network of worldwide power centres in hopes of seeking complete control of God’s Creation? L.A. Marzulli may have connected the dots in a story far bigger than the world could ever imagine. Here’s the whole adventure, accompanied by interviews from noted archaeologist Aaron Judkins, Researcher/Author Fritz Zimmerman, and Watchers Director Richard Shaw. The truth is now in your hands. The cover-up must end. www.lamarzulli.net

This is a very interesting book, that not only provides more physical evidence for the Nephilim, but also provides part of the evidence of God’s predetermined plan and purpose for humankind. Also, as you will discover in this book, not even the best efforts of Satan and the fallen angels can prevent God’s will from being fulfilled.

In Genesis chapters 7,8,9 you can read about the flood. For those of you who are interested in how Noah could have built an Ark big enough, you might like to read the book – Noah’s Ark: A Feasibility Study by John Woodmorappe, or other books on the

subject from www.CreationReseach.net or take a look at the full- size replica of the Ark at www.arkofnoah.org or www.arkencounter.com or www.noahsark.com.hk in Hong Kong.

Following the flood, Noah and family are back on dry land, and the animals released. Noah becomes a farmer and plants a vineyard. And one day when Noah becomes drunk and falls asleep in his tent naked, his sons find him and cover him up. When Noah wakes, he discovers one of his sons saw him naked, while the other two covered him without looking at his naked body. Noah then proclaims a blessing and cursing on his sons, which had their prophetic fulfilment when God took the Hebrew slaves (descendants of Shem) and used them to drive out the descendants of Canaan from the land of Canaan. The land that becomes known as the nation of Israel.

Also, at the time of King Solomon of Israel, when the descendants of Canaan are the slave workforce for the building of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, for King Solomon who was a descendant of Shem.

(Prophecy #6.)

25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brethren.

26 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. Genesis 9:25-27. (c.1,400 BC).

In Genesis, we read of the family lines of Shem, Ham, and Japeth, from whom all people and nations of the world are descended. One of Ham’s descendants was Nimrod (his name means “Rebel”)

who was responsible for building his kingdom of Babel (Babylon). The Bible describes Nimrod as like the mighty hunter before the Lord, Babylon and the Tower of Babel became recognised as a nation rebellious against God who worshipped idols. The Tower of Babel is mentioned in Genesis Chapter 11.

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.

4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach to heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built.

6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.

8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from there did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. Genesis 11:1-9

In Genesis chapter 12, we read of Abram, one of Shem’s descendants who Noah blesses.

(Prophecy # 7.)

Now the Lord had said to Abram, Get out of your country, and from your family, and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you;

2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing:

(Prophecy # 8.)

3 And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3. (c. 1,400 BC).

Here we have two prophecies of God spoken to Abraham and recorded by Moses 1,400 years before Jesus Christ.

Now Abram, who later is known as Abraham lived some 1,900 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, and the great nation God is referring to is the nation of Israel. All the families of the Earth will be blessed because the promise is fulfilled in Abraham’s descendant – Jesus Christ. As for the blessing and curse. History has shown that those nations who bless Israel are blessed, and those who fight against Israel are cursed – a simple matter of examining the history books and watching current news events about Israel on television.

God makes His covenant promise with Abram in Genesis 17

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be perfect.

2 And I will make my covenant between you and me and will multiply you exceedingly.

3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

(Prophecy # 9.)

4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made you.

(Prophecy # 10.)

6 And I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you.

7 And I will establish my covenant between Me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you, and to your seed after you.

(Prophecy # 11.)

8 And I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land wherein you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

9 And God said to Abraham. You shall keep my covenant; therefore, you, and your seed after you in their generations. Genesis 17:1-9. (c. 1,400 BC).

This promise of the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants is, in fact, the land, the nation of Israel and this prophecy of God was not fulfilled until some 600 years later.

(Prophecy # 12.)

And God said to Abram, Know for sure that your descendants shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall be afflicted by them four hundred years;

(Prophecy # 13.)

And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterwards your descendants shall come out with great wealth. Genesis 15:13-14. (1,400 BC).

This prophecy refers to the time that Abraham’s descendants will be slaves in the land of Egypt for 400 years, but God will bring them out with great wealth after God afflicts the Egyptians. This prophecy of God some 200 – 600 years before fulfilment in Egypt.

In Genesis chapter 21 we read of Abraham having a son Isaac and then in chapter 23 God tests Abraham to see if he is loyal to him, by commanding him to take his only son and offer him as a sacrifice to God. This was not uncommon for those who lived in the nations around him, offering their children to the flames as a sacrifice to their gods. But Abraham was obedient and travelled with his son to the place where God had told him to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. When they get to the place of sacrifice, Isaac asks Abraham, “we have wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?” Abraham tells him “My son, God will provide a lamb for the sacrifice”. But just as Abraham is about to kill his son, God speaks to Abraham “Lay not your hand upon the lad, neither do anything to him: for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son from me”.

Not only was this a test for Abraham of his loyalty towards God, but it was also a prophetic act of the father offering his only son as a sacrifice to God. The location of this sacrifice was Moriah, which later became known as Zion, Jerusalem, the place where

1,000 years later, King Solomon builds the Temple for God, and where 2,000 years later, God the Father offered His only Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice to God for the sins of mankind.

The location of this sacrifice provided by God for Abraham and Isaac is of vital importance. For this location which will be the city of Jerusalem, where God offers Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of humankind on the cross, is the location for the New Jerusalem where God will be with us forever. It is this location of Jerusalem that the descendants of Shem (the Jews and the nation of Israel) are in conflict with the descendants of Canaan (Arab nations). This is a conflict that will continue to the Battle of Armageddon.

Isaac had two sons Esau and Jacob, and it is Jacob whose sons eventually became the twelve tribes of Israel. However, before this happened, his youngest son Joseph is his father’s favourite, and his brothers hated him! Now one night Joseph had a dream which his brothers interpret that they would be his servants, and they hated him even more. So one day they sold him off into slavery and told their father Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. Joseph found himself in Egypt and ended up in prison. Joseph had the ability to interpret dreams, and when the Egyptian king, the Pharaoh had a disturbing dream, it was Joseph who interpreted the dream. The Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him his second in command – over all Egypt! You can read about this in Genesis chapters 38 – 41. The dream was about seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine across the land. As a result, Egypt built larger barns and stored the grain for seven years, and then in the famine had plenty for themselves and to sell to others who came to them – including Joseph’s brothers. At first, his brothers didn’t recognise Joseph because he was dressed like a king and they had sold him into slavery! But all was forgiven and Jacob’s family lived in Egypt for

many years and prospered until eventually Jacob died, Joseph died, and the Pharaoh who trusted in Joseph also died.

Now we come to the second book of the Bible in the Old Testament called Exodus. This book describes events that happened some 1,400 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Six hundred years previously, God had told Abraham he would bless those who blessed him and curse those who cursed Abraham. This also applied to Abraham’s descendants. We have just read how the Egyptian Pharaoh blessed Joseph and his family, and now we are going to see how God curses those who curse the descendants of Abraham.

In Exodus chapter 1, we read that there is a new Pharaoh, and he doesn’t know or care anything about Joseph or what he did for Egypt. But he is fearful of Josephs descendants (who are now known as Hebrews, so-called because of their Hebrew language). So this Pharaoh enslaves the Hebrews and makes them work harder and harder. Then he tells the midwives to kill all the male infants at birth but to spare the girls. Then he commands all his people to take every Hebrew son who is born and cast them into the river!

In Exodus chapter 2, we read of the Hebrew son Moses being born, of his mother making an ark from bulrushes, and sailing him off on the river! As she watches from afar what would happen to Moses, one of the Pharaoh’s daughters comes down to the river and seeing Moses, and knowing he was a Hebrew child, she has compassion on him and decides to keep Moses for herself. It would be fun to imagine her returning home to her father the Pharaoh and saying “guess what I found today? And I’m keeping him!”

Moses grows into a young man, and one day sees an Egyptian beating one of the Hebrews. Moses is angered by this and strikes

the Egyptian, killing him. As a result, Moses has to flee for his life and ends up becoming a shepherd for his father-in-law. Exodus chapter 3 - One day, while tending the sheep, he sees a burning bush, but it is not being consumed by the fire. When he goes to investigate, it is God who speaks to Moses from the burning bush, and tells Moses that He is going to use Moses to deliver the Hebrews out of slavery from the Egyptians.

God tells Moses that He wants him to go with Aron to tell the Pharaoh to let all the Hebrews go into the wilderness and worship God. And God now gives two prophecies to Moses. (Prophecy # 14.)

20 And I will stretch out my hand, and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that, he will let you go.

(Prophecy # 15.)

21 And I will give these people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when you go, you shall not go empty.

22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that lives in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing: and you shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and you shall ruin the Egyptians. Exodus 3:1-22. (c. 1,400 BC).

While the Egyptians worshipped many things as gods, including their Pharaoh, he was never going to let the Hebrew slaves go free – why should he, he considered himself a god. What follows is what is commonly known as the Ten Plagues on Egypt. Moses asks the Pharaoh to let the people go. He refuses, and God sends a plague on the Egyptians, and this is repeated nine more times. In fact, each of the ten plagues is God’s way of ridiculing the Pharaoh

and the gods of the Egyptians, because in each case, their so-called gods should have been able to protect them.

The First Plague – Waters and rivers turned to blood.

Second Plague – Frogs – everywhere

Third Plague – Lice

Fourth Plague – Flies

Fifth Plague – Diseased cattle

Sixth Plague – Boils on man and beast

Seventh Plague – Hail that killed man and beast

Eighth Plague – Locusts

Ninth Plague – A thick darkness over the land.

Tenth Plague – Death of every firstborn among the Egyptians

The death of a son or daughter – no matter what their age is a terrible thing to suffer. And this last plague on the Egyptians affected every Egyptian family, including the Pharaoh. But God had promised to bless those who bless the descendants of Abraham, and curse those who curse them. Considering the Pharaoh commanded his people to cast the male born infant Hebrew children into the river, we can see the reality of God’s curse on the people – exactly as He said He would do. The final humiliating defeat for the Pharaoh came as a result of letting the Hebrews go free and then sending his army after them to kill them and/or enslave them once again. This resulted in his army being drowned crossing the Red Sea by the hand of God.

The Passover

The Passover is an annual Jewish festival to commemorate the Tenth Plague on the Egyptians that led to freedom for the Hebrew slaves. It is a celebration that has been observed by the Jews every year since the time of Moses, for some 3,400 years! It is also a celebration that links the first sacrifice by God in the garden of Eden for Adam and Eve. It links the time Abraham offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice, and God provided the sacrifice. And it links all of these events with the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago, and the service of Holy Communion that we celebrate in churches around the world today. So, this is an important festival!

You can read about the first Passover in Exodus chapter 12. God had told Moses to tell the Hebrews that each family had to take a lamb, kill it and roast it whole. Take some of its blood, and daub it on the doorposts and lintel of the houses where they eat it. The family would eat the lamb, and anything left over was to be consumed by the fire (this is a sacrificial meal). That night God passed through the land, and any house that did not have the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintel, God killed the firstborn in that house. But when God saw the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintel, God would pass over that house. The Hebrew slaves were saved by the blood of the lamb – as Christians today are saved by the Blood of the Lamb of God – Jesus Christ.

Now, as the Hebrews travelled out of Egypt into the wilderness, and on to the Promised Land of Canaan, you might think that these Hebrews would be grateful to God. After all, God showed Himself to be greater than any of the so-called gods of the Egyptians. God had set them free with the most amazing miracles, and yet they began to complain – we have no bread, we have no meat, we have no water, moan, moan, moan! God provides bread Manna from Heaven, He provides meat – flocks of small birds descend upon them nearly every day, and makes water spring from out of a rock.

And were they happy? No! In Numbers 21 we read –

4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was very discouraged because of the way.

5 And the people spoke against God, and against Moses, Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loathes this light bread (Manna).

6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many people of Israel died.

7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against you; pray to the Lord, that he will take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

8 And the Lord said to Moses, Make a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live.

9 And Moses made a serpent of brass and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man when he looked at the serpent of brass, he lived Numbers 21:4-9

This was a prophetic act of what was to come 1,400 years later when Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of mankind. Here, the people of Israel (Hebrews) sinned against God and His anointed (Moses). The penalty for sin is death (as it was in the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve). The serpent represented sin (serpent = Satan), the sin of the people, and raised up on a pole. The ones who were bitten by the serpents had sinned. They were under the penalty of death – they were going to die in their sins.

When they looked at the serpent raised high on the pole, they were acknowledging their sin against God. This was an act of repentance on their behalf, and they were sorry for their sin against God and His anointed (Moses). Today, we can spiritually go to the cross on which Jesus died. He took the sins of the world upon Himself – He took our sins. And when we come to Jesus in repentance for our sins against God and His anointed (Jesus Christ), we received total and complete forgiveness. The penalty for sin is still death, but in Jesus Christ, we have healing, forgiveness and life – life eternal.

During the time in the wilderness, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and laws on how the people were to obey God.

The Ten Commandments

And God spoke all these words, saying,

2 I am the Lord your God, which have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 You shall not have any other gods above me.

4 You shall not make any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5 You shall not bow down before them, nor serve them: for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And showing mercy to thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

7 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.

8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

9 Six days shall you labour, and do all your work:

10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger that is within your gates:

11 For in six days, the Lord made heaven and Earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

12 Honour your father and your mother: that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God gives you.

13 You shall not kill.

14 You shall not commit adultery.

15 You shall not steal.

16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

17 You shall not covet your neighbour’s house, you shall not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbour’s. Exodus 20:1-17

Then follows more detailed instructions on the laws God expects of His people. This is followed by God telling Moses of the land the people would inhabit by driving out the people who lived there. The boundaries described are what we know today as the Land of Israel. God then has Moses build an altar, and oxen are killed and offered as a burnt sacrifice to God. The blood of the ox is sprinkled

on the altar and then on the people, as a sign of a blood covenant (agreement) between God and His people. Then Moses and the leaders are invited up the mountain where they enjoy a meal with God. This event, some 1,400 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, links us to Jesus Christ, the Last Supper, and the blood of the New Covenant. Both these events link us to the Holy Communion Service held in church most Sundays, and the promise of God to His people.

Look, I send an Angel before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. 22 But if you shall indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries. 23 For My Angel shall go before you, and bring you into the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. 24 You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but you shall utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. 25 And you shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless your bread, and your water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of you. 26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in your land: the number of your days I will fulfil. 27 I will send my fear before you, and will destroy all the people to whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before you. 29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year; lest the land becomes desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against you. 30 By little and little, I will drive them out from before you, until you be increased, and inherit the land.

31 And I will set your boundaries from the Red sea even to the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and you shall drive them out before you. 32 You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me: for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you. And he said to Moses, Come up to the Lord, you, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and you worship me from afar. 2 And Moses alone shall come near the Lord: but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him. 3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord has said will we do. 4 And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and built an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. 6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord has said will we do, and be obedient. 8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Look the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you concerning all these words. 9 Then up went Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. 11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel, he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink. 12 And the Lord said to Moses, Come up to Me into the mount, and be there: and I will give you tablets of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that you may teach them.

13 And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God. 14 And he said to the elders, You wait here for us, until we come again to you: and, look, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man has any matters to do, let him come to them. 15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. 16 And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. 18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and he went up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights. Exodus 23:20-33 – 24:1-18.

God made His promise to be with His people and protect them, and instructs Moses to build a portable temple which will go with them wherever God leads them. This temple is designed to be a tabernacle, a dwelling place for God. So this tabernacle is a visible sign for the people that the Lord God of all creation is with His people. God gave Moses detailed instructions as to the design and construction of the temple, and of the worship and sacrifices to be offered to God.

The journey from Egypt to the Promised Land of Canaan should have been completed within weeks, but turned out to be forty years! In Numbers chapters 13 and 14, we read that Moses sent out spies to survey the land of Canaan. This was because the land was inhabited with the descendants of Ham who would naturally fight against any invasion of their land by the people of Israel. The spies returned to Moses and told him that yes, the land was good – flowing with milk and honey! But some of the spies said the land was inhabited with giants, the descendants of Anak, and the people of Israel were like grasshoppers in comparison to them. Others

disagreed with them and were willing to go and take the land by force. On account of the sin of those who were afraid to enter the Promised Land of Canaan, God made the people remain in the wilderness for forty years, until all those who spoke against going into the land, died in the wilderness. These Hebrew Children of Israel were learning to understand that not only would the Lord God of all creation bless them and protect them, but God would also punish disobedience and idolatry with death.

God With Us

In this second chapter, we discover the amazing prophecies of God, that foretell the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ – who is ‘God with us’. We also learn how it would have been impossible for these prophecies to have been added at a later date. The only way the prophecies could have been made is by God, who not only knows the future but who also decides the future thousands of years in advance.

Now, Moses did not lead the people of Israel into the land of Canaan, but he anoints Joshua as leader of the people, and in Deuteronomy 18:15-19 we read of a prophetic conversation between Moses and God

(Prophecy # 16.)

The Lord your God will raise up to you a Prophet from the midst of you, of your brethren, one like me; to him you shall listen;

16 According to all that you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I shall not die.

17 And the Lord said to me. They have well spoken, that which they have spoken.

18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, one like you, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.

19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require his life. Deuteronomy 18:15-19. (c.1,400 BC).

The one who is speaking to Moses and giving the prophecy is God. The one who will fulfil this prophecy is Jesus Christ, who is God. Following the death of Moses, there were one thousand, four hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ. It would have been impossible to add this prophecy of God into the scriptures after the event (after 1,400 years of history). Also, as we look back on the life of Moses and Jesus Christ, we can see clearly that in and through Moses, God was in fact preparing the world of the real evidence for God. God was preparing humankind for the most important event in history since the beginning of creation. That event was the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem two thousand years ago, of Jesus Christ, who is God with us.

Here is the list of how Jesus Christ was like Moses.

1. Moses was considered as a deliverer for God's children. Jesus was considered as the deliverer for God's children.

2. Moses was born in a land where his people were oppressed by the Egyptian Pharaoh.

Jesus was born in a land where His people were oppressed by King Herod and the Roman Empire.

3. At the time of Moses’ birth, the Pharaoh ordered the death of newborn male babies. Exodus 1:15-16.

When Jesus was born, King Herod ordered the killing of all the infant males. Matthew 2:16-18.

4. God called Moses out of Egypt. Exodus 3:11-12.

God called Jesus out of Egypt. Matthew 2:13-15.

5. Moses fasted 40 days when receiving the Ten Commandments. Exodus34:28.

Jesus fasted 40 days before being tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1-2.

6. Moses spoke directly with God face to face Numbers 12:7-8.

Jesus spoke directly with God face to face John 1:18.

7. Moses performed miracles.

Jesus performed miracles.

8. Moses was the leader of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Jesus was the leader of His 12 disciples.

9. Moses appointed 70 to minister. Numbers 11:16-17.

Jesus appointed 70 to minister. Luke 10:1.

10. Moses gave the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:1-17.

Jesus gave a new commandment – to love one another. John 13:34- 35.

11. Moses had followers who rebelled against him and died. Numbers 21:5-7.

Jesus had a follower (Judas), who rebelled against Him and died. Matthew 27:3-5.

12. Moses had people who wanted to stone him to death. Exodus 17:4.

Jesus had people who wanted to stone Him to death. John 8:59.

13. Moses led his people to the Promised Land of Canaan.

Jesus leads His people into the Promised Land of Heaven.

14. Moses parted the Red Sea. Exodus 14:21.

Jesus calmed the sea. Mark 4:35-41.

15. Moses was a shepherd. Exodus 3:1.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. John 10:11-18.

16. Moses fed thousands with bread from heaven. Exodus 16:1- 36.

Jesus fed thousands with bread through His miracles. Matthew 14:15-21 and Matthew 15:32-38.

Jesus said "I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst”. John 6:31-35.

17. Moses gave water to the women at the well. Exodus 2:15-17.

Jesus offered the woman at the well waters of everlasting life. John 4:1-42.

18. Moses washed Aaron and his sons with water. Leviticus 8:6.

Jesus washed His disciple's feet. John 13:3-17.

19. Moses gave the law on a mountain. Exodus 19:20 – 20:18.

Jesus gave the Sermon on The Mount. Matthew 5:1 - 7:29.

20. Moses lifted up a bronze serpent so that those who had sinned against God would be saved and healed. Numbers 21:5-9.

Jesus was lifted up on a cross, so that those who had sinned against God would be saved and healed. John 3:13-16.

21. Moses turned water into blood. Exodus 7:14-21.

Jesus turned water into wine. John 2:1-11.

22. Moses instituted the Passover Festival. Exodus 12:1-14.

Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper. Matthew 26:26-30,

1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

23. Moses and the people provided the Passover Lamb. Exodus 12.

Jesus was the Passover lamb provided by God. John 1:29-34.

24. Moses’ face shone while talking with God on the Mount Sinai. Exodus 34:29.

Jesus’ face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as light, when He became transfigured high on the mountain. Also, Elijah and Moses appeared with Jesus, as witnessed by Peter James and John. They also heard God speak to them about Jesus "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" Elijah represented the prophets in the Old Testament, and Moses the Law, yet God was telling these disciples that Jesus was more important than Moses and Elijah. Matthew 17:1-13.

25. Moses’ burial was attended by an angel Jude 9.

Jesus’ burial attended by an angel Matthew 28:2, 5-6.

26.Moses said God would send another like Him (Jesus Christ). Deuteronomy 18:15-19.

Jesus said God would send another like him (The Holy Spirit). Luke 24:49.

27. Moses gave the covenant of God with the sprinkled blood of the oxen. Exodus 24:8.

Jesus gave the new covenant of God with His own blood. Luke 22:20.

28. Following the covenant with God, Moses and the elders had a meal with God. Exodus 24:9-11.

Following the new covenant with God – Jesus Christ and His disciples had the Passover meal together. Luke 22:15.

29. Moses gave prophecies with 100% accuracy.

Jesus gave prophecies with 100% accuracy.

30. Moses was a prophet of God.

Jesus Christ is the prophet of God.

Every one of these similarities was, in fact, a prophetic act, planned and prepared by God in and through Moses, that would find their fulfilment in Jesus Christ.

Could all of these similarities been just a coincidence? It would be impossible. And has anyone else in history fulfilled this prophecy more than Jesus Christ? No, they have not. This prophecy of God, given by God some 1,400 years before fulfilment, demonstrates that the history of mankind is unfolding according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God. For no one but God could have given those prophecies.

In the beginning of the Gospel of John, John describes Jesus as the Word. This means that every word that Jesus Christ spoke was the very Word of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. John 1:1-3

In addition to the prophecy of God being fulfilled by Jesus Christ

being like Moses, there are more prophecies in the Old Testament that refer to Jesus Christ. These are about his birth, life, death, and resurrection, and all of them written between 400 and 1,400 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.

(Prophecy # 17.)

God told Micah: The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Micah 5:2. (c. 700 BC).

Fulfilled in Matthew

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. Matthew 2:1.

(Prophecy # 18.)

God told Isaiah: That Jesus would be born of a virgin. Therefore the Lord God himself shall give you a sign; Look, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (God with us). Isaiah 7:14. (c. 700 BC).

(Prophecy # 19.)

Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord God is with you; blessed are you among women!" 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring

forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father King David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom, there will be no end". 34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" 35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God”. Luke 1:26-35.

Through the power of God, Moses did many miracles, and you can read about them in the second book of the Bible called Exodus. The prophecy of God also tells us that Jesus will perform miracles in the power of God.

(Prophecy #20.)

And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness….Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be opened. 6 Then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. Isaiah 29:18, 35:45-6. (c. 700 B.C.).

Here are a few of the miracles of Jesus Christ. Jesus healed a man who was born blind. John 5:1-9. Jesus healed two blind men. Matthew 20:29-34. Jesus healed a blind man. Mark 8:22-26. Jesus healed a lame woman. Luke13:11-13. Jesus healed the demon-possessed. Matthew 8:28-34, 9:34-34, 12:22-32, 15:21-28. Mark 1:23-27. Luke 4:41, 16:9. Jesus healed a paralysed man. Luke:18-25. At a wedding, Jesus turned more than 120 gallons of water into wine. John 2:1-11. Jesus healed ten men of leprosy. Luke 17:11-19. Jesus healed all who came to Him, and He also raised three people from the dead back to life again.

The son of a widow raised from the dead. Luke7:11-15. Jarius's daughter raised from the dead. Luke 8:41-56. Lazarus raised from the dead after being laid in a tomb for four days. John 11:1-44. Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two small fish. John 6:5-13. Jesus fed four thousand people with seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Matthew 15:32-38. Jesus walked on the sea. Matthew 14:22-33.

In his gospel, John, says of Jesus. And there are also so many other things that Jesus did, which if they were all written down, I suppose even the world could not contain all the books that would have been written about him. John 21:25. The writers of the four gospels in the New Testament of the Christian Holy Bible, recorded an overwhelming number of miracles that Jesus performed, and listed above are just a few examples to show us what Jesus said and did.

More prophecies of God about Jesus Christ.

(Prophecy # 21.)

God told The psalmist: The Messiah will speak in parables.

I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Psalm 78:2. (c. 400 BC).

Fulfilled in Matthew

And the disciples came, and said to him, Why do you speak to the people in parables? 11 Jesus answered and said to them, Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive: Matthew 13:10-16.

(Prophecy # 22.)

God told Isaiah that He would send a messenger before the Messiah.

The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3. (c. 700 BC).

Fulfilled in Matthew

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, And saying, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 3:1-2.

When Jesus began His ministry teaching in the synagogues in Galilee, He had been well received by everyone. Then He came to His hometown of Nazareth.

(Prophecy # 23.)

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region everywhere. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being praised by all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.17 And they brought to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are wounded, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he

closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And Jesus began to say to them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your hearing. Luke 4:14-21

The scripture that Jesus read from was Isaiah 49:8-9, the prophecy God gave to Isaiah c. 700 BC. And in saying that the scriptures had been fulfilled in their hearing, Jesus was telling the people that He was the long-awaited Messiah, the Christ of God. The people were so angry with Jesus, they wanted to take Him and throw Him off a cliff and kill Him! But Jesus passed through the midst of them, and went on His way.

Later, Jesus had been healing people of every kind of sickness and disability, and some He healed on the Sabbath day – which the Jewish leaders said was against the Law.

16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day. 17 But Jesus answered them, My Father in heaven is working and so I work. 18 Therefore the Jews sought even more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. John 5:16-18.

Another time, Jesus claimed Himself equal with God

Jesus said, "I and my Father are one." 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them. Many good works have I shown you from my Father; for which of those works do you stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, It is not for the good works that we stone you; but for blasphemy; and because you, being a man, make yourself God. John 10:30-33.

For anyone to claim equality with God would have been considered blasphemy, and the punishment would be for the person

to be stoned to death. Only Jesus could claim equality with God, because Jesus Christ is God.

Jesus was very critical of the Jewish religious leaders, the scribes and the Pharisees. This is what He told the people about them -

Then Jesus spoke to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3 Therefore whatever they tell you observe, that observe and do; but do not do what they do, for they do not do what they teach. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be carried, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do, they do to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. Matthew 23:1-7.

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither do you allow them that are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you travel sea and land to make one convert, and when he is made, you make him twice the child of hell than yourselves. Matthew 23:13-15.

27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and sin. 29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the graves of the righteous,

30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Therefore you are witnesses to yourselves, that you are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32 Fill up then the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell? Matthew 23:27-33.

This is Jesus, this is God condemning the Scribes and Pharisees, the teachers of the Law of God, who are supposed to help guide people into the Kingdom of God, so you can see from His comments why He was so angry with them.

(Prophecy # 24.)

God told Zechariah (c. 500 BC): The Messiah would enter Jerusalem riding the colt of a donkey.

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes to you: he is just, and having salvation; humble, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9. (c. 500 BC).

Fulfilled in Matthew

And when they drew close to Jerusalem, and had come to Bethphage, to the mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 Saying to them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway you shall find a donkey tied, and a colt with her: untie them, and bring them to me. 3 And if any man say anything to you, you shall say, The Lord has need of them, and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell you the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King comes to you, meek, and sitting upon a donkey, and a colt the foal of a donkey. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the donkey, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set Jesus upon them.

8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strew them in the way before Jesus. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. Matthew 21:1-9.

When the Jews were taken into captivity in Babylon 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, Jerusalem was in ruins and the Temple destroyed. The prophet Daniel received a messenger from God, and it was the angel Gabriel (the same angel Gabriel who came to Mary to announce the virgin birth) who delivered the message.

(Prophecy # 25.)

God sent the angel Gabriel with His prophecy, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem, until the Messiah (Jesus Christ) there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks, and then one week that is cut short. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks Daniel 9:25. (c. 600 BC).

(Prophecy # 26.) And then the Messiah would be cut off, but not for himself, in the middle of the week (middle of the 70th week). And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself. Daniel 9:26. (c. 600 BC).

So what does this mean? This prophecy was given to Daniel years before Cyrus the Great invades Babylon and gives the order for the Jews to return and rebuild Jerusalem in 457 B.C. So from the command of Cyrus the Great to restore and rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple in 457 B.C. we have 7 + 62 + 1 = 70 weeks times 7 days = 490 days = 490 years. And 490 years from 457 B.C. brings us to A.D. 33, the time of Jesus Christ’s ministry on earth. It is generally accepted by biblical scholars that Jesus’ ministry

lasted for 3 ½ years until He was cut off (crucified), but not for Himself, but for the sins of mankind. What this means is that the angel Gabriel delivered a prophecy from God, pinpointing the exact time Jesus Christ would be ministering on earth, and that His ministry would last just 3 ½ years before being cut off – crucified – not for Himself, but for others! Furthermore, this prophecy and declared by God through Gabriel some six hundred years before the event!

More prophecies of God concerning the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

(Prophecy # 27.)

God told the psalmist: The Messiah would be betrayed by a friend.

Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. Psalm 41:9. (c. 400 BC).

Fulfilled in Matthew

And Jesus answered and said, He that dips the bread in his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me. Matthew 26:23

And while Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now Judas that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, The one I shall greet with a kiss, that same is he: take him prisoner. 49 And immediately he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50 And Jesus said to him, Friend, why have you come? Then they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him. Matthew 26:47-50

(Prophecy # 28.)

God told Isaiah: The Messiah would be wounded and whipped.

But he was wounded for our transgressions (sins), he was bruised for our iniquities (evil): the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5. (c. 700 BC).

Fulfilled in Matthew

Then they released he Barabbas to them: and when he had scourged (whipped) Jesus, he delivered Jesus to be crucified. Matthew 27:26.

(Prophecy # 28.)

God told Isaiah: The Messiah will be spat upon. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. Isaiah 50:6. (c. 700 BC).

Fulfilled in Matthew

Then did they spit in his face, and beat him; and others slapped him with the palms of their hands. Matthew 26:67.

(Prophecy # 29.)

God told Zechariah: The Messiah would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver.

And I said to them, If you think it good, give me my price; and if not, don't. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. Zechariah 11:12. (c. 500 BC).

Fulfilled in Matthew

And Judas said to them, What will you give me, and I will deliver Jesus to you? And they agreed with him for thirty pieces of silver. Matthew 26:15.

(Prophecy # 30.)

God told Zechariah: That thirty pieces of silver would be thrown into the temple and given for a potters field.

And the Lord said to me, Cast it to the potter: a goodly price that I was valued at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. Zechariah 11:13. (c. 500 BC).

Fulfilled in Matthew

And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. 6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. 7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Matthew 27:5-7.

(Prophecy # 31.)

God told Isaiah: The Messiah would be crucified with thieves.

Because he has poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors (sinners); and he bares the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12. (c. 700).

Fulfilled in Matthew

Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. Matthew 27:38.

(Prophecy # 32.)

God told Isaiah: The Messiah would be silent before His accusers.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearer is dumb, so he did not speak. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. Isaiah 53:7-8. (c. 700 BC).

Fulfilled in Mark

2 And Pilate asked him, Are you the King of the Jews? And he answering said to them, You say it. 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. 4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Why don't you answer? Look at how many things they witness against you. 5 But Jesus did not answer them; so that Pilate was astonished. Mark 15:2-5.

(Prophecy # 33.)

God told the psalmist: The Messiah's hands and feet will be pierced (crucifixion, being nailed to a cross, hands and feet).

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my body. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and you have brought me to the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. Psalm 22:14-16. (c. 400).

Fulfilled in Mark

And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him (nailing him to the cross). Mark 15:20.

(Prophecy # 34.)

God told the psalmist: They divided his garments by casting lots.

They part my garments among them, and cast lots for my clothes. Psalm 22:18. (c. 400 BC).

Fulfilled in Mark

And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. Mark 15:24.

(Prophecy #35.)

God told Moses: The Passover Lamb bones would not be broken.

They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the Passover, they shall keep it. Numbers 9:12. (c. 1,400 BC).

Fulfilled in John

31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was a high day,) pleaded with Pilate that their legs might be broken,(which would mean instant death) and that they might be taken away. 32 Then came the soldiers, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they did not break his legs: 34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. 35 And he that saw it bore fluid, and his record is true: and he knows that he said true, that you might believe. 36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

37 And again another scripture said, They shall look on him whom they pierced. (Jesus Christ was the Passover Lamb on the cross). John 19:31-37.

(Prophecy # 36.)

God told Isaiah in 700 B.C: The Messiah will die as an offering for sin.

But he was wounded for our sins, he was punished for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the sin of us all. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he has poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the sinners; and he bore the sin of many, and made prayers for the sinners. Isaiah 53:5-6,8,12. (c. 700 BC).

Fulfilled at the crucifixion, but stated in 1. Peter.

Jesus Christ, who his own self, carried our sins in his own body on the cross, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes we were healed. 1 Peter 2:24.

(Prophecy # 37.)

God told Isaiah: The Messiah will be buried in a rich man's tomb.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Isaiah 53:9. (c. 700 BC).

Fulfilled in Matthew

When the evening had come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: 58 He went to Pilate, and begged for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. 59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Matthew 27:57-60.

Following Jesus’ death on the cross another supernatural event occurred. As His birth, life and ministry were all supernatural, this should come as no surprise.

And, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did shake, and the rocks tumble; 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept (died) arose, 53 and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many. 54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. Matthew 27:51-54.

This was to fulfil another prophecy of God, given to Isaiah 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.

(Prophecy # 38.)

Your dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, you that dwell in dust: for your dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Isaiah 26:19. (c. 700 BC).

All of these prophecies were given and recorded in the scriptures between 400 and 1,400 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Archaeological discoveries prove beyond any doubt these prophecies were recorded during this period, and so could not have been added after the life of Jesus Christ. These prophecies prove that God does exist and that He knows exactly what is going to happen in the future.

These prophecies of God prove that Jesus Christ was and is God. The fact that God came to earth two-thousand years ago is of vital importance for us today, and for the eternal destiny of humankind. As such, it is important to understand what Jesus said, and what He did, and it is for this reason the following two chapters consist of books from the New Testament of the Holy Bible. They were both written by Luke to his good friend Theophilus. The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles give us much insight into the value of Christ’s words and actions. The words and actions of God.

The Gospel of Luke

In this third chapter, we read the complete Gospel of Luke from the Christian Holy Bible. Jesus Christ is ‘God with us’. Here we read the very words spoken by God, eyewitness testimonies of disciples and followers of Jesus Christ. It is through the gospel (meaning good news) that we read the good news of God’s plan for the eternal destiny of humankind.

Introduction to the Gospel of Luke, by David Ramanauskas

One of the reasons some people find it difficult to believe in God or to believe in Jesus Christ, is the insistence of the Christian Church to claim that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. The Church would say that you just have to have faith, to believe in God and believe in a virgin birth (that Mary became pregnant without sexual relations with a man).

However, the evidence proves that Jesus Christ is God, and with his life, ministry, death and resurrection all being a life, ministry, death and resurrection of miracles, it is hardly surprising that his birth as Jesus Christ was also a miracle of God. Once we have an understanding of the evidence for God, and the prophecies of God. Then we have faith in God and the virgin birth based upon the rock-solid evidence for God. Luke makes a point of not just telling us that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, but explains how this miraculous event is part of the predetermined plan and purpose of God, through the prophecies and promises of God.

In the first two chapters of Luke, he writes of the birth of John the Baptist and of Jesus Christ. God sends His angel Gabriel to make this announcement to the father of John (a priest named Zacharias), and to the Virgin Mary.

Interestingly, it is the same angel Gabriel who some six hundred

years earlier, God sends to Daniel. Gabriel is sent to Daniel to give an understanding of a vision Daniel received, and also to deliver two prophecies that speak of Jesus Christ. (Prophecies # 25 and 26.)

You can read these in Daniel 8:15-18, Daniel 9:21-22, Daniel 9:25- 26. These two prophecies accurately tell of when the Messiah will come, and then He will be killed, not for Himself, but for others. Just like all prophecies of God, we know these (written in the Old Testament) could not have been written after the event.

The angel Gabriel tells Zacharias his son, who is to be called John, will come in the spirit of Elijah the prophet, to prepare the way for the Lord. This is in fulfilment of the prophecy given to Isaiah.

(Prophecy # 39.)

The voice of him that shouts in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain: 5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Isaiah 40:3-5. (c. 700 B.C.)

Also the prophecy of God, given to Malachi.

(Prophecy # 40.)

Look, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Malachi 4:5 (c. 450 B.C.)

The angel Gabriel tells Mary.

(Prophecy # 41.) You will have a son and name him Jesus.

(Prophecy # 42.) He will be called Son of the Highest God.

(Prophecy # 43.) God will give him the throne of his ancestor King David (the throne over the Jews, Jerusalem, Israel).

(Prophecy # 44.) His kingdom will have no end.

These are the fulfilment of the following Old Testament scriptures written 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 7:14. The name Immanuel means ‘God with us’. Isaiah 9:6- 7.

When we consider the supernatural ability for God to foretell such important events, then it is not difficult or unreasonable for us to believe what the scriptures tell us that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.

Here are a few more prophecies of God fulfilled in the Gospel of Luke.

(Prophecy # 45.)

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Isaiah 49:8-9. (c. 700 BC).

Fulfilled in Luke 4:18-19.

(Prophecy # 46.)

The eyes of the blind shall be opened. Isaiah 35:5-6 (c. 700 BC). Fulfilled in Luke 7:22.

(Prophecy # 47.)

Keep on Hearing and seeing but do not understand. Isaiah 6:9-10. (c. 700 BC). Fulfilled in Luke 8:9-10.

(Prophecy # 48.)

Thirty Pieces of Silver. Zechariah 7:12-13 (c. 500 BC). Fulfilled in Luke 22:2-6.

(Prophecy # 49.)

Another like Moses. Deuteronomy 18:18. (c.1,400 BC). Fulfilled in Luke 24:27. And beginning at Moses and the prophets, Jesus explained to them all the scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:27.

It is now some 1,400 years since God told Moses He would send another one to His people like Moses. During all that time, the Jews celebrated the Passover festival every year in Jerusalem, and had been offering worship to God and making the sacrifices to God as instructed. Sacrifices were made to God for the sins of individuals and for the nation. Everyone knew that to sin against God (to break the commandments or laws given by God), meant those who sinned must offer the correct sacrifice to God.

In AD 1, the Jews were under the control of the Roman Empire (who the Jews hated). The people longed to be free of the Roman occupation of their land, and looked to the prophecies of God that foretold of their freedom. They looked to the fulfilment of the prophecies, where God would send them a Messiah, one like Moses, or like King David who would defeat the Romans in battle.

In order for the Romans to keep the Jews under control, the Romans had a severe way of dealing with criminals. They would have them flogged and then crucified by nailing them to an upright cross of wood. Death would be slow and agonizing, their bodies hanging on the cross for days providing a deterrent to other lawbreakers.

In the Holy Bible there are four gospels (the word gospel means good news), Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, each one writing about Jesus Christ from a different perspective. In his gospel, Luke is writing to his good friend Theophilus, so that he might know the certainty of what he had learned about Jesus Christ. A point worth keeping in mind as you read, is that when Jesus speaks, it is the same as God speaking, for Jesus Christ is God.

The Gospel of Luke.

The angel Gabriel announces the birth of John the Baptist and of Jesus Christ.

Chapter 1. For as many have taken in hand to set forth in order, a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2 Even as they delivered them to us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word. 3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That you might know the certainty of those things you have been instructed.

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharia, of the division of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because Elizabeth was unable to have children, and they both were now well advanced in years. 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharia saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Fear not, Zacharia: for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you shall have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And

many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elija, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord”. 18 And Zacharia said to the angel. “How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife well-aged in years”. 19 And the angel answering said to him. “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and sent to speak to you, and to show you these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, you shall be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season”. 21 And the people waited for Zacharia, and marvelled that he took so long in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak to them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned to them, and remained speechless. 23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24 And after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus has the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel came to her, and said. “Hail, you that are highly favoured, the Lord is with you: blessed are you among women”. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said to her. “Fear not, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father King David. 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end”. 34 Then said Mary to the angel. “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” 35 And the

angel answered and said to her. “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you, therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, your cousin Elizabeth, she has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible”. 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her. 39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda. 40 And entered into the house of Zacharia, and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the baby leapt in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she spoke out with a loud voice, and said. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For as soon as the voice of your salutation sounded in mine ears, the baby leapt in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord”. 46 And Mary said. “My soul does magnify the Lord. 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden, for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty has done to me great things, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has showed strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy. 55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever”. 56 And Mary lived with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

57 Now Elizabeth's full time came that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son. 58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had showed great mercy upon her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him Zacharia, after the name of his father. 60 And his mother answered and said. “Not so but he shall be called John”. 61 And they said to her. “There is none of your family that is called by this name”. 62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. 64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, and praised God. 65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them, and all these sayings were made throughout all the hill country of Judaea. 66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, what manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And his father Zacharia was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying.

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David. 70 As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began. 71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us. 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant. 73 The oath which he swore to our father Abraham, 74 That he would grant to us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. 76 And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways. 77 To give knowledge of salvation to his people by the

remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dayspring from on high has visited us. 79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace”. 80 And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his ministry to Israel.

The birth of Jesus Christ

Chapter 2.

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this tax was first made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David). 5 To be taxed with Mary his engaged wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were very afraid. 10 And the angel said to them. “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign to you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger”. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying. 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men”. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them

into heaven, the shepherds said one to another. “Let us now go to Bethlehem, and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us”. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known that which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told to them.

21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord. 23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord). 24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. 25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the salvation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28 Then he took him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said. 29 “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word: 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 Which you have prepared before the face of all people. 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel”. 33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were

spoken of him. 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother. “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against. 35 (Yes, a sword shall pierce through your own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed”.

36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser, she was of a great age, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. 37 And she was a widow of about eighty-four years, who departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise to the Lord, and spoke of him to all them that looked for freedom in Jerusalem. 39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. 40 And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. 43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother did not know it. 44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company of family and friends, went a day's journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the Jewish teachers, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48 And when they saw him, they were amazed, and his mother said to him. “Son, why have you so dealt with us? Look, your father and I have been searching for you, and worried about you”. 49 And he said to them. “How is it that you

looked for me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?” 50 And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

John the Baptist prepares the way

Chapter 3.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharia in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him. “O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father, for I say to you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children of Abraham. 9 And now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees, every tree therefore which brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire”. 10 And the people asked him, saying. “What shall we do then?” 11 He answered and said to them. “He that has two coats, let him give to him that has none; and he that has food, let him do likewise”.

12 Then came also tax collectors to be baptized, and said to him. “Master, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them. “Exact no more than that which is appointed you”. 14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying. “And what shall we do?” And he said to them. “Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages”. 15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men pondered in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; 16 John answered, saying to them all. I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I comes, the laces of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose, he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable”. 18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he to the people.

19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20 Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. 21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said. “You are my beloved Son; in You I am well pleased”. 23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, 24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, 25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, 26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda, 27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of

Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, 28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, 29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, 30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim, 31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David, 32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson, 33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, 34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, 35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, 36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, 37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, 38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

The Spirit of God is upon Jesus Christ

Chapter 4.

And Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and

when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 And Satan said to him. “If you be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread”. 4 And Jesus answered him, saying. “It is written. That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God”. 5 And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, showed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And Satan said to him. “All this power will I give you, and the glory of them, for that is delivered to me, and to whomsoever, I will I give it. 7 If You, therefore, will worship me, all shall be Yours”. 8 And Jesus answered and said to him. “Get thee behind me, Satan, for it is written. You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve”. 9 And Satan brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said to him. “If you be the Son of God, cast yourself down from here. 10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you. 11 And in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone”. 12 And Jesus answering said to him. “It is said. You shall not tempt the Lord your God”. 13 And when Satan had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a while.

14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and there went out a fame of him through all the region. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.17 And there was delivered to him the book of the prophet Elijah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written. 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue

were watching him.

21 And he began to say to them. “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your hearing”. 22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said. “Is not this Joseph's son? 23 And he said to them. “You will surely say to me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in your country”. 24 And he said. “Truly I say to you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. 25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 26 But to none of them was Elijah sent, except to Sarepta, a city of Sidon, to a woman that was a widow. 27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them were cleansed, except Naaman the Syrian”. 28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 And rose up, and threw him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. 30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way, 31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath days.

32 And they were astonished at his teaching: for his word was with power. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean demon, and cried out with a loud voice, 34 Saying. “Let us alone, what have you to do with us, you Jesus of Nazareth? have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are, the Holy One of God”. 35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying. “Hold your peace, and come out of him”. And when the demon had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. 36 And they were all amazed, and spoke among themselves, saying. “What a word is this! for with authority and power he commanded the unclean spirits, and they come out”. 37 And the

fame of him went out into every place of the country.

38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever, and they looked to bring him to her. 39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her, and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. 40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying out, and saying. “You are Christ, the Son of God”. And he rebuking them not allowing them to speak, for they knew that he was Christ. 42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came to him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. 43 And he said to them. “I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also, for therefore am I sent”. 44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

Jesus Christ has the power and authority to forgive sins

Chapter 5.

And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 And saw two ships standing by the lake, but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would push out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. 4 Now when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon. “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch”. 5 And Simon answering said to him. “Master, we have worked all night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless, at your word, I will let down the net”. 6 And when they had this done, they caught a great multitude of fishes: and their net broke. 7 And they beckoned to their partners, which were in the other ship, that they

should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord”. 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of the fishes which they had taken. 10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon. “Fear not; from now on you shall catch men”. 11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they left everything and followed him.

12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, a man full of leprosy, who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and begged him, saying. “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean”. 13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying. “I will: be clean”. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. 14 And he warned him to tell no man, but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing, according as Moses had commanded, for a testimony to them. 15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him, and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. 16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. 17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18 And men brought in a bed a man who was taken with a palsy, and they looked for ways to bring him in, and to lay him before him. 19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his bed into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said to him. “Man, your sins are forgiven you”. 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying. “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said to

them. “Why reason you in your hearts? 23 Whether is easier, to say, Your sins be forgiven you; or to say, Rise up and walk? 24 But that you may know that the Son of man has power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said to the sick of the palsy,) I say to you, Arise, and take up your bed, and go into your house”. 25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying. We have seen amazing things today.

27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a tax collector, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said to him. “Follow me”. 28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him. 29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of tax collectors and of others that sat down with them. 30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying. “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answering said to them. “They that well do not need a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”. 33 And they said to him. “Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees, but your disciples eat and drink?” 34 And he said to them. “Can you make the children of the bride fast, while the bridegroom is with them? 35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days”. 36 And he spoke also a parable to them; “No man stitches a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new makes a tear, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. 37 And no man puts new wine into old bottles, else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. 38 But new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are preserved. 39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desires new: for he says, The old is better”.

Jesus Christ is Lord of the Sabbath

Chapter 6.

And it came to pass on the second Sabbath after the first, that he went through the cornfields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. 2 And certain of the Pharisees said to them. “Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath days?” 3 And Jesus answering them said. “Have you not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was hungry, and they which were with him. 4 How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and also gave to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?” 5 And he said to them. “That the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath”. 6 And it came to pass also on another Sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the Sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand. “Rise up, and stand forth in the midst”. And he arose and stood forth. 9 Then said Jesus to them. “I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? To save a life, or to destroy it?” 10 And looking round about upon them all, he said to the man. “Stretch forth your hand”. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 11 And they were filled with anger and plotted one with another what they might do to Jesus.

12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, he called to him his disciples, and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles. 14 Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zealot 16 And Judas the brother of

James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. 17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases, 18 And they that were oppressed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. 19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him, for there went power out of him, and healed them all.

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said. “Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are they that hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh. 22 Blessed are you, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23 Rejoice you in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. 24 But woe to you that are rich! For you have received your easy life. 25 Woe to you that are full! For you shall hunger. Woe to you that laugh now! For you shall mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets. 27 But I say to you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29 And to him that strikes you on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away your cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. 30 Give to every man that asks of you, and of him that takes away your goods do not ask for them again. 31 And as you would have that men should do to you, do you also to them likewise.

32 For if you love them which love you, what thanks have you? For sinners also love those that love them. 33 And if you do good to them which do good to you, what thanks have you? For sinners

also do even the same. 34 And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thanks have you? For sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again, and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be you therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

37 Judge not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you give out it shall be measured to you again. 39 And he spoke a parable to them, Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch? 40 The disciple is not above his master: but everyone that is perfect shall be as his master. 41 And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but perceive not the beam that is in your own eye? 42 Either how can you say to your brother, Brother, let me pull out the speck that is in your eye, when you yourself don’t see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of your own eye, and then shall you see clearly to pull out the speck that is in your brother's eye. 43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither does a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil, for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

46 And why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47 Whosoever comes to me, and hears my sayings, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like 48 He is like a man who

built a house, and dug deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded upon a rock. 49 But he that hears, and does not, is like a man that built a house upon the earth without foundation; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great”.

Jesus Christ raises the dead

Chapter 7.

Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. 2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick, and ready to die. 3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent to him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they begged him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: 5 For he loves our nation, and he has built us a synagogue. 6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him. “Lord, trouble not yourself: for I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof. 7 Therefore neither did I think myself worthy to come to you: but say a word, and my servant shall be healed. 8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it”. 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said to the people that followed him. “I say to you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel”. 10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant healed that had been sick.

11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.

12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her. “Weep not”. 14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said. “Young man, I say to you, Arise”. 15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying. That a great prophet has risen up among us; and, That God has visited his people. 17 And this word of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region. 18 And the disciples of John told him of all these things.

19 And John calling to him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying. ”Are you he that should come? Or do we look we for another?” 20 When the men came to him, they said, John Baptist has sent us to you, saying. “Are you he that should come? Or do we look we for another?” 21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and to many that were blind he gave sight. 22 Then Jesus answering said to them. “Go your way, and tell John what things you have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. 23 And blessed is he, and whosoever shall not be offended in me”.

24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak to the people concerning John. “Why did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts. 26 But what did you go out for to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet. 27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, which

shall prepare the way before you. 28 For I say to you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he”. 29 And all the people that heard him, and the tax collectors, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

31 And the Lord said. “What then shall I liken the men of this generation? To what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped to you, and you have not danced; we have mourned to you, and you have not wept. 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and you say, He has a demon. 34 The Son of man came eating and drinking; and you say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners! 35 But wisdom is justified of all her children”.

36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37 And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at food in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spoke within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touches him: for she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering said to him. “Simon, I have something to say to you”. And he said. “Master, speak”. 41 “There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pounds, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?”

43 Simon answered and said. “I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most”. And he said to him. “You hast rightly judged”. 44 And he turned to the woman, and said to Simon. “See this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet: but she has washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 You gave me no kiss, but this woman since the time I came in has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil you did not anoint, but this woman has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I say to you, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much, but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48 And he said to her, your sins are forgiven”. 49 And they that sat at the meal with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgives sins also? 50 And he said to the woman. “Your faith hath saved you; go in peace”.

Jesus Christ casts out the demons

Chapter 8.

And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and teaching the good news of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, 2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven demons, 3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered to him of their substance. 4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spoke by a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit a hundredfold”. And when he had said these things, he cried. “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear”.

9 And his disciples asked him, saying. “What might this parable be?” 10 And he said. “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

16 No man, when he has lighted a candle, covers it with a vessel, or put it under a bed; but sets it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither anything hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. 18 Take heed therefore how you hear: for whosoever has, to him shall be given, and whosoever has not, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have”.

19 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not reach him for the crowd. 20 And it was told him by certain person who said. “Your mother and your brother stand without, desiring to see you”. And he answered and said to them. “My mother and my brother are these which hear the word of God, and do it”.

22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said to them. “Let us go over to the other side of the lake”. And they launched forth. 23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water, and were in danger. 24 And they came

to him, and awoke him, saying. “Master, master, we perish”. Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 And he said to them. “Where is your faith?” And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another. “What manner of man is this! for he commands even the winds and water, and they obey him”.

26 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. 27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, who had demons a long time, and wore no clothes, neither lived in any house, but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said. “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of God most high? I beseech you, do not torment me”. 29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For many times it had caught him, and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he broke the chains, and was driven of the demons into the wilderness.) 30 And Jesus asked him, saying. “What is your name?” And he said. “Legion” because many demons were in him. 31 And they begged him that he would not command them to go out into the abyss. 32 And there was there a herd of pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into them. And he allowed them. 33 Then went the demons out of the man, and entered into the pigs: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were drowned. 34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.

35 Then they went out to see what was done, and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the demons were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 36 They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the demons was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about begged

him to depart from them, for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. 38 Now the man out of whom the demons were departed looked for him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying. 39 “Return to your own house, and show how great things God has done to you”. And he went his way, and told throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done to him.

40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus had returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him. 41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and begged him that he would come into his house: 42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay dying. But as he went the people thronged him. 43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said. “Who touched me?” When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said. “Master, the multitude throng you and press you, and you say, Who touched me?” 46 And Jesus said. “Somebody, has touched me: for I perceive that power is gone out of me”. 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling and falling down before him, she declared to him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 And he said to her. “Daughter, be of good comfort: your faith has made you whole; go in peace”.

49 While he was still speaking, there came one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him. “Your daughter is dead; trouble not the Master”. 50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying. “Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole”. 51 And when he came into the house, he did not allow anyone to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father

and the mother of the maiden. 52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said. “Weep not; she is not dead, but sleeping”. 53 And they laughed and ridiculed him, knowing that she was dead. 54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying. “Maid, arise”. 55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. 56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

Jesus Christ, Moses and Elijah

Chapter 9.

Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. 3 And he said to them. “Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece. 4 And whatsoever house you enter into, there abide, and then depart. 5 And whosoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them”. 6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere.

7 Now, Herod, the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John has risen from the dead; 8 And of some, that Elijah had appeared, and of others, that one of the old prophets has risen again. 9 And Herod said. “John have I beheaded, but who is this, of whom I hear such things?” And he desired to see him.

10 And the apostles, when they returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him, and he received them, and spoke

to them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. 12 And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said to him. “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get provisions: for we are here in a desert place”.

13 But he said to them. “You give them something to eat”. And they said. “We have no more but five loaves and two fishes, except we should go and buy meat for all these people”. 14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples. “Make them sit down by fifties in a company”. 15 And they did so, and made them all sit down. 16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17 And they did eat, and were all filled, and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets. 18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying. “Who do the people say I am?” 19 They answering said. “John the Baptist, but some say, Elijah, and others say, that one of the old prophets has risen again”. 20 He said to them. “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answering said. “The Christ of God”. 21 And he sternly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; 22 Saying. “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day”. 23 And he said to them all. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see

the kingdom of God”.

28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. 29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his clothing was white and glistering.

30 And there talking with him, two men who were Moses and Elijah: 31 Who appeared in glory, and spoke of his death which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. 33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him. Peter said to Jesus. “Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah” Not knowing what he said. 34 While he was speaking, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud. 35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying. “This is my beloved Son: hear him”. 36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.

37 And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him. 38 And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying. “Master, I beg you, look upon my son, for he is my only child. 39 And, look, a spirit takes him, and he suddenly cries out; and it tears him that he foams again, and bruising him hardly departs from him. 40 And I begged your disciples to cast him out, and they could not”. 41 And Jesus answering said. “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring your son here”. 42 And as he was coming, the demon threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered everyone at all

things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples. 44 “Let these sayings sink down into your ears, for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men”. 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them, that they perceived it not, and they feared to ask him of that saying.

46 Then there arose a quarrel among them, which of them should be greatest. 47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, 48 And said to them. “Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receives me: and whosoever shall receive me receives him that sent me, for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great”. 49 And John answered and said. “Master, we saw one casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he does not follow with us”. 50 And Jesus said to him. “Forbid him not, for he that is not against us is for us”.

51 And it came to pass, when the time had come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52 And sent messengers before his face, and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said. “Lord, will you have us command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did?” 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said. “You know not what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them”. And they went to another village. 57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said to him. “Lord, I will follow you wherever you go”. 58 And Jesus said to him. “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has not where to lay his head”. 59 And he said to another. “Follow me”. But he said. “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father”.

60 Jesus said to him. “Let the dead bury their dead: but go and preach the kingdom of God”. 61 And another also said. “Lord, I will follow you; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house”. 62 And Jesus said to him. “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God”.

The Kingdom of God has come near

Chapter 10.

After these things, the Lord appointed another seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, where he himself would come. 2 Therefore said he to them. “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few, pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways, behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. 5 And into whatsoever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this house. 6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it, if not, it shall turn to you again. 7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. 8 And into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say to them, The kingdom of God has come near you. 10 But into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 11 Even the very dust of your city, which sticks on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be you sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near to you. 12 But I say to you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. 13 Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, which are exalted to heaven, shall be thrown down to hell. 16 He that hears you hears me; and he that despises you despises me; and he that despises me despises him that sent me”.

17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying. “Lord, even the demons are subject to us through your name”. 18 And he said to them. “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19 Behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject to you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven”.

21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said. “I thank You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes, even so, Father; for so it seemed good in your sight. 22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knows who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him”. 23 And he turned to his disciples, and said privately. “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see: 24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them”.

25 And a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying. “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him. “What is written in the law? What do you think? 27 And he answering said. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself”. 28 And he said to him. “You have answered right, this do and you shall live”. 29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus. “And who is my neighbour?” 30 And Jesus answering said. “A certain man went

down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And the following day when he departed, he took out two silver coins, and gave them to the host, and said to him, Take care of him; and whatsoever you spend more, when I come again, I will repay you. 36 Which now of these three, was neighbour to him that fell among the thieves?” 37 And he said. “He that showed mercy on him”. Then said Jesus to him. “Go, and do likewise.

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said. “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me”. 41 And Jesus answered and said to her. “Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her”.

The Lord’s Prayer

Chapter 11.

And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him. “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples”. 2 And he said to them.

“When you pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil”.

5 And he said to them. “Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves 6 For a friend of mine in his journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not, the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give you. 8 I say to you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needs. 9 And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asks receives, and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. 11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

14 And he was casting out a demon, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the demon was gone out, the dumb spoke; and the people wondered. 15 But some of them said. “He casts out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the demons”. 16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them. “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. 18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? Because you say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. 19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do

your sons cast them out? Therefore shall they be your judges. 20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man armed keeps his palace, his goods are in peace. 22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he takes from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23 He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathers not with me scatters.

24 When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none, he says, I will return unto my house where I came from. 25 And when he returns, he finds it swept and clean. 26 Then he goes and takes to with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first”.

27 And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said to him. “Blessed is the womb that bares you, and the breasts which you has nursed”. 28 But he said. “Yes instead, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it”.

29 And when the people were gathered together, he began to say. “This is an evil generation: they seek a sign, and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here.

33 No man, when he has lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. 34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when your eye is lighted, thy whole body also is full of light; but when your eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. 35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in you be not darkness. 36 If thy whole body, therefore, is full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give you light”.

37 And as he spoke, a certain Pharisee begged him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to eat. 38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him. “Now do you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the plate; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. 40 You fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? 41 But rather give alms of such things as you have, and, behold, all things are clean to you. 42 But woe to you, Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 43 Woe to you, Pharisees! For you love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. 44 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them”. 45 Then answered one of the lawyers, and said to him. “Master, your saying you reproachest us also”. 46 And he said. “Woe to you also, you lawyers! For you load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and you yourselves lift not the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe to you! for you build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 Truly you bear witness that you allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and you build their sepulchres. 49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and

apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation. 51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple, verily I say to you, It shall be required of this generation. 52 Woe to you, lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge: you entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in you hindered”. 53 And as he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: 54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

Openly acknowledge Jesus Christ

Chapter 12.

In the meantime, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, so much that they trod one upon another, he began to say to his disciples. “First of all, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. 3 Therefore whatsoever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which you have spoken in the ear in secret shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. 4 And I say to you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom you shall fear: Fear him, which after he has killed, has the power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, Fear him.

6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.

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8 Also, I say to you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. 10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but to him that blasphemes against the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven. 11 And when they bring you to the synagogues, and to magistrates, and powers, take no thought how or what thing you shall answer, or what you shall say: 12 For the Holy Spirit shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say”.

13 And one of the company said to him. “Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me”. 14 And he said to him. “Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?” 15 And he said to them. “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses”. 16 And he spoke a parable to them, saying. “The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do, I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul; you have many goods laid up for many years, take it easy, eat, drink, and be merry”. 20 But God said to him. “You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you, then whose shall those things be, which you have provided? 21 So is he that stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God”.

22 And he said to his disciples. “Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on. 23 Life is more than meat, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them, how much more are you better than the birds? 25 And which of

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you with worrying can add to his stature one cubit? 26 If you then be not able to do that thing which is least, why worry for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say to you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? 29 And seek not what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, neither be worried. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you have need of these things. 31 But rather seek the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.

32 Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell that you have, and give alms, provide yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in the heavens that fails not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupt. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning. 36 And you yourselves like to men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he comes shall find watching, truly I say to you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 And this know, that if the man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken into. 40 Be therefore ready also, for the Son of man comes at an hour when you think not”. 41 Then Peter said to him. “Lord, is this parable for us, or everyone?” 42 And the Lord said. “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 43 Blessed is that

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servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 44 Of a truth I say to you, that he will make him ruler over all that he has.

45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delays his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken. 46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he is not expecting him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For to whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required, and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

49 I have come to send fire on the earth, and what will I, if it be already kindled? 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I distressed till it is accomplished! 51 Do you suppose that I come to give peace on earth? I tell you, No; but rather division: 52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided three against two, and two against three. 53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law”. 54 And he said also to the people. “When you see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway you say, There comes a shower, and so it is. 55 And when you see the south wind blow, you say, There will be heat, and so it is. 56 You hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it that you do not discern this time? 57 Yes, and why even of yourselves judge you not what is right? 58 When you go with you adversary to the magistrate, settle with him that you may be delivered from him, lest he brings you to the judge, and the judge

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delivers you to the officer, and the officer cast you into prison. 59 I tell you, you shall not be released, until you have paid the very last penny”.

Repent or perish

Chapter 13.

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said to them. “Do you suppose that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, No, but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, do you think that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, No, but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. 6 He spoke also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he to the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none, cut it down; why give it space in the ground? 8 And he answering said to him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and put in some manure: 9 And if it bears fruit, well, and if not, then after that you shall cut it down”.10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And, behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. 12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said to her. “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity”. 13 And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said to the people. “There are six days in which men ought to work, in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day”. 15 The Lord

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then answered him, and said. You hypocrite, does not each one of you on the Sabbath loosen his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? 16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” 17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed, and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

18 Then he said. “To what is the kingdom of God like? And what shall I liken it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden, and it grew, and became a great tree, and the birds of the air lodged in the branches of it. 20 And again he said, to what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened”. 22 And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then said one to him. “Lord, are there few that be saved?” And he said to them. 24 “Strive to enter in at the narrow gate: for many, I say to you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and has shut to the door, and you begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, and he shall answer and say to you, I know you not: 26 Then shall you begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in your presence, and you have taught in our streets. 27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not, depart from me, all you workers of iniquity. 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves cast out. 29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last”.

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31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying to him. “Get out, and depart immediately, for Herod will kill you”. 32 And he said to them. “Go, and tell that fox, look, I cast out demons, and heal today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall finish my work. 33 Nevertheless, I must walk today, and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet perishes out of Jerusalem. 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which kills the prophets, and stones them that are sent to you, how often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen does gather her brood under her wings, and you would not! 35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate, and truly I say to you, You shall not see me, until the time come when you shall say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord”.

The parable of the great supper

Chapter 14.

And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched him. 2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had dropsy. 3 And Jesus answering spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying. “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” 4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go. 5 And answered them, saying. “Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fell into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day?” 6 And they could not answer him again to these things. 7 And he put forth a parable to those who were there, when he marked how they chose out the best seats, saying to them. 8 “When you are invited to a wedding, do not sit down in the highest place, lest a more honourable man than you be invited to sit there. 9 And he that invited you and him come and say to you, Give this man your place, and you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, that when he that invited you comes, he may say to

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you, friend, go up higher, then shall you have worship in the presence of them that sit and eat with you. 11 For whosoever exalts himself shall be brought low, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. 12 Then said he also to him that invited him, When you make a dinner or a supper, call not your friends, nor your brethren, neither your family, nor your rich neighbours, lest they also invite you in return again. 13 But when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14 And you shall be blessed, for they cannot recompense you, for you shall be rewarded at the resurrection of the just”. 15 And when one of them that sat at meal with him heard these things, he said to him. “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God”.

16 Then said he to him. “A certain man made a great supper, and bade many. 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were invited, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make an excuse. The first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it, I pray, have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yokes of oxen, and I go to prove them, I pray have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as you have commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And 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. 24 For I say to you, That none of those men who were invited shall taste of my supper”.

25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said to them. 26 “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes,

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and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, considers the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that see it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, considers whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an ambassador, and desires conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever of you that does not forsake all that he has, he cannot be my disciple. 34 Salt is good: but if the salt has lost his taste, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill, but men cast it out. He that has ears to hear, let him hear”.

The parables of the lost

Chapter 15.

Then drew near to him all the tax collectors and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying. “This man receives sinners, and eats with them”. 3 And he spoke this parable to them, saying. 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say to you, that likewise, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she loses one piece, does not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and her neighbours

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together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10 Likewise, I say to you. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents”.

11 And he said. “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods of my inheritance. And he divided to them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he began to be in need. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 And he would have filled his belly with the husks that the pigs did eat, but no man gave him anything to eat. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you, 19 And am no more worthy of being called your son, make me as one of your hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, and am no more worthy of being called your son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring here the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again, he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25 Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and drew close to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would

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not go in, therefore out came his father, and begged him to come in. 29 And he answering said to his father, Look, these many years do I serve you, neither transgressed I at any time your commandment, and yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this your son had returned, which he devoured his inheritance with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry, and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive again, and was lost, and now is found”.

The Kingdom of God has been preached

Chapter 16.

And he also said to his disciples. “There was a certain rich man, who had a steward, and the same was accused to him that he had wasted his goods. 2 And he called him, and said to him. How is it that I hear this of you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you may no longer be steward. 3 Then the steward said to himself. What shall I do? For my lord takes away from me the stewardship, I cannot work, to beg I am ashamed. 4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. 5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors to him, and said to the first, How much do you owe my lord? 6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said to him, Take your bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. 7 Then said he to another, And how much do you owe? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said to him, Take your bill, and write eighty. 8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. 9 And I say to you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that, when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. 10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful

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also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 11 If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon”. 14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. 15 And he said to them. “You are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts, for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 16 The law and the prophets were until John, since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man is pressing into it. 17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. 18 Whosoever divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery: and whosoever marries her that is divorced from her husband commits adultery.

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's tablem moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and you are tormented. 26 And beside all this, between you and us there is a

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great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from here to you cannot, neither can they pass to us, that would come from there. 27 Then he said, I pray you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house. 28 For I have five brethren that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham said to him. They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. 30 And he said, No, father Abraham, but if one went to them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead”.

The Kingdom of God comes

Chapter 17.

Then he said to the disciples. “It is impossible but that offences will come, but woe to him, through whom they come! 2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to you, saying, I repent; you shall forgive him”. 5 And the apostles said to the Lord. “Increase our faith”. 6 And the Lord said. “If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this sycamore tree. Be cast into the sea, and it should obey you. 7 But which of you, having a servant ploughing or feeding cattle, will say to him by and by, when he has come from the field, Go and sit down to eat? 8 And will not rather say to him, Make ready where I may eat, and prepare yourself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken, and afterwards you shall eat and drink? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do”.

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11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said. “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us”. 14 And when he saw them, he said to them. “Go show yourselves to the priests”. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks, and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said. “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger”. 19 And he said to him. “Arise, go your way: your faith has made you whole”.

20 And when the Pharisees demanded when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said. “The kingdom of God comes not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Look here! Or look there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you”. 22 And he said to the disciples. “The days will come, when you shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you shall not see it. 23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there, go not after them, nor follow them. 24 For as the lightning, that lightens out of the one part under heaven, shines unto the other part under heaven, so shall also the Son of man be in his day. 25 But first, must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. 26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built. 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even so shall it be in the

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day when the Son of man is revealed. 31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away, and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32 Remember Lot's wife. 33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. 34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed, the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 35 Two women shall be grinding together, the one shall be taken, and the other left. 36 Two men shall be in the field, the one shall be taken, and the other left”.37 And they answered and said to him. “Where, Lord?” And he said to them. “Wheresoever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered together”.

Jesus Christ predicts his own death in Jerusalem

Chapter 18.

And he spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to be weary. 2 Saying. “There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man. 3 And there was a widow in that city, and she came to him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while, but afterwards he said within himself. Though I fear not God, nor regard man. 5 Yet because this widow pesters me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me”. 6 And the Lord said. “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cries day and night to him, though he bears long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?” 9 And he spoke this parable to certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you, that I am not as other men are, extortionist, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give

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tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but beat upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for every one that exalts himself shall be brought low, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted”. 15 And they brought to him also infants, that he would touch them, but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, and said. “Allow little children to come to me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 Truly I say to you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no way enter therein”.

18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying. “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him. “Why call me good? None is good, save one, that is, God. 20 You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother”. 21 And he said. “All these have I kept from my youth up”. 22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said to him. “Yet you lack one thing, sell all that you have, and distribute to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me”. 23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful, for he was very rich. 24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said. “How hard shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God”. 26 And they that heard it said. “Who then can be saved?” 27 And he said. “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God”. 28 Then Peter said. “Look, we have left everything, and followed you”. 29 And he said to them. “Truly I say to you, there is no man that has left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, 30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting”.

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31 Then he took to him the twelve, and said to them. “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32 For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on. 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death, and the third day he shall rise again”. 34 And they understood none of these things, and this saying was hidden from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. 35 And it came to pass, that as he came near to Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the wayside begging. 36 And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. 37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. 38 And he cried, saying. “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me”. 39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace, but he cried so much the more. “Son of David, have mercy on me”. 40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought to him: and when he had come near, he asked him, 41 Saying. “What do you want that I shall do for you?” And he said. “Lord, that I may receive my sight”. 42 And Jesus said to him. “Receive your sight, your faith has saved you”. 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God, and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

The King who comes in the name of the Lord God.

Chapter 19.

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the tax collectors, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. 4 And he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the

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place, he looked up, and saw him, and said to him. “Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down, for today I must abide at your house”. 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying. “That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner”. 8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said to the Lord. “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold”. 9 And Jesus said to him. “This day is salvation come to this house, for he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”. 11 And as they heard these things, he added and spoke a parable, because he was close to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. 12 He said therefore. “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said to them, wait till I come. 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying. We will not have this man to reign over us. 15 And it came to pass, that when he had returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called to him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, your pound has gained ten pounds. 17 And he said to him, Well, you good servant, because you have been faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities. 18 And the second came, saying, Lord, your pound has gained five pounds. 19 And he said likewise to him, you also be over five cities. 20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is your pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin. 21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man, you take up that you layest not down, and reap that you did not sow. 22 And he said to him, out of your own mouth will I judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I

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did not sow. 23 Wherefore then didn’t you give my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with interest? 24 And he said to them that stood by. Take from him the pound, and give it to him that has ten pounds. 25 (And they said to him, Lord, he has ten pounds.) 26 For I say to you, That to everyone who has shall be given, and from him that has not, even that he has shall be taken away from him. 27 But those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring here, and slay them before me”.

28 And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. 29 And it came to pass, when he was come close to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, 30 Saying. “Go into the village over against you, in the which at your entering you shall find a colt tied, whereon no man has ridden, untie him, and bring him here. 31 And if any man asks you. Why do you untie him? Say to him, because the Lord has need of him”. 32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said to them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, the owners thereof said to them. “Why do you untie the colt?” 34 And they said. “The Lord has need of him”. 35 And they brought him to Jesus, and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. 36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. 37 And when he came close, even now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; 38 Saying. “Blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven, and glory in the highest”. 39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said to him. “Master, rebuke your disciples”. 40 And he answered and said to them. “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out”. 41 And when he had come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 42 Saying. “If you had known, even you, at least in this your day, the things

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which belong to your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days shall come upon you, that your enemies shall cast a trench about you, and surround, and keep you in on every side, 44 And shall lay you even with the ground, and your children within you, and they shall not leave in you one stone upon another; because you knew not the time of your visitation”. 45 And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; 46 Saying to them. “It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but you have made it a den of thieves”. 47 And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people looked to destroy him, 48 And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

Sons and daughters of the resurrection

Chapter 20.

And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders, 2 And spoke to him, saying. “Tell us, by what authority do you do these things? Or who is he that gave you this authority?” 3 And he answered and said to them. “I will also ask you one thing, and answer me: 4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?” 5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying. “If we shall say, From heaven, he will say, Why then didn’t you believe him? 6 But and if we say. Of men, all the people will stone us, for they believe that John was a prophet”. 7 And they answered. “That they could not tell”. 8 And Jesus said to them. “Neither shall I tell by what authority I do these things”. 9 Then began he to speak to the people this parable. “A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to some vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. 10 And at the season he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the vinedressers beat him,

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and sent him away empty. 11 And again he sent another servant, and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12 And again he sent a third, and they wounded him also, and cast him out. 13 Then said the lord of the vineyard. What shall I do? I will send my beloved son, it may be they will respect him when they see him. 14 But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir, come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What then shall the lord of the vineyard do to them? 16 He shall come and destroy these vinedressers and shall give the vineyard to others”. And when they heard it, they said. “God forbid”. 17 And he beheld them, and said. “What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner? 18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever, it shall fall, it will grind him to powder”. 19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. 20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should pretend themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him to the power and authority of the governor.

21 And they asked him, saying. “Master, we know that you say and teach rightly, neither favour anyone, but teach the way of God truly: 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them. “Why do you tempt me? 24 Show me a coin. Whose image and inscription has it? They answered and said, Caesar's. 25 And he said to them, Render then to Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and to God the things which be God's”. 26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace. 27 Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,

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28 Saying. “Master, Moses wrote to us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he dies without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up children to his brother. 29 There were, therefore, seven brothers: and the first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second took her as his wife, and he died childless. 31 And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also, and they left no children, and died. 32 Last of all the woman died also. 33 Therefore in the resurrection, whose wife of them is she? for seven had her as their wife”. 34 And Jesus answering said to them. “The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage. 35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 Neither can they die any more, for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. 37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him”. 39 Then certain of the scribes answering said. “Master, you have answered well”. 40 And after that, they did not ask him any question at all. 41 And he said to them. “How do say they that Christ is David's son? 42 And David himself said in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand. 43 Till I make your enemies your footstool. 44 David, therefore, called him Lord, how is he then his son?” 45 Then in the crowd of all the people, he said to his disciples. 46 “Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts, 47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation”.

Jerusalem and the signs of the end-times

Chapter 21.

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And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in her two mites. 3 And he said. “Of a truth I say to you, that this poor widow has cast in more than all of them: 4 For all these have of their abundance cast into the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had”. 5 And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said. 6 “As for these things which you see, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down”. 7 And they asked him, saying. “Master, but when shall these things be? And what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?” 8 And he said. “Take heed that you be not deceived, for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and the time draws near, do not go after them. 9 But when you shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be not terrified, for these things must first come to pass, but the end is not yet”. 10 Then said he to them. “Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: 11 And great earthquakes shall be in different places, and famines, and plagues; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. 13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what you shall answer: 15 For I will give you a word and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to argue nor resist. 16 And you shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and family, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. 17 And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. 18 But there shall not one hair of your head perish. 19 In your patience and endurance you shall keep your souls. 20 And when you shall see Jerusalem surrounded with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is near. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains, and let them which are in the midst

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of it depart out, and let not them that are in the countries enter. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that nurse, in those days! For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring. 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your salvation is near”.

29 And he spoke to them a parable. “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they now shoot forth, you see and know of your own selves that summer is now near. 31 So likewise, when you see these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is close at hand. 32 Truly I say to you, this generation shall not pass away, till all is fulfilled. 33 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcome with worries, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch then, and always pray, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man”. 37 And in the daytime he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, in the mount that is called the Mount of Olives. 38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

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The Lord’s Supper

Chapter 22.

Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him, for they feared the people. 3 Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being one of the twelve disciples.

4 And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Jesus to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 And he promised and looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them in the absence of the multitude. 7 Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the Passover Lamb must be killed for the sacrifice. 8 And he sent Peter and John, saying. “Go and prepare us the Passover, that we may eat”. 9 And they said to him. “Where?” 10 And he said to them. “Look, when you enter into the city, there a man shall meet you, bearing a pitcher of water, follow him into the house where he enters in. 11 And you shall say to the master of the house, The Master says to you, where is the room, where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples? 12 And he shall show you a large upper room furnished, there make ready”. 13 And they went, and found as he had said to them, and they made ready for the Passover. 14 And when the hour had come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. 15 And he said to them. “I have longed to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I say to you, I will not any more eat, until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God”. 17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said. “Take this, and share it among yourselves. 18 For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come”. 19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave to them, saying. “This is my body which is given for you, this do in remembrance of me”. 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying. “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed

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for you. 21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrays me is with me on the table. 22 And truly the Son of man goes, as it was determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” 23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

24 And there was also an argument among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. 25 And he said to them. “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is chief, as the servant. 27 For who is the greater, he that sits at the table, or he that serves? Is not he that sits at the table? But I am among you as he that serves. 28 You are they which have continued with me in my temptations. 29 And I appoint to you a kingdom, as my Father has appointed to me. 30 That you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel”. 31 And the Lord said. “Simon, Simon (Peter), behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that you do not lose faith, and when you are converted, strengthen the brethren”. 33 And he said to him. “Lord, I am ready to go with you, both to prison, and to death”. 34 And he said. “I tell you, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before you shall three times deny knowing me”. 35 And he said to them. “When I sent you without purse, and provisions, and shoes, did you lack anything?” And they said. “Nothing”. 36 Then said he to them. “But now, he that has a purse, let him take it, and likewise his provisions, and he that has no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. 37 For I say to you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end”. 38 And they said. “Lord, behold, here are two swords”. And he said to them. “It is enough”. 39 And he came out, and went, as he desired, to the Mount of Olives; and

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his disciples also followed him. 40 And when he was at the place, he said to them. “Pray that you enter not into temptation”. 41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed. 42 Saying. “Father, if You be willing, remove this cup from me, nevertheless not my will, but your will be done”. 43 And there appeared an angel to him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45 And when he rose up from prayer, and came to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 And said to them. “Why do you sleep? rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation”. 47 And while he yet spoke, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near to Jesus to kiss him. 48 But Jesus said to him. “Judas, do you betray the Son of man with a kiss?” 49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said to him. “Lord, shall we kill with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. 51 And Jesus answered and said. “Stop”. And he touched his ear, and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him. “Do you come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? 53 When I was daily with you in the temple, you stretched forth no hands against me, but this is your hour, and the power of darkness”. 54 Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said. “This man was also with Jesus”. 57 And he denied him, saying. “Woman, I know him not”. 58 And after a little while another saw him, and said. “You are also of them”. And Peter said. “Man, I am not”. 59 And within one hour after, another confidently affirmed, saying. “It is true, this fellow also was with him:, for he is a Galilaean”. 60 And Peter

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said. “Man, I know not what you say”. And immediately, while he was speaking, the cock crowed. 61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him. Before the cock crows, you shall deny me three times. 62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

63 And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and struck him. 64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying. “Prophesy, who is it that struck you?” 65 And many other things blasphemously spoke against him. 66 And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying. 67 “Are you the Christ? Tell us”. And he said to them. “If I tell you, you will not believe. 68 And if I also ask you, you will not answer me, nor let me go. 69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God”. 70 Then said they all. “Are you then the Son of God” And he said to them. “You say that I am”. 71 And they said. “What need we any further witness? For we ourselves have heard of his own mouth”.

Jesus Christ, crucified

Chapter 23.

And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying. “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King”. 3 And Pilate asked him, saying. “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him and said. “You say it”. 4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people. “I find no fault in this man”. 5 And they were the more angry, saying. “He stirred up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place”. 6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man was a Galilaean. 7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent

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him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. 8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad, for he was desirous to see him of a long time, because he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. 9 Then he questioned with him in many words, but he answered him nothing. 10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. 12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before they were at enmity between themselves. 13 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people. 14 Said to them. “You have brought this man to me, as one that perverts the people, and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things of what you accuse him. 15 No, nor Herod, for I sent you to him, and, look, nothing worthy of death is done to him. 16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him”. 17 (For of tradition he must release one to them at the feast.) 18 And they cried out all at once, saying. “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”. 19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) 20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spoke again to them. 21 But they cried, saying. “Crucify him, crucify him”. 22 And he said to them the third time. “Why, what evil has he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go”. 23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. 24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. 25 And he released to them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired, but he delivered Jesus to their will. 26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. 27 And there followed him, a great company of people, and of

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women, which also bewailed and lamented him. 28 But Jesus turning to them said. “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 29 For, behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts which never nursed. 30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains. Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. 31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” 32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

33 And when they had come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 34 Then said Jesus. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”. And they parted his garments, and cast lots. 35 And the people stood watching. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying. He saved others, let him save himself, if he is Christ, the chosen of God. 36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar. 37 And saying. If you be the king of the Jews, save yourself. 38 And an inscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew. This Is The King Of The Jews. 39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying If you be Christ, save yourself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying. “Do you not fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong”. 42 And he said to Jesus. “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom”. 43 And Jesus said to him. “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in paradise”. 44 And it was about the sixth hour (midday), and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said. “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”. And having said that, he gave up his spirit.

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47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, certainly this was a righteous man. 48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, beat their chest, and returned. 49 And all his friends, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, watching these things. 50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and just. 51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. 54 And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on. 55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. 56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead

Chapter 24.

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the grave, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the grave. 3 And they entered in, but the body of Jesus was not there.

4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said to them. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spoke unto you when he was still in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again”.

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8 And they remembered his words, 9 And returned from the grave, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things to the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they didn’t believe them. 12 Then Peter ran to the grave, and stooping down, he saw the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which had happened. 13 And two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about sixty furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they talked together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were held that they should not recognize him. 17 And he said to them. “What are you discussing as you walk, and are so sad?” 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said to him. “Are you only a stranger in Jerusalem, and does not know the things which have come to pass there in these days?” 19 And he said to them. “What things?” And they said to him. “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel, and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yes, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the grave. 23 And when they discovered his body gone, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the grave, and found it even as the women had said, but Jesus they did not see”. 25 Then he said to them. “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he showed them in all the scriptures the things

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concerning himself. 28 And they drew near to the village, where they went, and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying. “Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent”. And he went in to stay with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat and ate with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and broke, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they realized it was him, and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another. “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us on the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” 33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34 Saying. “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon”. 35 And they told what things were done on the way, and how he was recognized by them in breaking of bread. 36 And as they spoke, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them. “Peace be to you”. 37 But they were terrified and afraid, and supposed that they had seen a ghost. 38 And he said to them. “Why are you afraid? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself, touch me, and see, for a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see me have”. 40 And when he had spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they could hardly believe it for joy, he said to them. “Have you any meat?” 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and a honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and ate it before them. 44 And he said to them. “These are the words which I spoke to you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me”. 45 Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the scriptures. 46 And said to them. “Thus it is written, that Christ should suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day. 47 And that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of

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my Father upon you, but wait in Jerusalem, until you are clothed with power from on high”. 50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

End of Luke’s Gospel.

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Acts of The Apostles

In this fourth chapter, we read the complete book of Acts from the Holy Bible. Here Luke is writing again, of eyewitness accounts of Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, His appearing over forty days, and proving His existence. We read of the Holy Spirit of God coming in power, and empowering the followers of Jesus Christ with healings and miracles. We read of a young man called Saul who was zealous to persecute followers of Jesus Christ, and who had a supernatural encounter with Christ while travelling on the road to Damascus. It is this man Saul, who later becomes known as Paul, and who we know today as St. Paul.

Some years following Luke’s first letter to his friend Theophilus, he is writing a second letter to him. So much has happened since that first letter and important prophecies of God fulfilled.

At the end of the Gospel of Luke, we read.

(Prophecy # 50.)

Jesus said. Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high. Luke 24:49. (c. 30 AD).

This promise of God the Father, sending God the Holy Spirit, at the request of God the Son – Jesus Christ, is a fulfilment of the Prophecy of God to send another like Moses (in Jesus Christ), and the prophecy of God in Joel.

(Prophecy # 51.)

The promise of God to pour out His Spirit on all people. Joel 2:28- 32. (c. 800 BC). Spoken of in Luke 24:49, and fulfilled in Acts 2:14:21.

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Luke’s second letter called Acts of The Apostles is commonly called Acts. Here are some of the prophecies of God recorded in the Old Testament some 400-1,400 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.

(Prophecy # 52.)

Acts 1:20. Let another take his office. Psalm 69:25, 109:8. (c. 400 BC).

(Prophecy # 53.)

Acts 2:17-21. I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Joel 2:28-32. (c. 800 BC).

(Prophecy # 54.)

Acts 2:25:28. Death could not hold him. Psalm 16:8-11. (c. 400 BC).

(Prophecy # 55.)

Acts 2:34-35. Sit at my right hand. Psalm 68:18, 110:1. (c. 400 BC).

(Prophecy # 56.)

Acts 3:22-23. One like Moses. Deuteronomy 18:15. (c. 1,400 BC).

(Prophecy # 57.)

Acts 3:25. All families of the earth blessed. Genesis 12:3, 18:18, 22:18, 26:4, 28:14. (c. 1,400 BC).

(Prophecy # 58.)

Acts 4:11. The stone the builders rejected. Psalm 118:22. (c. 400 BC). Isaiah 28:16. (c. 700 BC).

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(Prophecy # 59.)

Acts 4:25-26. Against the Lord and Christ. Psalm 2:1-2. (c. 400 BC).

(Prophecy # 60.)

Acts 7:3. Come to the land I will show you. Genesis 12:1. (c. 1,400 BC).

(Prophecy # 61.)

Acts 8:32-33. Led as a lamb to the slaughter. Isaiah 53:7-8. (c. 700 BC).

(Prophecy # 62.)

Acts 13:33. You are my son. Psalm 2:7. (c. 400 BC).

(Prophecy # 63.)

Acts 13:47. They will not believe. Habakkuk 1:5. (c. 600 BC).

(Prophecy # 64.)

Acts 13:47. A light to the Gentiles. Isaiah 42:6, 49:6. (c. 700 BC).

(Prophecy # 65.)

Acts 28:25-27. The hearts of these people grow dull. Isaiah 6:9- 10. (c. 700 BC). Jeremiah 5:20-22. (c. 600 BC). Ezekiel 12:1-3. (c. 600 BC).

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Acts of The Apostles

The promise of God – The Holy Spirit

Chapter 1.

The previous report have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 To whom also he showed himself alive after his rising from the dead by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things about to the kingdom of God. 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said. “You have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence”.

6 When they were together, they asked of him, saying. “Lord, will you at this time restore again, the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And he said to them. “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in his own power. 8 But you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth”. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they watched, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel. 11 Who also said. “You men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, shall so come again in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven”.

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day's journey. 13 And when

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they returned, they went up into an upper room, with both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. 15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (the number of names together were about a hundred and twenty), and said. 16 “Men and brethren, scripture needed to have been fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David spoke before concerning Judas, who betrayed Jesus. 17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. 18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it was known to all who lived in Jerusalem, insomuch as that field is called in their proper language, Aceldama, that is to say, the field of blood. 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms. Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein, and his position let another take. 21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us. 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, to that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection”. 23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed, and said. “You, Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show which of these two men You have chosen. 25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place”. 26 And they drew lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

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The Day of Pentecost

Chapter 2.

And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty rushing wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when the people heard the commotion, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another. “Look, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how is it that we hear every man speak in our own language, where we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our language the wonderful works of God”.

12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another. “What does this mean?” 13 Others mocking said. “These men are full of new wine”. 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said to them. “Men of Judaea, and all you that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known to you, and listen to my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, said God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on my

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servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come. 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 22 You men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know. 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. 24 Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. 25 For David spoke concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad, moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope. 27 Because You will not leave my soul in hell, neither will you suffer your Holy One to see decay. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life. You shall make me full of joy with thy presence.

29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his grave is with us to this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne. 31 He seeing this before spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus has God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has sent forth this, which you now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens, but he said himself. The Lord said to

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my Lord, Sit you on my right hand. 35 Until I make your foes your footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made the same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ”. 37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles. “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them. “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call”. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this unrepentant generation.

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common. 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

The Lord God shall raise up another prophet like Moses

Chapter 3.

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered

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into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said. “Look at us”. 5 And he looked at them, expecting to receive something of them. 6 Then Peter said. “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, I give you, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk”. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened to him. 11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. 12 And when Peter saw it, he answered the people. “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? or why look so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? 13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Son Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted freedom to you. 15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead, of whom we are witnesses. 16 And his name through faith in his name has made this man strong, who you see and know, yes, the faith which is by him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17 And now, brethren, I know that through ignorance you did it, as also did your rulers. 18 But those things, which God before had shown by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. 19 Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached to you.

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21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers. God shall raise up a prophet like me, him shall you hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say to you. 23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. 24 Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. 25 You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. 26 To you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his sins”.

There is no salvation in any other name than Jesus Christ

Chapter 4.

And as they spoke to the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came to them, 2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in prison to the next day, for it was now evening. 4 As many of them which heard the word believed, and the number of the men was about five thousand. 5 And it came to pass the following day, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, 6 And Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked. “By what power, or by what name, have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them. “You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the lame man, by what means he is made whole. 10 Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name

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of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which the builders rejected, which is become the cornerstone. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other name, for there is none other named under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”.

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled, and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 14 And looking at the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves. 16 Saying. “What shall we do to these men? For that indeed a notable miracle has been done by them is clear to all that live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us plainly threaten them, that they are not to speak to anyone in Jesus name”. 18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them. “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you decide. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard”. 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men praised God for that which was done. 22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shown.

23 And being let go, they went to their friends, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said. “Lord, you are God, who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that is in them: 25 Who by the mouth of your servant David has said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine

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vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom you has anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together. 28 For to do whatsoever your hand and your counsel determined before to be done. 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatening, and grant to your servants, that with all boldness they may speak your word. 30 By stretching forth your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of your holy child Jesus”.

31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul, none said any of them that the things which he possessed was his own, but all they had they shared. 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold. 35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made to every man according as he had need. 36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, 37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

An angel of the Lord God opened the prison doors

Chapter 5.

But a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the money, his wife also being aware of it, and brought only part of the money, and laid it at the

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apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said. “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own power? Why did you conceive this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God”. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down dead, and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8 And Peter spoke to her. “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” And she said. “Yes, for so much”. 9 Then Peter said to her. “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of them which have buried your husband are at the door, and shall carry you out”. 10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, dead, and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders done among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. 13 And of the rest did no man join himself to them, but the people magnified them. 14 And more believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) 15 In as much that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. 16 There also came a multitude out of the cities round about to Jerusalem, bringing sick folk, and them which were oppressed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

17 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them

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in prison. 19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said. 20 “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life”. 21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought to them. 22 But when the officers discovered they were no longer in prison, they returned and told, 23 saying. “We found the prison shut and secure, and the keepers standing outside the locked doors: but when we opened the doors, we found no one inside”. 24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what had happened. 25 Then came one and told them, saying. “Behold, the men who you put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people”. 26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them peacefully, for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council, and the high priest asked them. 28 “Saying. Did not we strictly command you that you should not teach in this name? And, look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us”. 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said. “We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you murdered and hanged on a tree. 31 Him has God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to them that obey him”. 33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to kill them. 34 Then one of the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space. 35 And said to them. “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do as touching these men. 36 For before these days

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rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves, who was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nothing. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away many people after him, he also perished, and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38 And now I say to you, refrain from these men, and let them alone, for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nothing. 39 But if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest haply you be found even to fight against God”. 40 And to him they agreed, and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Stephen’s face like an angel

Chapter 6.

And in those days, when the number of the disciples had multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them, and said. “It is not good that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, look among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word”. 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch. 6 Whom they set before the apostles, and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

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7 And the word of God increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke. 11 Then they bribed men, who said. “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God”. 12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, 13 And set up false witnesses, which said. “This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law. 14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us”. 15 And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

Stephen, the martyr for the gospel

Chapter 7.

Then said the high priest. “Are these things so?” 2 And he said. “Men, brethren, and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Canaan, 3 And said to him, Go out of your country, and from your people, and come to the land which I shall show you. 4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Canaan, and from there, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein you now dwell. 5 And he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on, yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him,

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when as yet he had no child. 6 And God spoke on this wise. That his descendants should live in a foreign land, and that they should bring them into slavery, and treat them evil four hundred years.

7 And the nation to whom they shall be in slavery I will judge, said God, and after that shall they come out, and serve me in this place. 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision, and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs. 9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him, 10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 11 Now there came a famine over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers found no sustenance. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13 And at the second time, Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh. 14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his family, seventy-five souls. 15 So Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, 16 And were carried over into Shechem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem. 17 But when the time of the promise drew near, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 Till another king arose, which did not know Joseph. 19 The same dealt cruelly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live. 20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months. 21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. 22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and in deeds. 23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the

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children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and killed the Egyptian: 25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they did not understand. 26 And the next day he showed himself to them as they were fighting, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, you are brethren; why do you wrong one to another? 27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Will you kill me, as you did the Egyptian yesterday? 29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he had two sons.

30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight, and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came to him, 32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and dare not look. 33 Then said the Lord to him, take off your shoes from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you into Egypt. 35 This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? The same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel, which appeared to him in the bush. 36 He brought them out, after that he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. 37 This is that Moses, who said to the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your brethren, like me, him shall you hear. 38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him in the mount Sinia, and with our fathers, who received the lively oracles to give to us. 39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them,

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and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, 40 Saying to Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what is become of him. 41 And they made a calf of gold in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. 42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets, O you house of Israel, have you offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? 43 Yes, you took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which you made to worship them, and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. 44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking to Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. 45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, to the days of David. 46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built him a temple.

48 Howbeit the Most High God, dwells not in temples made with hands; as said the prophet, 49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool, what house will you build me? Says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? 50 Has not my hand made all these things? 51 You stubborn and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit, as your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One, of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers. 53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it”. 54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right

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hand of God, 56 And said. “Look, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God”. 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him, and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul (who became known as Paul – St. Paul). 59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying. “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”. 60 And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice. “Lord, lay not this sin against them”. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

A man of Ethiopia

Chapter 8.

And Saul was consenting to his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made a terror of the church, entering into every house, and taking men and women committed them to prison. 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them. 6 And the people with one accord gave heed to those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, screaming, came out of many that were possessed with them, and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.

9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which before in the same city used magic, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: 10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. 11 And to him they had regard, because that of long

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time he had bewitched them with sorceries. 12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Then Simon himself believed also, and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. 14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John: 15 Who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying. “Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit”. 20 But Peter said to him. “Your money perish with you, because you have thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thoughts of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity”. 24 Then answered Simon, and said. “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of these things which you have spoken come upon me”. 25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. 26 And the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying. “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is desert”. 27 And he arose and went, and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 Was returning and sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip. “Go near, and join

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yourself to this chariot”. 30 And Philip ran to him, and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said. “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said. “How can I, except someone should guide me?” And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth. 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away, and who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said. “Of whom does Isaiah speak of ? Of himself, or of some other man?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached to him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water, and the eunuch said. “See, here is water; what hinders me to be baptized?” 37 And Philip said. “If you believe with all your heart, you may”. And he answered and said. “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God”. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

The conversion of St. Paul

Chapter 9.

And Saul, yet breathing out threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of the way (followers of Jesus Christ), whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light from heaven. 4 And he fell to the ground, and heard a

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voice saying to him. “Saul, Saul, why persecute me?” 5 And he said. “Who are you, Lord?” And the Lord said. “I am Jesus whom you persecute, it is hard for you to kick against the goad”. 6 And he was trembling and astonished said. “Lord, what will you have me to do?” And the Lord said to him. “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told what you must do”. 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8 And Saul stood up, and when his eyes were opened, he was blind, but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias, and to him said the Lord in a vision. “Ananias”. And he said. “Look, I am here, Lord”. 11 And the Lord said to him. “Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus, for, behold, he is praying, 12 And has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight”. 13 Then Ananias answered. “Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all that call on your name”. 15 But the Lord said to him. “Go your way, for he is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake”. 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house, and putting his hands on him said. “Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared to you in the way as you came, has sent me, that you might receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit”. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales, and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. 19 And when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul stayed a few days with the disciples which were at Damascus. 20 And straightway, he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 21 But all that heard him

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were amazed, and said. “Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came here for that intent, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”

22 But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. 23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. 24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. 25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. 26 And when Saul came to Jerusalem, he wanted to join himself to the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. 29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to kill him. 30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. 31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified, and walking in fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, were multiplied.

32 And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. 33 And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had been confined to his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy. 34 And Peter said to him. “Aeneas, Jesus Christ makes you whole, arise and make your bed”. And he arose immediately. 35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord. 36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas, this woman was full of good works and alms and deeds which she did. 37 And it came to pass in those days, that she

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was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. 38 And for as much as Lydda was near to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent him two men, desiring him that he would not delay coming to them. 39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and kneeled down, and prayed, and turning him to the body said. “Tabitha, arise”. And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. 42 And it was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And it came to pass, that he stayed many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

Peter’s vision from God

Chapter 10.

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the guard called the Italian guard, 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming to him, and saying to him. “Cornelius”. 4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said. “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him. “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter. 6 He lodged with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside, he shall tell you what you ought to do”. 7 And when the angel who spoke to Cornelius had departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; 8 And when he had declared all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa. 9 The following day, as they went on

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their journey, and drew close to the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:

10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten, but while they made ready, he had a vision, 11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12 Wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him. “Rise, Peter; kill, and eat”. 14 But Peter said. “Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean”. 15 And the voice spoke to him again the second time. “What God hath cleansed, do not call it unclean”. 16 This was done three times, and the vessel was received up again into heaven. 17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate. 18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. 19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said to him. “Look, three men seek you. 20 Arise therefore, and get you down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them”. 21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent to him from Cornelius, and said. “Look, I am he whom you seek, what is the reason you have come?” 22 And they said. “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that fears God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by a holy angel to send for you to his house, and to hear words of you”. 23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And the following day Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And the following day after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and he had called together his kinsmen and near friends. 25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 26 But Peter took him up, saying. “Stand up, I myself also am

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a man”. 27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that had come together. 28 And he said to them. “You know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore I came to you without hesitation, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent you have sent for me?” 30 And Cornelius said. “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 And said, Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your alms are received in remembrance in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call here Simon, whose surname is Peter, is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the seaside, who, when he comes, shall speak to you. 33 Immediately, therefore, I sent for you, and you have well done that you have come. Now, therefore, are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded you of God”. 34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said. “Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. 35 But in every nation he that fears him and works righteousness, is accepted with him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, (he is Lord of all). 37 That word, I say, you know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached. 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem, whom they killed and hanged on a tree. 40 Him God raised up the third day and showed him openly. 41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of living and dead. 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that

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through his name, whosoever believes in him shall receive forgiveness of sins”. 44 While Peter spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter. 47 “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to stay a few days.

God has also granted salvation to the Gentiles (non-Jews)

Chapter 11.

And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 And when Peter went to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision (Jews), contended with him, 3 Saying. “You went to men uncircumcised and did eat with them”.

4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order to them, saying. 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me, 6 Upon which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. 8 But I said, Not so, Lord, for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven. What God has cleansed, do not call that common or unclean. 10 And this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 And immediately there were three men

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already come to the house where I was, sent from Caesarea to me. 12 And the Spirit told me go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover, these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house. 13 And he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said to him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14 Who shall tell you words, whereby you and all your house shall be saved. 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did to us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?” 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying. “Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life”.

19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phonecia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but to the Jews only. 20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed, and turned to the Lord. 22 Then news of these things came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem, and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. 23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. 24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas departed to Tarsus, for to seek Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. 27 And in these days came prophets

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from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world, which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren who lived in Judaea. 30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

An angel of the Lord God frees Peter from prison

Chapter 12.

Now about that time, King Herod stretched forth his hands to oppress those of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him; intending after Passover to bring him forth to the people. 5 Peter, therefore, was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the church to God for him. 6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in prison, and he touched Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying. “Get up quickly”. And his chains fell off from his hands. 8 And the angel said to him. “Clothe yourself, and put on your sandals”. And so he did. And he said to him. “Cast your garment about you, and follow me”. 9 And he went out, and followed him, and knew not that it was true which was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard, they came unto the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them of his own accord, and they went out, and passed on through one street, and forthwith the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter had

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come to himself, he said. “Now I know for certain, that the Lord has sent his angel, and has delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews”. 12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a woman came to listen, named Rhoda.

14 And when she knew Peter's voice, she did not open the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. 15 And they said to her. “You are mad”. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then they said. “It is his angel”. 16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they had opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 But he, beckoned to them with the hand to hold their peace, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. And he said. “Go tell these things to James, and to the brethren”. And he departed and went to another place. 18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what had become of Peter. 19 And when Herod had searched for him, and found him not, he examined the jailers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode. 20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon, but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace, because their country was nourished by the king's country. 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying. “It is the voice of a god, and not of a man”. 23 And immediately, the angel of the Lord struck him dead, because he gave not God the glory, and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. 24 But the word of God grew and multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

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The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit

Chapter 13.

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers, as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said. “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work I have called them to”. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, departed to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they also had John to their ministry. 6 And when they had gone through the isle to Paphos, they found a certain magician, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus. 7 Who was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man, who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. 9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Spirit, set his eyes on him 10 and said. “O full of all subtilty and all mischief, you child of Satan, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season”. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. 13 Now when Paul and his company went from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. 14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat

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down. 15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying. “Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on”. 16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said. “Men of Israel, and you that fear God, listen. 17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with a mighty arm brought he them out of it. 18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. 19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he divided their land to them by lot. 20 And after that, he gave to them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. 21 And afterwards, they desired a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up to them David to be their king, to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. 23 Of this man's seed has God according to his promise raised to Israel a Saviour, Jesus. 24 When John had first preached before his coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said. Whom do you think that I am? I am not he. But, look, there comes one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to untie. 26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you fear God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. 27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. 28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be killed. 29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a grave. 30 But God raised him from the dead. 31 And he was seen many days by them who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his

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witnesses to the people. 32 And we declare to you good news, how that the promise which was made to the fathers, 33 God has fulfilled the same to us their children, in that he has raised up Jesus again, as it is also written in the second psalm, You are My Son, this day have I begotten You. 34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. 35 Wherefore he said also in another psalm. You shall not suffer your Holy One to see corruption. 36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, and was laid to his fathers, and saw corruption. 37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. 38 Be it known to you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins. 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets. 41 Behold, you despisers, and wonder, and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work which you shall in no way believe, though a man declares it to you”. 42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

43 Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 44 And the next Sabbath day, almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold, and said. “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you, but seeing you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, so, we turn to the Gentiles (non-Jews). 47 For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set you to be a light of the Gentiles, that you should

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be for salvation to the ends of the earth”. 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. 50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their lands. 51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them and came to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

They stoned Paul and left him for dead

Chapter 14.

And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, spoke, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. 3 Long time, therefore, abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony to the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. 5 And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, 6 They were aware of it, and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the region round about: 7 And there they preached the gospel. 8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked. 9 The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10 said with a loud voice. “Stand upright on your feet”. And he leapt and walked. 11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia. “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men”. 12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter, and Paul,

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Mercury, because he was the chief speaker. 13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and would have done sacrifice with the people. 14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they tore their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, 15 and saying. “Why do you these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach to you that you should turn from these vanities to the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein. 16 Who in times past allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness”. 18 And with these sayings scarce restrained the people, that they had not given sacrifice to them. 19 And there came certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city, and the next day, he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. 24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia. 26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. 27 And when they had come, and had gathered the church together, they told all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And there they stayed a long time with the disciples.

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The letter to the Gentiles

Chapter 15.

And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said. “Except you men be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved”. 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phonecia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. 4 And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. 5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying. “That it was needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses”. 6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said to them. “Men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago God made a choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8 And God, who knows the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did to us. 9 And put no difference between them and us, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why tempt God, to put a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved, even as they”. 12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had done among the Gentiles by them. 13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying. “Men and brethren, listen to me: 14 Simeon had declared how God at first did

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visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And to this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written, 16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down, and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up. 17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, said the Lord, who doeth all these things. 18 Known to God are all his works from the beginning of the world. 19 Therefore my sentence is, that we don’t trouble them, who from among the Gentiles turn to God. 20 But that we write to them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses of old time had in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day”. 22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren. 23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. 24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, You must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: 25 It seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29 That you abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication, from which if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Farewell. 30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they

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delivered the epistle. 31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. 32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them. 33 And after they had waited there a while, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. 34 Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to remain there still. 35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. 36 And some days after Paul said to Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. 37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. 38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. 39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed to Cyprus. 40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

Paul and Silas freed from prison

Chapter 16.

Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain woman, who was a Jewess, and believed in Christ Jesus, but his father was a Greek. 2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Him would Paul have to go with him, and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters, for they knew all that his father was a Greek. 4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. 5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. 6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia

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and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia, 7 After they had come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit would not allow them. 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night, There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying. “Come over into Macedonia, and help us”. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel to them. 11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; 12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. 13 And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a riverside, where prayer was to be made, and we sat down, and spoke to the women who gathered there. 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple cloth, of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard us, whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul. 15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she begged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us. 16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain young girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying. “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who show us the way of salvation”. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit. “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her”. And the demon came out the same hour. 19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace to the rulers, 20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying. “These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans”. 22 And the

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multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely. 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25 And at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises to God, and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying. “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here”. 29 Then he called for a light, and ran in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said. “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house”. 32 And they spoke to him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and was baptized, he and all household immediately. 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying. “Let those men go”. 36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul. “The magistrates have sent to let you go, now therefore depart, and go in peace”. 37 But Paul said to them. “They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison, and now do they throw us out secretly? No, but let them come themselves and fetch us out”. 38 And the sergeants told these words to the magistrates, and they feared when they heard that they were Romans. 39 And they came and begged them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. 40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of

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Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

Lord God of heaven and earth

Chapter 17.

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went to them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and stating, that Christ must indeed have suffered, and risen again from the dead, and that this Jesus, whom I preach to you, is Christ. 4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas, and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and many of the chief women. 5 But the Jews who did not believe moved with envy, took to them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren to the rulers of the city, crying. “These that have turned the world upside down have come here also. 7 Whom Jason has received, and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus”. 8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. 10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea, who coming there went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came there also, and stirred up the people. 14 And then

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immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there still. 15 And they that conducted Paul brought him to Athens, and receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed. 16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 17 Therefore he disputed in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. 18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. And some said. “What will this babbler say?” Some others. “He seems to be a setter forth of strange gods”. Because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him, and brought him to Areopagus, saying. “May we know what this new doctrine, of which you speak? 20 For you bring certain strange things to our ears, we would know therefore what these things mean”. 21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing). 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said. “You men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom, therefore, you ignorantly worship, him I declare to you. 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands. 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he give to all life, and breath, and all things. 26 And has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and has determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said. For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of

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God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 30 And the times of this ignorance God allowed it to go unnoticed, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. 31 Because he has appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained, whereof he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead”. 32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, and others said. “We will hear you again of this matter”. 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 However, certain men kept close to him, and believed, among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

The Lord God speaks to Paul in a vision

Chapter 18.

After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth. 2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome) and came to them. 3 And because he was of the same craft, he stayed with them and worked, for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 5 And when Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. 6 And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said to them. “Your blood be upon your own heads, I am clean, from henceforth I will go to the Gentiles”. 7 And he departed there and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. 8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. 9 Then spoke the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision. “Be not afraid, but speak,

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and hold not your peace. 10 For I am with you, and no man shall set on you to hurt you, for I have many people in this city”. 11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, 13 saying. “This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law”. 14 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews. “If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O you Jews, there would be a reason that I should bear with you, 15 but if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look you to it, for I will be no judge of such matters”. 16 And he drove them from the judgment seat. 17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things. 18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed then to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila, having shorn his head in Cenchrea, for he had a vow. 19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there, but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they desired him to stay a longer time with them, he consented not. 21 But bade them farewell, saying. “I must, by all means, keep this feast that comes in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you if God will”. And he sailed from Ephesus. 22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch. 23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. 24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures came to Ephesus. 25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the spirit, he spoke and taught diligently, the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him to them and

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expounded to him the way of God more perfectly. 27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him, who, when he had come, helped them much which had believed through grace. 28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

Did you receive the Holy Spirit?

Chapter 19.

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus, and finding certain disciples, 2 He said to them. “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?” And they said to him. “We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Spirit”. 3 And he said to them. “To what then were you baptized?” And they said. “To John's baptism”. 4 Then said Paul. “John truly baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus”. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Spirit came on them, and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied. 7 And all the men were about twelve. 8 And he went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. 9 But when others were hardened, and believed not, but spoke evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. 10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. 11 And God did special miracles by the hands of Paul. 12 So that from his body were brought to the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then

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certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying. “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preached”. 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said. “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit had leapt on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. 19 Many of them also which used magic arts brought their books and together burned them before all men, and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. 21 After these things had ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying. “After I have been there, I must also see Rome”. 22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a season. 23 And the same time there arose no small stir about the way (of the Lord Jesus Christ). 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain to the craftsmen. 25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said. “Sirs, you know that by this craft we have our wealth. 26 Moreover, you see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands. 27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nothing, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships”. 28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying. “Great is Diana of the Ephesians”.

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29 And the whole city was filled with confusion, and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the amphitheatre. 30 And when Paul would have entered into the people, the disciples would not allow it. 31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent to him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the amphitheatre. 32 Some, therefore, cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was confused, and the more part knew not wherefore they had come together. 33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand and would have made his defence to the people. 34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out. “Great is Diana of the Ephesians”. 35 And when the town clerk had appeased the people, he said. “You men of Ephesus, what man is there that does not know that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, you ought to be quiet and to do nothing rashly. 37 For you have brought here these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. 38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another. 39 But if you enquire anything concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. 40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse”. 41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

Paul raises Eutychus from the dead

Chapter 20.

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And after the uproar had ceased, Paul called to him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go to Macedonia. 2 And when he had gone over those parts and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, 3 And there stayed three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. 4 And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea, and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 Those who were going before waited for us at Troas. 6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread and came to them to Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days. 7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them, ready to depart the following day; and continued his speech until midnight. 8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. 9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third floor, and was taken up dead. 10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said. “Trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him”. 11 When he therefore had come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. 12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted. 13 And we went before to ship, and sailed to Assos, there intending to take in Paul, for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. 14 And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in and came to Mitylene. 15 And we sailed there and came the next day over against Chios, and the next day we arrived at Samos and tarried at Trogyllium, and the next day we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he wanted if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. 17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of

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the church. 18 And when they had come to him, he said to them. “You know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, 19 Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews. 20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable to you, but have shown you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, 21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there. 23 Save that the Holy Spirit witness in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 24 But none of these things moves me, neither count I my life dear to myself, so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, look, I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you all the counsel of God. 28 Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years, I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. 32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. 33 I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. 34 Yes, you yourselves know, that these hands have ministered to my necessities, and to them that were with me. 35 I have shown you all things, how that so labouring you ought to

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support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive”. 36 And when he had spoken, he kneeled down and prayed with them all. 37 And they all wept freely, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, 38 Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Paul arrested in Jerusalem

Chapter 21.

And it came to pass, that after we were gone from them, and had sailed, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the day following to Rhodes, and from thence to Patara. 2 And finding a ship sailing over unto Phonicia, we went aboard and set forth. 3 Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unlade her burden. 4 And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. 5 And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city, and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed. 6 And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship, and they returned home again. 7 And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and stayed with them one day. 8 And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed and came unto Caesarea, and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. 10 And as we remained there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 11 And when he had come to us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said. “Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at

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Jerusalem bind the man that owns this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles”. 12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered. “What mean you to weep and to break my heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus”. 14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying. “The will of the Lord be done”. 15 And after those days we took up our bags and went up to Jerusalem. 16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge. 17 And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. 18 And the day following, Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had done among the Gentiles by his ministry. 20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord and said to him. “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe, and they are all zealous of the law. 21 And they are informed of you, that you teach all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. 22 What is it, therefore? The multitude must come together, for they will hear that you have come. 23 Do therefore this that we say to you. We have four men who have a vow on them. 24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads, and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly, and keep the law. 25 As touching the Gentiles who believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication”. 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering

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should be offered for every one of them. 27 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him. 28 Crying out. “Men of Israel, help. This is the man, that teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place, and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and has polluted this holy place”. 29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple). 30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together, and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple, and forthwith the doors were shut. 31 And as they went about to kill him, news came to the chief captain of the guard, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them, and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and demanded who he was, and what he had done. 34 And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude, and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. 35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people. 36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying. Away with him. 37 And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said to the chief captain. “May I speak to you?” Who said. “Can you speak Greek? 38 Are you not that Egyptian, which before these days made an uproar, and led out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?” 39 But Paul said. “I am a man who is a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city, and, I beg you, allow me to speak to the people”. 40 And when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and beckoned with the hand to the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, saying.

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Paul, a citizen of Rome

Chapter 22.

“Men, brethren, and fathers, hear my defence which I make now to you”. 2 (And when they heard that he spoke in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence, and he said). 3 “I am truly a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as you all are this day. 4 And I persecuted followers of the way (Christians) to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 5 As also the high priest bears me witness, and all the estate of the elders, from whom also I received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound for Jerusalem to be punished. 6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and came near Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. 7 And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? 8 And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute. 9 And they that were with me saw the light indeed, and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me. 10 And I said. What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told you of all things which are appointed for you to do. 11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. 12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, 13 Came to me, and stood, and said to me, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And the same hour I looked on him. 14 And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know his will, and see that Just One, and should hear the voice of his mouth. 15 For you shall be his witness to all men

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of what you hast seen and heard. 16 And now, why are you waiting? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. 17 And it came to pass, that, when I had come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance. 18 And saw him saying to me. Make haste, and get quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony concerning me. 19 And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and kept the cloaks of them that killed him. 21 And he said to me. Depart, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles”. 22 And they listened to this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said. “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live”. 23 And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, 24 The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle and bade that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know wherefore they cried so against him. 25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion that stood by. “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying. “Take heed what you do, for this man is a Roman”. 27 Then the chief captain came, and said to him. “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said. “Yes”. 28 And the chief captain answered. “With a great sum I bought this freedom”. And Paul said. “But I was born free”. 29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him, and the chief captain also was afraid after he knew that he was a Roman and because he had bound him. 30 The following day, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his chains, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.

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The plot to kill Paul

Chapter 23.

And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said. “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day”. 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then said Paul to him. “God shall strike you, you whitewashed wall, for you sit to judge me after the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?” 4 And they that stood by said. “Do you insult God's high priest?” 5 Then said Paul. “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest, for it is written, you shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people”. 6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council. “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question”. 7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees believe in both. 9 And there arose a great cry and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying. “We find no evil in this man, but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God”. 10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been torn in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle. 11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said. “Be of good cheer, Paul, for as you hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must you bear witness also at Rome”. 12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews came together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. 14 And they

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came to the chief priests and elders, and said. “We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 Now, therefore, you with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you would enquire something more perfectly concerning him, and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him”. 16 And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered to the castle, and told Paul. 17 Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said. “Bring this young man to the chief captain, for he has a certain thing to tell him”. 18 So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said. “Paul, the prisoner called me to him, and prayed me to bring this young man to you, who has something to say to you”. 19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him. “What is that you have to tell me?” 20 And he said. “The Jews have agreed to desire you that you would bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly. 21 But do not give to them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him, and now are they ready, looking for a promise from you”. 22 So the chief captain then let the young man depart and charged him. “See you tell no man that you have showed these things to me”. 23 And he called to him two centurions, saying. “Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night. 24 And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe to Felix the governor”. 25 And he wrote a letter after this manner. 26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sends greeting. 27 This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them, then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman. 28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council. 29 Whom I

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perceived to be accused of questions of their law but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of chains. 30 And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to you and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before you what they had against him. Farewell. 31 Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 The following day they left the horsemen to go with him and returned to the castle. 33 Who, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him. 34 And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia. 35 I will hear you, said he, when your accusers have come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.

Felix hears Paul’s defence

Chapter 24.

And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul. 2 And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying. “Seeing that by you we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done to this nation by your providence, 3 We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. 4 Notwithstanding, that I am not further tedious to you, I pray that you would hear us of your clemency a few words. 5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 Who also has gone about to profane the temple, whom we took, and would have judged according to our law. 7 But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, 8 Commanding his accusers to come to you, by examining of whom yourself may take knowledge of all

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these things, whereof we accuse him”. 9 And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so. 10 Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned to him to speak, answered. “Forasmuch as I know that you have been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself. 11 Because that you may understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship. 12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues nor in the city. 13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. 14 But this I confess to you, that after the way (Christian) which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. 15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men. 17 Now, after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings. 18 Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with the multitude, nor with tumult. 19 Who ought to have been here before you, and object, if they had anything against me. 20 Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council, 21 Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, proclaiming the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day” 22 And when Felix heard these things, having a more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said. “When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter”. 23 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come to him. 24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled,

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and answered. “Go your way for this time, when I have a convenient season, I will call for you”. 26 He also hoped that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might free him. Therefore he sent for him more often, and communed with him. 27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room, and Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul in chains.

Paul appeals to Caesar

Chapter 25.

Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, 3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. 4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly after. 5 Let them, therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man if there be any wickedness in him. 6 And when he had waited among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. 7 And when he had come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove. 8 While he answered for himself. “Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended anything at all”. 9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said. “Will you go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?” 10 Then said Paul. “I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged, to the Jews have I done no wrong, as you very well know. 11 For if I am an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die, but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar”. 12 Then Festus, when he had

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conferred with the council, answered. “Have you appealed to Caesar? To Caesar shall you go”. 13 And after certain days, king Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to salute Festus. 14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause to the king, saying. “There is a certain man left in chains by Felix. 15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have a judgment against him. 16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have a licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. 17 Therefore, when they were come here, without any delay the following day I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. 18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed. 19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved to the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar”. 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus. “I would also hear the man myself”. “Tomorrow”, said he. “You shall hear him”. 23 And the following day, when Agrippa had come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth. 24 And Festus said. “King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. 26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him forth before you,

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and especially before you, O King Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write. 27 For it seemed to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him”.

You almost persuade me to become a follower of Christ

Chapter 26.

Then Agrippa said to Paul. “You are permitted to speak for yourself”. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself. 2 “I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before you about all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews. 3 Especially because I know you to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews, wherefore I beseech you to hear me patiently. 4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at first among my own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jew. 5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God, to our fathers, 7 to which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. 8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? 9 I truly thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. 11 And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme, and being exceedingly angry against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. 12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun,

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shining round about me and also those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecute me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goad. 15 And I said. Who are you, Lord? And he said I am Jesus whom you persecute. 16 But rise, and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of these things which you have seen, and of those things in the which I will appear to you. 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom now I send you, 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 19 Whereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision: 20 But showed first to them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worth for repentance. 21 For these reasons, the Jews caught me in the temple and set about to kill me. 22 Having, therefore, obtained help of God, I continue to this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come. 23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles”. 24 And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice. “Paul, you are beside yourself, much learning has made you mad”. 25 But he said. “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. 26 For the king knows of these things, before whom also I speak freely, for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him, for this thing was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe”. 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul. “You almost persuade me to be a Christian”. 29 And Paul said. “I wish to God, that not only you, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and

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altogether such as I am, except these chains”. 30 And when he had spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them. 31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying. “This man has done nothing worthy of death or of chains”. 32 Then said Agrippa to Festus. “This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar”.

Paul shipwrecked in Malta

Chapter 27.

And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' guard. 2 And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia, one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. 3 And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul and gave him liberty to go to his friends to refresh himself. 4 And when we had launched from there, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy, and he put us therein. 7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce had come over against Cnidus, the wind not allowing us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone.

8 And, hardly passing it, came to a place which is called The fair havens, near where was the city of Lasea. 9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them. 10 And said to them. “Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship but also of our lives”. 11 Nevertheless, the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. 12 And because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the more

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part advised to depart there also, if by any means they might attain to Phoenix, and there to winter, which is a haven of Crete, and towards the south-west and north-west. 13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing there, they sailed close by Crete. 14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. 15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drift. 16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by boat. 17 Which when they had taken up, they used help, undergirding the ship, and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. 18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship. 19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. 21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said. “Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. 22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24 Saying, Fear not, Paul, you must be brought before Caesar, and, see, God has given you all them that sail with you. 25 Therefore, sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. 26 However, we must be cast upon a certain island”. 27 But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country. 28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms, and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. 29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern and wished for the day.

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30 And as the sailors were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, unless these remain in the ship, you cannot be saved. 32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. 33 And while the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take meat, saying. “This day is the fourteenth day that you have waited and continued fasting, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I pray you to take some meat, for this is for your health, for there shall not a hair fall from the head of any of you”. 35 And when he had spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all, and when he had broken it, he began to eat. 36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. 37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred and seventy-six souls. 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and cast out the wheat into the sea. 39 And when it was day, they knew not the land, but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship. 40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves to the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. 41 And falling into a place where two seas meet, they ran the ship aground, and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the rear part was broken with the violence of the waves. 42 And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. 43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land, 44 and the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

Paul preached the Kingdom of God in Rome

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Chapter 28.

And when they had escaped, then they knew that the island was called Malta. 2 And the barbarous people showed us no little kindness, for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. 3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the fire, and bit Paul on his hand. 4 When the barbarians saw the venomous snake hang on his hand, they said among themselves. “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet vengeance does not allow him to live”. 5 And he shook off the snake into the fire and felt no harm. 6 However they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly, but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. 7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. 8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux, to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. 9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed. 10 Who also honoured us with many honours, and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary. 11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux. 12 And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days. 13 And from there we fetched a compass and came to Rhegium, and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli. 14 Where we found brethren and were desired to stay with them seven days, and so we went toward Rome. 15 And from there, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns, whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and took courage. 16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion

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delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him. 17 And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together, and when they had come together, he said to them. “Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go because there was no cause of death in me. 19 But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. 20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you, because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain”. 21 And they said to him. “We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning you, neither any of the brethren that came showed or spoke any harm of you. 22 But we desire to hear of you what you think, for as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against”. 23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him to his lodging, to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some did not believe. 25 And when they argued among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word. “Well spoke the Holy Spirit by Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, 26 Saying, Go to this people, and say, Hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and not perceive, 27 For the heart of this people has grown dull, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 28 Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and that they will hear it”. 29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had great reasoning among themselves. 30 And Paul dwelt two whole

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years in his own hired house and received all that came to him, 31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man stopping him.

End of the Acts of The Apostles

Having now read the Gospel of Luke, and the Acts of the Apostles, I would encourage you to read the other three gospels and the rest of the New Testament in the Christian Holy Bible.

As I have mentioned previously, all scriptures in this book are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, and certain words replaced with more modern English to make it more understandable for the reader.

If you are thinking of buying a Holy Bible, The Good News Holy Bible is written in a way that is easy to understand. The Amplified Version of the Holy Bible gives additional meaning to certain words to help the reader in their understanding, and a good reference Holy Bible or study Holy Bible will contain a number of aides to help with your knowledge and study.

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The Jerusalem Prophecies

A two-thousand-year-old prophecy of God tells of the last great battle on earth, the Battle of Armageddon. This will be when the armies of the world come against the Jews in the City of Jerusalem, in the land of Israel. This chapter reveals the incredible prophecies of God that have been fulfilled in history from four- thousand years ago to this very day! Once you have read this book, you will watch the news on tv about Jerusalem and understand why there is so much conflict between the Arab Palestinians and the Jews in Jerusalem and Israel, and the tension between Arab Muslim nations and the (mostly) Christian nations of Great Britain and the USA. If you want to know how this present world will come to an end (it won't be due to climate change), and what God has planned for the eternal destiny of humankind since the beginning of time, then you must read this chapter.

As you read through this chapter, you will see how the city of Jerusalem in the land of Israel provides real evidence for God. The Jerusalem prophecies of God, prove the history of humankind is unfolding according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God.

To appreciate the importance of Jerusalem in God's plan for humankind, we need to start at the beginning of creation. We need to turn to the pages of the Holy Bible and discover what happened in the past, what is happening in the world today, and what will happen in the future. In doing so, we discover why the city of Jerusalem is of vital importance to the eternal destiny of humankind.

When someone picks up the Holy Bible and begins to read it from page one of Genesis, expecting to read it through to the end like a novel, I am sure they are going to find it a bit of a struggle in places. That's why Christians the world over study the Bible, there

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is always something new to learn.

Also, as you read through Genesis and into Exodus (the first two books of the Holy Bible), you learn about Satan and his deception of Adam and Eve. Then later, you read about the angels having sex with women and producing the Nephilim. Some people find it difficult to believe in God, so then when they are expected to believe in the angel Satan who turns bad, and takes a large number of other angels with him, in rebellion against God, it can seem like a fairy story.

However, when we examine all the prophecies of God concerning Jesus Christ, and how He and His disciples dealt with the demonic (angels who followed Satan), we can see that God expects us to see Satan and the demonic as a real threat to our very existence.

In Luke 8:27-39, we read of Jesus healing a demon-possessed man. In Matthew’s Gospel, he writes about two men being demon- possessed, and the demons speaking to Jesus.

And, look, the demons cried out, saying. “What have we to do with you, Jesus, you Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Matthew 8:29. (c. 30 AD).

These same demons were alive when they went with Satan in rebellion against God, and they are alive today! For angels and demons don't die. However, these demons knew Jesus was coming at the end-times when the demons would receive their punishment from God. They were confused they knew it was not the time, so why was Jesus there before the time?

At the appointed time, Jesus Christ will return, and He will establish the final Kingdom on earth that will never end. For Satan and his angels (the demons), they know they are facing torment and then eternal extinction. So they have to stop Jesus returning, for it is a matter of torment, life and death.

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Satan and the demons know from the scriptures that Jesus Christ will come again, and He is coming back to the Jews, the land of Israel (that He appointed to Abraham and the Jews), and to the city of Jerusalem. So for Satan to stop Jesus Christ from returning, he has to kill Jesus Christ (which as you have read went badly wrong for Satan), or Satan can utterly destroy the city of Jerusalem and the land of Israel. Satan could also destroy every Jew. For if there was no city of Jerusalem, if the land of Israel ceased to exist, and if there were no Jews on planet earth, then there would be no point in Jesus returning, and perhaps Jesus would not return, and not punish Satan and the demons (a very unlikely outcome).

So far, I feel I have provided sufficient evidence through the prophecies of God, to prove the irrefutable evidence for God. I hope you will find this chapter interesting, because not only does it provide some fascinating prophecies of the days we are living in today, but as you watch the news on television, particularly concerning Jerusalem, you will see how close we are to the end- times.

The prophecies of God in this chapter, reveal that we are on the countdown to the doomsday prophecies of God!

First of all, let me remind you of Prophecy # 4. From chapter 1.

For thus says the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the Earth and made it; he has established it, he did not create it in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord, and there is none else.

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

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I have declared the former things from the beginning, and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. (Isaiah 45:18, 46:9-10, 48:3. 700 BC). The prophecies of God, prove that the history of humankind is unfolding according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God.

(Prophecy # 66.)

In Leviticus chapter 26, God tells His people that if they keep His laws they will be blessed, but if they are disobedient they will be scattered from their land for a period of seven times. (1,400 BC).

By the time King Solomon had built the Temple in Jerusalem everything was going well for the Jews, and they had peace and prosperity.

(Prophecy # 67.)

God had warned King Solomon that he should only take wives (of which he had many) from the nation of Israel. This was because God knew if Solomon married women from other nations they would tempt him into worshipping false gods. God warned Solomon that if he did marry women outside the Nation of Israel, and commit idolatry, then his kingdom would be taken away from him. (Read 1 Kings 11:1-43).

King Solomon does the very thing God told him not to do! At the appointed time the land is divided into two kingdoms, which are then invaded by the Assyrians, and then the Babylonians who destroy the Temple in Jerusalem and take the nation as slaves to Babylon.

(Prophecy # 68.)

The King of Babylon has a very disturbing dream, and it is Daniel who asks God to interpret the dream for the king. In this dream,

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the king has a vision of a man with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, thighs of copper, legs of iron, and feet of clay. Then a stone cut from a mountain without human hands came and destroyed everything.

The interpretation that God gave Daniel for the king was of five successive kingdoms. First the Babylonian kingdom, then the Medo-Persian kingdom, then the Greek Kingdom, then the Roman Empire, and then finally an empire that is formed from the former Roman empire, a collection of strong and weak nations (iron and clay). Today we are living in that empire of iron and clay. This is the final empire that will be destroyed by God, as Jesus Christ establishes His Kingdom on earth that will last forever.

In prophecy #66, Leviticus 26, God told the people if they were disobedient He would scatter them from the land for a period of seven times.

At the end of the book of Daniel, there is another prophecy of God.

(Prophecy # 69.)

Blessed (extremely happy) is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. Daniel 12:12. (c. 600 BC).

In biblical prophecy, one day equals one year, so we are looking for something of importance to 1335 years, that relates to Jerusalem and the Jews. According to Dr Victor Pearce, Evidence For Truth: Prophecy. When the Turks fled out of Jerusalem in 1917, the newspapers there had this lunar date of 1335 at the top of the front page, and on the other side, the western date of 1917 was printed. It was in 1917 (1335 according to the Muslim Calendar) that a promised home for Jews was realised in the land of Palestine (former Israel). Dr Victor Pearce. Evidence For Truth: Prophecy. Eagle Publishing 1998. Guilford. Surrey. Page 263.

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In 1917, four hundred years of Ottoman Turkish Muslim control over Israel had come to an end. The land was now under the control of Great Britain, and the Balfour Declaration pledged support for the establishment of a Jewish national home in Palestine for the Jews. So the prophecy of God, given in Daniel c. 600 B.C. was fulfilled, the Jews were happy – elated at the decision for them to be given the land from which they had been forcibly removed by the Babylonians.

It was not until 1948 the State of Israel was proclaimed, but the Jews were not in control of Jerusalem (which remained under Arab Muslim control), and from 1948 the capital city of Israel was Tel Aviv. Until 1967 Jerusalem was a divided city, with the Jews in control of one part of the city and the Palestinians in control of the other half of the city.

Then in 1967, the Six-Day War by Arab (Muslim) nations of Egypt, Syria and Jordan against Israel was defeated, and for the first time in thousands of years, the Jews were back in control of the whole city of Jerusalem. Then on 26th of May 1968, the Jews in Israel celebrated the first Jerusalem Day Celebration.

The year 1968 is of special significance for the Jews because it is when Prophecy # 65 was fulfilled. God had told them that if they were disobedient to His commands, then He would scatter them from the land for a period of seven times. In biblical prophecy, a time, is one year which is 365 days. If we multiply 365 by seven times, we get 2555. The Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 B.C. and so if we add 2555 years to 587 B.C. we get the year 1968. This became the very year the Jews were back in full control of Jerusalem in two thousand, five hundred and fifty-five years!

In 1980 the Jews declared Jerusalem as the undivided capital city of Jerusalem, and this met with political leaders around the world condemning the statement. The Dominion newspaper on the 15th July 1980 had the following quote:

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“Jerusalem was the Jewish capital long before anybody had ever heard of London”, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin said yesterday, in a rebuke to British Foreign Secretary, Lord Carrington. In a weekend interview, Lord Carrington said on Israeli television that it would be a great mistake for Mr Begin to move his office to Jerusalem.

However, due to the opposition from Arab nations, the countries of the world who had their embassies in Tel Aviv were reluctant to move their embassies to Jerusalem. Then on the 14th of May 2018, The United States President Donald Trump moved their embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, in recognition of Jerusalem being the capital city of Israel.

This move by Donald Trump received a bitterly hostile reaction from the Palestinian Arabs who claim the land of Israel and the capital city of Jerusalem for themselves. The U.S. president also received condemnation from the United Nations and the European Union, which count for the most important countries in the world.

The prophecy of God concerning the end-times and the Battle of Armageddon, is that this battle will be of the armies of the world coming against Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be taken by the enemy, but then the Lord God will fight against those nations who come against Jerusalem.

(Prophecy # 70.)

Look, the day of the Lord comes, and your wealth shall be divided in the midst of you. 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished, and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. Zechariah 14:1-3. (c. 500 BC).

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The above prophecy of God was given two thousand, five hundred years ago. But what will make the nations of the world come against Jerusalem? Is it demonic?

The King of Babylon's dream where he had a vision of a man representing successive kingdoms, reveals the last kingdom, one of feet made of iron and clay, is the one that is destroyed by God. We are now living in that last time of the final empire of iron and clay, and there are many who study biblical prophecy who feel the European Union is developing into the final empire that will come against Jerusalem, and be destroyed by God.

If this is true, that the European Union is turning into the European Empire, then we might ask the question is there any evidence that supports this? Is there any evidence of demonic influence behind the European Union? I have listed a series of points you may wish to consider regarding the EU. Also, a point worth mentioning here, for those who are concerned about Great Britain’s decision to leave the E.U. in 2020, it is possible that as a result of leaving the E.U. Great Britain may escape the doomsday prophecies of God, however, I think that is unlikely.

Point 1.

The European Union was formed out of the European Coal and Steel Industry following the Second World War. On the 25th of March 1957, a coalition of strong and weak countries (Iron and Clay?) signed The Treaty of Rome, establishing the European Economic Community.

Point 2.

The choice of the name of Europe is very strange. In Greek mythology there was a beautiful princess called Europa, and Zeus (who was considered to be the father of all gods) appears to her in the disguise of a bull, carried her off and raped her! This Greek myth is known as the Rape of Europa, and from this myth the founding fathers of the European Union (all male) decided to name

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the union! You can see the image of the woman and the beast on many of the coins and banknotes of the European Union.

Point 3.

Many paintings depicting the woman and the beast can be found in important buildings of the E.U. There is a statue of the woman and the beast outside the E.U. Parliament buildings in Strasbourg. In Revelation, we read of the woman and the beast –

(Prophecy # 71.)

3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5 And upon her forehead was a name written. MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Revelation 17:3-5 (c. 60 AD).

Point 4.

In the year 2000, the E.U. built a new parliament building in Strasbourg, which is on the eastern border of France with Germany. What is unique about this building is that it was designed as a replica of the unfinished Tower of Babel, as depicted by the Dutch artist Bruehel in the 16th century. The original Tower of Babel which you can read about in Genesis chapter 11, was built by men in rebellion against God, and the people were dispersed by God with the tower eventually falling into ruin.

Some people have suggested the building also resembles the Colosseum in Rome. This would also be an unfortunate choice of

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design, as the Colosseum was built in 70 A.D. following the Roman Empire's destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, the slaughter of a million Jews, and the ones who survived were sold into slavery. The Colosseum was also a place of horrendous slaughter.

Point 5.

The Tower of Babel was built by the Babylonians and their capital city was Babylon. They worshipped other gods (in rebellion against God), and they destroyed Jerusalem and enslaved the people in Babylon in c. 586 BC.

Point 6.

The political leadership and economic powerhouse of Europe is Germany.

Point 7.

In Revelation chapter 12 verse 12-13 we read of a reference to the Throne of Satan being in Pergamos, which had a temple dedicated to the worship of Zeus.

Point 8.

A point worth mentioning here is that Zeus was considered the chief of all gods, and that Satan considered himself to be above God and desired to be worshipped by all. In worshipping Zeus people were, in fact, worshipping the spirit of Satan.

Point 9.

In the late 1800s this temple was discovered by a Carl Humann, who had the temple shipped back to Germany, which now stands in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.

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Point 10.

Also in the same museum stands the Gates of Hell! These gates called Ishtar Gate, were the stone-walled entrance to Babylon, through which the Jews entered the city in chains as slaves.

Point 11.

Of course, the history books tell us about Germany leading Europe into the First World War that ended with some 17 million dead.

Point 12.

Then they were responsible for the Second World War, in which some 75 million people died. When you watch the documentary films of Hitler and Nazi Germany, you will see Hitler being saluted by thousands Seig Heil and Heil Hitler, with their arms outstretched. It is as though the people worshipped Hitler as their god. It was Hitler who implemented the final solution for the Jews – the Holocaust when over six million Jews were murdered.

Point 13.

The Word of God says of the descendants of Abraham, of Israel, of the Jews:

(Prophecy # 72.)

"I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you." Genesis 12:3. (c. 1,400 BC). Hitler’s ambition was to be like a god and destroy the Jews, destroy Israel. He cursed the Jews, and the prophecy and curse of God fell upon Hitler and the nation of Germany who followed him and worshipped him.

Point 14.

Here is part of the prophecy of God (which I have already mentioned) about Satan, and could equally refer to Hitler.

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How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who didst weaken the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will also sit upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High God. 15 Yet you shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 16 They that see you shall narrowly look upon you, and consider you, saying, Is this the man that made the Earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; 17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that would not open the house of his prisoners? 18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, everyone in his own house. 19 But you are cast out of your grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. 20 You shall not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, and slain your people: Isaiah 14:12-20. (c. 700 BC).

Point 15.

The fact that the European Union has coins, banknotes, credit and debit cards printed with the Rape of Europa is also a cause for concern. The image of the beast (the bull, representing the god Zeus, which represents the spirit of Satan) printed on coins, banknotes and bank cards. Now read what it says in Revelation considering the last days –

(Prophecy # 73.)

13 And he (the beast) does great wonders so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

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14 And deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image of the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15 And he had power to give life to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

16 And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Revelation 13:13-17. (c. 60 AD).

Some of you will remember the German currency before the Euro was called the Mark!

Point 16. We know the prophecies of God revealed through Daniel tell us that the last kingdom on earth will be destroyed by God. It will be a kingdom led by the direct influence of Satan, who will come against the Jews, the nation of Israel, and specifically the city of Jerusalem. The European Union is supporting the Palestinians against Israel, and trying to force Israel to accept the city of Jerusalem as the capital city of both the Jews and the Palestinians (Arabs). Point 17. Satan, demons and the powers of darkness. When we read the scriptures, we discover there is a spiritual realm surrounding planet earth in which Satan and his angels dwell. It is within this realm that Satan and his angels rule over the earth and are able to inflict their power and influence against humankind.

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This is what St. Paul had to say about Satan and his demons and their power on earth. (Prophecy # 74.)

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of Satan. 12 For we do not fight against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Therefore put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13. (c. 60 AD).

The Holy Bible tells us angels and Satan are real. Satan tempted Jesus at the beginning of His ministry -

Again, Satan took Jesus up into an exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the people of them;

9 And said to Jesus, All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me.

10 Then Jesus said to him, Go away, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.

Matthew 4:8-10. (c. 30 AD).

When God sent an angel to Daniel to deliver a prophecy from God, we read of angel Gabriel's struggle with the demonic angels who serve Satan.

Then (the angel) said to me. Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that you did set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come

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because of your words.

13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia (a demon) withstood me twenty-one days: but, then the angel Michael, one of the chief princes (chief angels or archangels), came to help me; as I was alone there with the kings of Persia (demons). Daniel 10:12-13. (c. 600 BC).

Then the angel said, do you know why I have come to you? And now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Greece shall come.

21 But I will show you that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that helps with me in these things, but Michael your prince. Daniel 10:20-21. (c. 600 BC).

The scriptures tell us -

A). Satan and his demons have power and authority over the earth and humankind.

B). St. Paul warns us that our struggle is not with each other (not against other humans), but our struggle is against Satan and his demons.

C). The final empire in the last days that comes against the Jews, Jerusalem and Israel, will be demonically led by Satan and his demons.

D). We read the fulfilment of the prophecies of God in this present age concerning Israel and the city of Jerusalem.

When we consider the scriptures concerning the end-times, and observe the growth and development of an emerging empire such as the united states of the European Union, many Christians who study biblical prophecy are deeply concerned by the European Union.

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It is led by Germany, the nation responsible for the murder of six million Jews. Unlike Israel, Great Britain and the United States of America, who have identified their nations with the Lord God of All Creation, the European Union is secular (it rejects God). It has instead identified itself with the Greek myth of the god Zeus who in the form of a bull enchanted and then raped Europa. This will immediately remind both Jews and Christians of Exodus chapter 32, when the Hebrew slaves had been rescued from the slavery of the Egyptians. They received the Law of God and accepted the Lord God of all creation as their God and to be obedient to Him. Then as we read later in Exodus chapter 32, in direct disobedience to God, they make for themselves a bull-calf made of gold and begin to worship it!

Have those people who identify themselves as European been enchanted with the bull-god Zeus, who is Satan? When we read the prophecies of God, and then see how the history of humankind is unfolding, it is not difficult to understand why some people feel the European Empire is destined to become the final empire that will be destroyed by God.

The Doomsday Prophecies of God

From reading the Old and New Testaments we can see that Satan was cast out of heaven with a third of the angels in heaven who chose to follow him. We see that it is Satan and his demons that have power and authority over all the earth, over nations and the people. It is also Satan who, in these end-times, is leading the nations of the world against the Jews, Israel, and the city of Jerusalem. The evidence of this can be easily found when we look at the actions and statements from members of the United Nations and the European Union, actions that speak against the Jews, Israel and Jerusalem.

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This is the prophecy of Jesus Christ two thousand years ago concerning His return and the end-times. (Prophecy # 75.) Then Jesus said to them. Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And great earthquakes shall be in different places, and famines, and diseases, and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. 13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what you shall answer. 15 For I will give you a word and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to argue nor resist. 16 And you shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and family, and friends, and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. 17 And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. 18 But there shall not a hair of your head perish. 19 In your patience, possess you your souls. 20 And when you shall see Jerusalem surrounded with armies, then know that the desolation is near. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains, and let them which are in the midst of it depart out, and let not them that are in the countries enter there. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that nurse, in those days! For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

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25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring. 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. Luke 21:10-26. (c. 30 AD).

Dr E. K. Victor Pearce, in his book – Evidence For Truth: Prophecy, makes an interesting point about the last verse of this scripture, and the connection with nuclear warfare. The Old Testament of the Holy Bible was written in Hebrew, the language of the Hebrew slaves in Egypt, and of the Jews in Israel today. The New Testament of the Holy Bible was written in New Testament Greek (the Greek language of two thousand years ago). Here Victor gives an interesting explanation of the translation from N.T. Greek into English. Let me give you a more literal translation of the Greek of Luke's additions: Upon the Earth there will be an organisation (sunoche) of nations frustrated (aporia) by the roaring of the sea and surf, men fainting with fear (phobias) and dread at what is coming upon the inhabitants of the Earth because the powers (dynameis) within uranium (uranos) will be loosed. Luke 21:25-26. (c. 30 AD). I have pointed out elsewhere that it is the unloosing of uranium 238 from uranium 235 which is at the basis of all nuclear fission. Governments are fearful that it might get into the wrong hands, the hands of a tyrant. There are nearly 4,000 nuclear missiles in the world, each one many times more powerful than the first nuclear bomb. Just one of them aimed at one of our greatest cities could wipe it out. Dr E. K. Victor Pearce, in his book – Evidence For truth: Prophecy. Eagle Publishing. Guilford Surrey. 1998. Page 218.

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(Prophecy # 76.)

And this shall be the plague that the Lord will strike all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away (dissolve) while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. Zechariah 14:12. (c. 500 BC).

Prophecy number 76, was given by God to Zechariah some two thousand, five hundred years ago. Yet it describes a battle scene where the army is destroyed by a nuclear bomb. At that time, armies were killing one another with swords, spears, arrows and clubs. Who could have imagined such a weapon back in those days, and accurately connect that event with the return of the Lord God, and the city of Jerusalem? Only God, who knows the end of time from the beginning of time.

I must say that in writing this chapter I find it sad to contemplate the armies of the world coming to destroy the Jews, the city of Jerusalem, in order to wipe the nation of Israel from the land given to them by God, thousands of years ago. The question is, what could make the armies of the world come against the Nation of Israel? Israel is not some terrible nation whose tyrannical leader is someone like Hitler who wants to rule the world, and begins a military conquest of its empire. However, when we look at the history of conflict between Israel and its neighbours, particularly since the return of the Jews to the land of Israel in 1948, we frequently receive news reports on tv about the struggle between the Palestinians and the Jews, over Jerusalem and the land of Israel.

Whilst some people debate who has the right to the land in and of Israel, the Jews or the Palestinians, it is God who gave the land to Israel. Military action against Jerusalem in 70 AD, when the Roman army killed a million Jews, took the survivors into slavery,

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destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, and wiped the name of Israel off all maps, the Romans renamed the area Palestine. It was the military action of Great Britain that led to the Jews returning to the land and the nation of Israel being declared in 1948. Israel has also received financial and military aid over the years from the USA.

As for the Arab (Muslim) Palestinians, they are supported by the surrounding Arab (Muslim) nations of the world. One of these nations, Iran, is often in the news because of its desire to develop nuclear weapons. This is opposed by many countries, particularly the U.S. because they fear Iran will launch a nuclear attack on Jerusalem and Israel. As the land of Israel had been under Muslim control for a number of years, some Muslims (followers of the religion of Islam) feel it is their right and duty to reclaim the land under the control of Islam. With Great Britain and the USA supporting Israel in the past, some people who follow Islam, such as ISIS feel that Israel, Great Britain and the USA are enemies of Islam. This is at least one reason why there have been terrorist attacks in the U.K. and the USA. The Arab nations have also put pressure on the United Nations and the European Union to take action against Israel, in support of the Palestinians. The political situation between the Jews in Israel and the Palestinians is complicated and volatile, and things could easily slide into a nuclear war.

Another point of conflict in Jerusalem is the location of the Temple of two thousand years ago. Although the Roman army destroyed the Temple, and all that is left is the section called the Wailing Wall, during the time of Muslim Arab occupation of the land, they built a mosque on the site of the Temple mount. The Muslims claim this mosque to be of vital importance to all Muslims. The Jews, however, are determined to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem on the original location of the previous Temple, and would claim this is of vital importance to the Jews, worldwide. So, the Jews are

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determined as a matter of their faith in God to rebuild the Temple, which would mean the destruction of the mosque. The Muslims are determined as a matter of their faith in God, not to allow the destruction of their mosque. There is no such thing as compromise, only conflict. Will this be the trigger that launches a nuclear war? Quite possibly.

Here is another prophecy of God concerning these end-times.

(Prophecy # 77.)

The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, says the Lord, which stretches forth the heavens, and lays the foundation of the Earth, and forms the spirit of man within him. 2 Look, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling to all the people around, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. 3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. 4 In that day, says the Lord, I will strike every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness, and I will open my eyes upon the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the people with blindness. 5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God. 6 In that day will I make the governours of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf, and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. 7 The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. 8 In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David, and

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the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them. 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. Zechariah 12:1-10. (c. 500 BC).

I was once watched an interview of a Russian general, speaking of the Cold War years, when Russia (the USSR) and the USA were both hostile towards one another. There was a real possibility of military conflict between the two nations. The general was asked the following question: In those days, what would have happened if for some reason the USA had launched just one nuclear bomb, by accident against Russia? What would Russia's response have been? Would Russia have retaliated by firing one, two, or more nuclear missiles against the USA? The general replied: When it comes to nuclear war, you don't fire just one nuclear warhead. You fire them all.

If this was the position of Russia about nuclear war, then the USA and other nations probably had the same idea. It would have been an all-out nuclear war, with every nation on earth firing their nuclear weapons, and one would wonder if anyone on planet earth could survive. The only thing that really prevented this from happening was the idea of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD for short!) The idea of launching a nuclear attack on another country was a MAD idea, which would only result in the nuclear destruction of all countries. No one could win. However, in more recent years, the USA has been developing the idea of a tactical nuclear first strike, and the 'Star Wars' nuclear shield they have been developing to give them the edge, the winning edge over their

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opponents. If you read through the last book of the New Testament of the Holy Bible, you will read of the prophecies that speak of worldwide devastation.

(Prophecy # 78.)

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are the spirits of demons, working miracles, which go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 Look, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walks naked, and they see his shame. 16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew language, Armageddon. Revelation 16:12-16. (c. 60 AD).

(Prophecy # 79.)

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:8. (c. 60 AD).

(Prophecy # 80.)

And I looked when he had opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood.

13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together,

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and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

15 And the kings of the Earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains.

16 And said to the mountains and rocks. Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.

17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Revelation 6:12-17. (c. 60 AD).

(Prophecy # 81.)

The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth, and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. 8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood. 9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. 10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. 11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood, and the third part of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the waters because they were made bitter. 12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. 13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet

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of the three angels, which are yet to sound! Revelation 8:7-13. (c. 60 AD).

(Prophecy # 82.)

And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he strikes a man. 6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. Revelation 9:5- 6. (c. 60 AD).

(Prophecy # 83.)

And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his demons. 8 And prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the Earth, and his demons were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death. Revelation 12;7-11. (c. 60 AD).

(Prophecy # 84.)

And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. 2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth, and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

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3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea, and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. 4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters say. You are righteous, O Lord, who are, and was, and shall be, because You have judged so. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. 7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments. 8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who had power over these plagues, and they would not repent to give him glory. 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast, and his kingdom was full of darkness, and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and would not repent of their deeds. Revelation 16:1- 11. (c. 60 AD).

(Prophecy # 85.)

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that, he must be released for a while. Revelation 20:1-3. (c. 60 AD).

(Prophecy # 86.)

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be released out of his prison,

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8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the Earth and surrounded the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead who were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:7-15. (c. 60 AD).

Then, following the doomsday prophecies of God, we have another prophecy, another promise of God, of a new heaven and a new earth. The problem of sin, evil, Satan, and death have all come to an end. God has not just returned planet earth back to the Garden of Eden, He has not pressed the ‘system restore’ button. For God has now given humankind far more than we could ever have hoped or dreamed of. Following thousands of years where Satan and his demons, together with men and women given over to evil, have tried their best to destroy the predetermined plan and purpose of God, they inevitably failed. For as the prophecies and promises of God have proven, the Word of God never fails.

(Prophecy # 87.)

A New Jerusalem.

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And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with humankind, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Look, I make all things new. And he said to me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said to me. It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to those who are thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 Those who overcome, shall inherit all things, and I will be their God, and they shall be My children. Revelation 21:1-7. (c. 60 AD).

All these doomsday prophecies of God will be released upon the earth in fulfilment of the predetermined plan and purpose of God. God has, through His prophecies, provided irrefutable evidence for His existence, and that He is also in control over the destiny of humankind. Neither the rebellious angels in heaven, nor the rebellious men and women on earth, can prevent God having His way. God prepared this beautiful planet earth to be enjoyed by humankind, and that we would be like children to Him. God would be with us in a palace of peace and safety for each and every one of us. Why? Because God created us in His own image, and God loves us. God loves you.

So, as you watch the news on television about events happening in the world, particularly concerning the Jews, Jerusalem and Israel, remember the prophecies and promises of God. Remember the prophecies and promises of God concerning your salvation, and claim your inheritance as a child of God.

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Supernatural Evidence In previous chapters we have discovered how God foretells the future, and then how everything happens, every prophecy of God is fulfilled with 100% accuracy. We have also read of the amazing healings, casting out of demons, miracles, and how God has foretold we would continue with this ministry of God until the end of this age. So in this chapter, we look at the supernatural evidence for God, not just as a matter of interest or simply to confirm that God is right again. The supernatural evidence for God, is something that is open for you to experience in your own life.

In the book of Acts of the Apostles, you will have read of the prophecy of God through Joel and spoken about by Peter, of the Holy Spirit of God.

(Prophecy # 88.)

And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on my servants and my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. Acts 2:17-18. (c. 30 AD).

St. Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit gifts as something available to every Christian.

(Prophecy # 89.)

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 You know that you were Gentiles (non-Jews), carried away by these dumb idols, even as you were led. 3 Therefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.

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4 Now there are diverse gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are a diversity of operations, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man and woman to benefit all. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another, discerning of spirits; to another, different kinds of tongues; to another, the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these work that one and the selfsame Spirit, giving to every man and woman severally as he will.1 Corinthians 12:1-11. (c. 30 AD).

As you read through the book of Acts and the rest of the New Testament, then you will see how those followers of Jesus Christ were empowered by the Holy Spirit of God. These spiritual gifts continued down through the centuries to this present day and will continue until Jesus Christ returns.

Depending on where you live you may, or may not, find members of your local church flowing in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In some churches it may be just one or two people who seem to have these gifts. Sadly, in other churches, the leadership of the church (vicars, ministers, pastors and elders), simply refuse to have anything to do with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. For some strange reason, these church leaders do not believe the gifts of the Spirit are for the church today.

However, wherever the church leadership and members of the congregation believe in the gifts of the Spirit, there you will find the evidence that supports their belief.

Now I will share with you how it is possible for Christians to communicate with God.

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We speak to God through our prayers, and this may be together as a church during worship, or as individuals during our quiet time with God. We don't have to use a set of formal prayers given to us by a church. We can simply pray to God, our Father in Heaven. We can tell God how we feel, our hopes, fears and concerns for ourselves and others. We can ask God for direction in life, perhaps about our work or family. We can pray to God about all manner of things, but how can God speak to us?

In most churches, the priest or minister would teach that God can and will speak to us as we read the Christian Holy Bible. This is quite true, as we read we may find certain passages of scripture stand out, and we can feel within us God is speaking to us. Similarly, we may experience God speaking to us as we sing the hymns or worship songs, or listen to the minister delivering the Sunday morning sermon.

All of these are very important, but God can also speak to us directly. God may speak to us in or through our dreams, or while we are awake we may have a vision, perhaps with our eyes closed or open; we may see an image or something like a video in front of us. We may hear the voice of God externally or internally, and we may hear or see an angel sent to us by God.

At the time of writing this book, I am sixty-four years young! Whilst I have been a Christian for over thirty years, it is only in the last twenty years that I have personally experienced anything of the supernatural nature and evidence for God. It is only in the last ten years that the supernatural experience of God started to become a very natural, and regular part of my life.

By the time I was age forty, I had never experienced anything supernatural of God. Nor did I know of anyone else who had experienced or witnessed miracles or anything supernatural of God. So on Pentecost Sunday 1999 at the evening service of Pentecost Praise, I had a big shock.

Before the service began, the vicar (Tim) told everyone that at the end of the service there would be an opportunity to receive prayer.

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Those wanting to be prayed for would come and kneel at the altar rail, and he would pray for them. I thought to myself, well I hope you don't expect to see me coming for prayer, because I don't need it! Then to my surprise, I heard a voice say "You should go for prayer David". But this voice wasn't from anyone near me; it was like a voice in my head! And so I thought no, I am not going for prayer. But the voice continued, and other voices joined in – "Yes, you should go forward to receive prayer David". The voices continued all through the service encouraging me to go forward for prayer, and all the time I was saying no! But the extraordinary thing was that each time I got up to sing, I was struck dumb! I didn't feel emotional, but I couldn't sing or talk or make any sound at all. During the hymns the voices would stop, only to start again when the hymn had finished. I looked around the church, everyone looked ok, but I felt under great pressure. I was holding the pew seat with both of my hands, as though if I let go I would be flung forward to the altar rail. At the end of the service, all the voices stopped, and I heard another voice from the front of the church, and it wasn't the vicar, it was God. God said to me "Come, come." At that point, I felt I couldn't hold back any longer, and I said "Yes."

I knelt at the altar rail, and Tim prayed for me. I had no idea what he said, but it felt as though Jesus Christ was praying for me. After a few minutes of prayer, I walked into a side chapel and sat down. I felt as though I was trembling all over. I held out my hands in front of me and was surprised to see they were perfectly still, as I thought they would be shaking. It is difficult to explain how I felt, I was in shock, and I thought to myself, I hope this doesn't happen again next week, because if it does I am never coming back to church again! This was not some wonderful mystical experience I wanted ever again.

Eventually, I returned to my seat and began to reason with myself that I had been working very hard recently, too hard, and now I was experiencing some kind of mental breakdown. I didn't tell anyone about my experience, and over the following months the breakdown I thought I was going to have never happened! This event did make me think about the times in the Holy Bible when

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God sent His angels to His people with a message, and they were shocked or even struck dumb by the angel.

This experience of angels encouraging me to go for prayer, of God speaking to me and Jesus Christ praying for me, led me to consider what I was doing in my life for God. I began to pray daily, asking God for direction. What did He want me to do with my life? How did He want me to serve Him? This was a prayer that I had to have an answer for from God, and as I prayed I looked at the various options. One morning I awoke and realised I had had a bizarre dream. I never remember them, but this time in my dream I was in church, standing in the pulpit delivering a sermon. Now for me, that was weird. In fact the following morning I awoke to find I had the same dream! What a coincidence! The following morning I awoke to realise that I now had the identical dream three nights in a row. That's when I began to recall the times in the Holy Bible when God had spoken to His people through their dreams. I had been asking God for direction, and this is how He answered my prayer through my dreams! I decided to go and have a chat with Tim, and later that year, I began training as a Lay Reader (a Lay Reader is someone who leads church services like a priest or minister).

A few years later, God answered my prayers in the most unusual and supernatural way. I felt that God wanted me to set up a bookstall selling second-hand Christian books, at the Saturday market in the Halifax Piece Hall. So I set up the bookstall, and perhaps eighteen months later, I was considering making some changes and doing things differently, so I began to pray to God for an answer. What should I do? What should I change? One Friday, I went to the Piece Hall and walked around it, praying as I went asking God for direction. I walked around the balcony, praying for an answer. The following morning God answered my prayer supernaturally. This time God didn't speak to me through angels or my dreams, God sent someone to me who I had never met before. A lady came to my bookstall and said "I have a message from God for you, I don't know what it means, but God said to Stand Fast." I must say I was shocked. I had never experienced anything like this before. I thanked the lady, and off

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she went. Then I remembered the times in the Holy Bible when God had spoken to His people in the same way, by sending someone else to them with a message and answer to their prayers. To me, I felt the words from God to Stand Fast meant that I shouldn't change anything, just keep everything as it was. And that's what I did until God told me to do something new.

I had been reading a book by a Mark Stibbe called Prophetic Evangelism, and it shared how some Christians were able to hear from God quite easily for others. Just like the lady who came to my bookstall with a message from God for me. Reading the book made me want to discover if it was possible for someone to learn how to receive a message from God for another person. God can, of course, speak to us as we read the Holy Bible, or through worship, or through listening to a sermon or other Christian teaching. By this time, I had given hundreds of sermons, and always began my preparation to write a sermon by asking God to guide my thoughts and words. But there is something very special about receiving a word or a message from God through another Christian. It is supernatural, wonderful, encouraging, and uplifting. Often it can be very powerful, convincing people of the reality and power of God on earth.

In the same way that I received inspiration from God in writing my sermons, I wanted God to speak to me directly with a message for individuals. I wanted God to give me a message that would encourage someone, or bring comfort and healing, a message of hope for the future, a message that would build their faith in God.

I read lots of books on the subject, but I felt I needed some practical help and direction. I searched the internet looking for Christian organisations that could help and came across Marketplace Ministries in Totnes. This ministry is led by Lindy Strong, and she was just starting an online course enabling people to listen and receive from God, and it was free! I followed the course for some eighteen months and then set up a group of about ten members of our church to meet every week to listen to God. We called it the Listening to God meeting! Unlike the usual prayer meetings where people sit together and offer up prayers to God, we

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would say a short payer inviting God to speak to us and then sit in silence for twenty minutes. We would make a note of anything we felt God was saying to us personally or for others, and then at the end of the twenty minutes, we would share what we had received.

I knew from personal experience that God could speak to us through our dreams, so as well as listening to God, we would spend some time asking God to interpret the meaning of our dreams. After a few months, our interest in dream interpretation began to fall. So during one meeting, I said that we needed to get serious about dream interpretation because God had told me He was going to use dream interpretation in bringing people to our church. The following Sunday, a lady came to our church for the first time in fifteen years. She used to go to church every week but had fallen out with God and so stopped going to church. But on this particular Sunday she came to church because she had a very disturbing dream. I asked her about the dream, and I said: "Well you don't have to be a dream interpretation expert to know the meaning of your dream is that God wants you back". She replied, "I know, that's why I am here". This is a good example of why Christians should learn how to listen to God and learn how to interpret dreams from God. By doing so, we are giving God the opportunity to communicate with people through their dreams, and supernaturally provide evidence that God exists and cares about us.

Have you ever considered changing your job? It's a big decision to make, which job to apply for, or should you go or stay in the same job? It would be really good if you could get some divine direction, a word from God indicating the best way forward. Well, God gave me the direction through three identical dreams, which led me to become a Lay Reader in our church. God can also speak to us through another Christian who listens to God. A friend of mine was telling me of his stress about his employment, and as he knew I could receive a word from God I asked him if he wanted me to ask God for him. He agreed, and I closed my eyes and invited God to speak to me for my friend. As I was receiving from God, a thought came into my mind that perhaps my friend would wonder if what I was going to share with him really was from God, or just something out of my imagination. Then God showed me a

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picture of an eagle. I then shared with my friend what God had shown me, and also told him that he might be a little sceptical as to whether the message was from God, or had I just made it up? I told him God had shown me the picture of an eagle. He admitted that he was impressed with my message from God for him, and he was indeed a little sceptical – until I told him about the picture of an eagle. He then told me that he often thought of himself as an eagle! Or to be more precise the character of an eagle. So my picture of the eagle was significant to him, evidence that I hadn't imagined my message from God, and he felt it was genuine.

A man came for prayer, and as my friend was praying for him, I asked God to give me something for him. I had a picture of a sink, and underneath the sink, a metal pipe shone bright silver. I felt God say to me to ask the man if he was a plumber. I thought to myself that I was certain he wasn't a plumber and so I was not going to ask the question, but God persisted in telling me to ask. I was still convinced he wasn't a plumber, and so I said to him “You're not a plumber are you?” To which he replied “No”. I was just about to tell God smugly – “I told you so!” when he continued “But it is funny you should mention about my being a plumber, because yesterday I met a friend who I had not seen in years and he was a plumber and doing well for himself. He was also encouraging me to become a plumber, and I have been giving it some serious thought.” I shared the picture I had received for him and what God had told me to ask him. I also said that under the circumstances, I felt God was encouraging him to start a new career in plumbing.

I was once on a weekend spiritual retreat to Lindisfarne (Holy Island). There were a dozen of us, and I decided to ask God for a word or message for each person. So at breakfast, I handed out the messages to each one, including someone from another church who I had never met before. The following morning he sat beside me at breakfast and said, “You have never met me before and don't know anything about me, but the message you gave me was exactly what my friends have been telling me for months.” The message from God that I had written down for him was – You think you have retired, but God has one more mission for you yet. I had no idea that he had retired, but was surprised when he told me that

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he had been a missionary, and all his friends had said he had one more mission from God to fulfil.

A young man came to our Listening To God meeting, it was his first time and was expecting the usual sort of Christian prayer meeting. I asked God to give me something for him, and afterwards told him how I had seen a picture of a workshop and the focus was on a rack of wood chisels on the wall. The thing I noticed about these chisels was that they had different shaped blades to cut the wood, and they were designed for very fine and delicate cutting of the wood that would be used by a craftsman. He was very surprised for me to see this, as no one there knew anything about him or his work, and his work involved using the very chisels I described!

One time I was leading our Listening To God meeting, and as we sat quietly with our eyes closed I heard someone enter the room. I didn't hear them sit down, and so I opened my eyes to see who it was. I had never met this person before, but he was standing with his hands above his head, with his eyes closed as though he was praising God. Later he told me that when he came in he had a vision of angels ascending and descending from heaven into our room. I rather nonchalantly said, “Oh, the angels, yes they're always around here!” I have never seen an angel, but others in our Listening To God meeting have seen them or had visions, or been aware of their presence.

I was in church one Sunday, and I asked God to give me a message for someone. As I looked around the church, I noticed my friend whose mother was coming to the end of her life. I knew he must be going through a tough time so I asked God to give me something, some message that would be of comfort. I closed my eyes and immediately had a picture of a small brown dog. I asked God what the picture meant, but didn't receive any reply. So I said to God that the picture didn't make any sense to me, and that my friend was going through a really tough time, and would He please give me something that would comfort my friend. I got the same picture of a small brown dog. I was annoyed. This is why I spent years learning how to receive a message from God, so that I could

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receive a word from God for those in need. The picture of the small brown dog didn't make any sense to me, so I decided not to share it with my friend. At four o'clock in the morning, God woke me up and said, “Now David, about that picture of a small brown dog.” A couple of hours later I sent my friend an email and told him what I had received from God for him. The following Sunday, my friend told me that he had been to see his mother in the hospital and on the way picked up his sister. He told her about the picture from God about the small brown dog. She then told him that she had been shopping and bought something for their mum to comfort her while they were not with her. She opened her bag, and there was a small brown (toy) dog! Well, the small brown dog, brought comfort to their mum, and the picture from God brought comfort to my friend and his sister. My friend even spoke about it at his mother's funeral.

When we are going through difficult times in life we may think that God doesn't exist, or perhaps He doesn't know or care about us. But the reality is that God knows all about you, and He loves you and very much cares about you. At this moment in time, particularly if you have been bereaved, you may be angry with God. You may question why God allowed your loved one to die. Or why God didn't answer your prayers, or why God didn't send someone to you with a message to comfort you. Sadly there are very few Christians who listen to God for themselves or others, but it is something that every Christian can learn to develop if they want to. Being able to receive from God in this way is something that you can learn to do if you wish, and later in this book, I will share with you exactly how to hear from God for yourself and others. This is real evidence for God and eternal life that you can communicate directly with God.

A few years ago, I attended a School Of The Supernatural, run by Lindy Strong and her team in Totnes. While I was there, the team members prayed for me and they prophesied over me. Part of what they said was that I would be involved in the healing ministry and also the deliverance ministry (casting out demons). Whilst I was grateful for their prayers and words from God for me, I didn't take too seriously their words about my being in the healing ministry or

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the deliverance ministry.

When it came to divine healing, I had read about the minister David Hathaway who used to be a minister in Dewsbury, but had since developed an incredible healing and evangelistic ministry, preaching to thousands in the countries who were previously in the USSR (Russia). I had been praying to God for years that God would send someone to our church with the gift of healing, because there were plenty of people in need. As for the deliverance ministry, I thought that would be impossible, because in the Church of England only those specifically appointed by the bishop can perform an exorcism (casting out demons), and I was pretty certain I was not going to be one of the chosen ones to perform this duty for the bishop.

Then one day during my quiet time alone with God, God told me He was going to begin healing people in our church. This was amazing news, because in the 160-year history of our church I never heard of any miracle of healing taking place. But God also told me that He wanted me to tell people in our church that He was going to start healing people. So I did and I received a mixed response. Some were delighted, and others were very sceptical, and I am sure some must have thought David is going nuts!

At that time I didn't know how God would start healing people, I assumed that God would heal them during the Sunday morning service. We also had a prayer team who would offer healing prayer after the service, and though we had never witnessed a dramatic miracle of healing, I thought perhaps God might begin healing during this time. Months passed by and nothing happened – we prayed as usual, but no one was healed.

After about six months, I began to feel a bit uneasy about this. Had I been mistaken in hearing from God about healing? Was I now going to look like an idiot for telling everyone God was going to heal, and everyone would know I was wrong? At that point it suddenly dawned on me that while I was waiting for God to do something, God was perhaps waiting for me to do something! So I decided to do some research on divine healing and bought lots of

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books and DVDs on the subject by those who had recognised healing ministries. These include information from Joan Hunter, T.L. Osborn, David Hathaway, Peter Horrobin, Ian Andrews, Smith Wigglesworth, David Pytches, Trevor Dearing, and others.

Also, during my studies, I made an interesting discovery. When we prayed for someone to be healed in our church, we would ask God to heal them. We would pray something like this - ‘If it is Your will Lord, for them to be healed, then let them be healed.’ I discovered that when those with the recognised healing ministries prayed for an individual, they didn't ask God to heal the person, or ask if it was the will of God for them to be healed. They assumed it was the will of God for them to be healed, and they commanded pain to leave the body, and or commanded healing in the name of Jesus Christ.

I shared this information with our prayer team, and we began to pray in this way. Suddenly we had a breakthrough in divine healing in our church, and we began to see people dramatically and immediately healed by God. This was now about nine months after God had told me He was going to start healing people in our church.

As you have read in the previous chapters, this act of God telling His people that He is going to do something in the future is called prophecy. You have read of some of the important prophecies of God, which have taken hundreds and even thousands of years to be fulfilled, but God is also interested in proclaiming prophecies for His people that are fulfilled almost immediately or within a short period of time.

God had told me He was going to start healing people in our church. Then He told me to tell everyone else in our church that He was going to start healing. Then He began healing just as He said he would do. This was (for me), the irrefutable evidence for God, that God speaks, God communicates, God foretells, and God heals today, just as He has done for the past two thousand years – all in the name of Jesus Christ. This same evidence is available for other Christians in other churches, (there is nothing special about David

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Ramanauskas!)

One Pentecost Sunday I was to lead the service and deliver the sermon. A couple of months beforehand, God had told me that if I were to say a particular healing prayer during the service, then God would heal people. A couple of weeks before the service I received more detailed instructions from God. God told me that during my sermon I was to speak about divine healing, and then ask everyone to stand up and to move around to be fully aware of any physical pain they may have. Next they should sit down, and I would say the healing prayer. Then we were to listen to a quiet piece of music as God would heal. Then everyone had to stand again and notice if there was any healing or reduction in pain. The only problem I could see was that before we did this God wanted me to explain what was going to happen, and that God would heal people.

So I asked God what would happen if I did exactly as He told me but nobody got healed? It seemed to me a reasonable question to ask. But instead of God reassuring me that everything was going to be ok, God said to me “Have I ever let you down, David?” Three times God asked me the same question, and three times I replied, “No, you have never let me down”. Then God asked me “Have you ever let me down, David?” To which I responded, “Oh yes, lots of times, let's change the subject!”

Pentecost Sunday arrived and everything went according to plan, but following my saying the healing prayer, during the quiet music, I was praying quietly, pleading with God to heal someone, anyone, of anything, even dandruff! Well, five people received healing at that time, and another two were healed later that day. Praise the Lord!

On another occasion I was due to lead a service in church, and God reminded me of a supernatural event in the Bible, where Jesus healed a man.

Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

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3 In these lay a great multitude of disabled, of blind, sick, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and stirred the water, whosoever then first after the stirring of the water stepped in, was made whole of whatever disease he had. John 5:2-4. (c. 30 AD).

I felt God say to me that during the service He wanted me to stir the waters, and someone would get healed. So, during the sermon I told the congregation what God had shown me. I asked them to close their eyes and imagine sitting by the pool in Bethesda. Then imagine the water being stirred by an angel and them stepping into the pool for healing. One of the musicians then played a soft piece of music for a few minutes as I walked around the church praying softly in tongues. As I was walking and praying in tongues I noticed a couple who had not been to our church before. I thought they will think I am mad! Anyway, I continued walking and praying in tongues. Then when the music stopped I asked the congregation if anyone felt they had been healed. One person shared a supernatural experience they had during the prayer, and another said they had a bad back in constant pain, but as soon as I began praying, the pain immediately left their body. It was the only healing, and I had expected more, until God reminded me that it was the first in the pool that got healed. The reason I mention this healing, is because sometimes God asks us to do things that might seem foolish, but if someone gets healed and people see the power and presence of God, then why should I care if I look foolish?

On one occasion I was out walking and the thought came into my mind about the time at Marketplace Ministries, when the team prayed for me and prophesied that I would be involved in the deliverance ministry of casting out demons. It just seemed so unlikely and impossible with my being a member of the Church of England, as I was unlikely to be approved by the bishop in this ministry. However, I am involved in the healing ministry outside of the C of E, and so I asked God if I was going to be involved in the deliverance ministry.

As soon as I asked the question, I noticed a leaflet on the floor. It

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was a discarded leaflet from a DVD. A picture of a row of bloody skulls, and the headline about Films That Terrified Audiences Around The World! Vipco’s Screamtime Collection. From Horrorvideo.com This told me the film was about the demonic! Was this just a coincidence or was God preparing me for something? Later that week, I had my answer when I was part of a healing prayer team called to pray for someone who was afflicted by the demonic. They were, of course, delivered and healed in Jesus' name, for the light of Christ is greater than the darkness in the world.

All the healings I have witnessed and prayed for, were all declared in the name of Jesus Christ. Also when it comes to healing prayer, I don't pray for someone to be healed on my own, I think it is far better for two or three, or more Christians to pray for a person to be healed. In this way the person who receives the healing does not inflate the ego of the person who prayed for them, but gives the praise where it is deserved, to Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

One of the first miracles of healing I witnessed in our church, was when a lady came for healing prayer for her knee. She was limping badly and in terrible constant pain. Three of us prayed for her, and after a short prayer casting out the pain and for healing in Jesus' name, she was healed, and walked away normally without pain and a big smile on her face!

Sometimes we had such success witnessing healing for people in pain. Before praying with them I would ask them two questions: Is the pain constant or does it come and go? And on a scale of 1 to 10, how bad is the pain? Then as we prayed for healing, we would ask them about the level of pain. It was wonderful to see as we prayed the pain lessening until it finally left them pain-free.

A young man came for healing prayer about his leg. He had been a drug user and was injecting into his leg. The leg looked grey and he told us he was in pain as he walked. We cast out the pain and called for healing in Jesus' name. He then went down on his knees and began springing up and down on his knees. I asked him if he was alright! He replied that he was, and that he could never have

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done that before (springing up and down on his knees) without being in severe pain.

One man came for healing prayer for his knee. It was just after the Sunday morning service as most people were having a cup of coffee and a chat. He told us he was going for a cortisone injection in his knee the following day, but the pain was so bad he would be grateful if we could do anything for him. We said a very short prayer commanding the pain to go and for healing in Jesus' name. He was surprised at our short prayer, and asked. “Is that it?” I think he was expecting a much longer prayer! However, the pain had completely left his knee. I think he still had his injection, he wasn't taking any chance the pain would return.

I was once leading a Healing Service, and I noticed four people who were visiting from another church. So I asked God to give me a message for each of them. During the service, I shared the message from God for each one, and after the service three of them told me they felt the message was definitely from God. The fourth person, the message from God was “I will give strength to your leg, says the Lord”. It seemed a bit peculiar to me, but then he told me he had terrible pain in his foot and could not walk without limping. We prayed for him at the end of the service and he walked out, limp free!

Have you ever experienced problems with friends or neighbours? Someone came for prayer, who was suffering terrible problems from a person who was their so-called-friend but turned out to be a real problem. So I prayed the ‘Get God or Go’ prayer. We prayed God's blessing on the person who was causing a problem, and for the problem to come to an end. But if the person was unwilling to stop being a problem, we prayed that God would move them to another town – or country. A couple of days later the problem moved town!

Another friend had a problem with someone who rented a house from them, but never intended to pay the rent. We prayed the ‘Get God or Go’ prayer. The same week they left the house for good.

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Another time someone was having terrible grief from a next-door neighbour. So we prayed the ‘Get God or Go’ prayer, and that evening when my friend returned home, they saw their neighbour being carried away in an ambulance. Naturally, we prayed for their recovery!

My wife and I were on a coach holiday in China. One person in the group required a wheelchair most of the time. As I was involved in the healing ministry, I wanted to offer her healing prayer, but I didn't want to offend her or make her feel awkward in any way about her disability. So one night I prayed to God that if He wanted me to offer her healing prayer, He would arrange the circumstances, and allow me to ask her.

The following day we were all on an internal flight to our next destination. The seats were in rows of three, my wife was next to a window and I had a middle seat. The last person on the plane was the lady I prayed about, and her allocated seat was next to mine! I don't think God could have made things any easier for me to be able to chat with her about her condition and offer healing prayer.

I spoke to her about the healing miracles at our church and Listening To God, and she was genuinely interested. The following day we met her and her mother for healing prayer. I knew she was going to need ongoing prayer, so I recommended she visit the local Healing Rooms on her return home. We also prayed for her mother, who was suffering from arthritic pain in her hands. The following day her mother told us the pain in her hands was much less, and she had greater mobility.

One lady came for healing prayer and said, “you won't be able to do anything for me”. She had terrible constant pain in her leg. We said a short prayer commanding the pain to go and for healing in Jesus' name. We asked her to stand and walk. She looked at us and shook her head, but did what we asked. She said. “it’s no better.” We prayed again, and then asked her to walk, but again same result. We prayed a third time and again asked her to walk. She looked at us as though we were stupid and said. “I told you, you wouldn’t be able to do anything for me.” But as she walked,

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she looked shocked, for the pain had gone!

One lady came to our Bible Study group and told us she was going to see the eye specialist the following week because she had a hole in her retina. We prayed for her eye to be healed and when she went to the eye specialist, he examined her eye and said. “It’s healed”. The lady asked him. “Is this normal?” He replied. “No, it’s not normal, but your eye is healed, and I am discharging you” With that, he wrote her letter of discharge which she brought to show us at church.

Another time someone had glaucoma and asked for healing prayer. Later she went to see the eye specialist who examined her eyes and the doctor said to her. “Your notes show that you have glaucoma, and the glaucoma got worse, but now you don’t have any signs of glaucoma. What have you done with your glaucoma?” She said. “I have had healing prayer in Jesus’ name! At Christ Church Pellon”. She was very proud of the fact God healed her at our church.

As a result of the breakthrough in healing prayer in our church, I became a member of the healing team at Halifax Healing Rooms, where I learned a great deal about the healing ministry and witnessed people healed as we prayed for them. But it’s not just physical healing that God is concerned about, He also cares about our emotional healing.

One time I was at another church where we were learning how to hear from God, and receiving a word from God for each other. I was with a young lady who was just so happy and cheerful and was always smiling. I asked God what He wanted me to say to her. God said. “Ask her about the pain in her life.” At first, I thought I had misheard God, I couldn’t believe this lady had any pain in her life at all she was far too happy and cheerful, and when she smiled it was like the sun shining! She couldn’t possibly have any pain in her life. So I asked God again to give me a message for her, hoping that this time I would get something sensible! But God again told me to ask her about the pain in her life. So I said to her “I feel God is saying to me to ask about the pain in your life, can you think of anything?” Suddenly her face changed, and she

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began to cry as she told me about her considerable pain. The thing that hurt her was the thought that God didn’t know or care about her pain. But this word from God showed her that God did know and He did care about her and, as a result her church was able to give her the emotional support she needed.

One day two ladies came to our Listening To God meeting. At the end of the meeting, I asked if anyone wanted to receive healing prayer, or prayer for anything else. One lady said she wanted prayer, but when I asked her what she would like us to pray for she wouldn’t tell us. “Just pray for me” she said. As we were praying for her, I asked God to show me what He wanted to say to her, and He gave me a picture. So then I asked her. “Are you angry with God?” And she replied “No.” I then told her “God has shown me a picture of white clouds, and a hand coming up through the clouds and the hand forming a fist, and shaking their fist at God, and it's your hand! That’s why I asked if you were angry with God”. The lady looked shocked and said, “No I’m not angry with God, well, not anymore!” The lady didn’t wish to share anything else about the matter, and left following our prayers. The following week the two ladies arrived early, and she told us that she was very angry with God, but it was a secret that only her friend knew about. So when I had told her about the picture and asked if she was angry with God, she knew that only God could have told me the truth. She then explained why she was angry with God, and part of her anger was to do with the fact she felt abandoned by God as though God didn’t care about her. We were able to reassure her that even though she was angry with God, God still loved her and cared about her. We prayed for her, and were able to offer her some direction towards resolving her difficulties.

Another time I was praying for someone and all I could see was a red mist. I asked them. “Do you have problems with feelings of anger, because all I can see for you is a red mist?” The answer was that they did have big problems with feelings of anger, which God had now highlighted for the person to deal with.

Someone came to our healing service who had been praying for physiotherapy for a painful shoulder. We prayed for them and the

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following week they said they were pain-free, and said: “And healing prayer is much cheaper than physiotherapy”. Yes, it's free!

One Sunday following the church service while people were having coffee and chatting, two of us were offering healing prayer in the side chapel. I suggested that when the next person came for prayer, instead of asking them what they wanted prayer for we would ask God first. So when a young man came in we said. “Don’t tell us your problem, we are going to ask God first”. We invited God to speak to us for the man, and after a few minutes, my friend said. “You have a pain on the right side of your face”. The man then said he had been suffering from pain there following a visit to the dentist. He had been taking painkillers but was still in pain after days. We prayed for him and the pain went. Another person healed in Jesus’ name.

I had just finished writing my book – Healing For The Bereaved, and was about to set off on holiday. So I decided to take one of the books with me in case I met someone who had recently been bereaved, and I would give them the book. I then decided to take two books and I asked God for Him to arrange for me to meet two people who had recently been bereaved. We were on a cruise, and at dinner we were at a table with four others, one married couple and two friends. On the last evening of the cruise I still hadn’t met anyone who had recently been bereaved. So at dinner I told the four about my book and my prayer, and then said. “As I have not met anyone who has recently been bereaved, I expect two of you have recently been bereaved”. They all looked surprised, because the married lady had been bereaved a month ago, and one of the friends had been bereaved that same week! I asked them if they would like a free copy of the book and they both accepted. You may think something like this is just a coincidence, but I have found, like many other Christians have also found that if you are willing, God will bring about the opportunities to serve Him and share the good news of Jesus Christ.

A few years ago I attended a Christian Men’s Weekend at Bawtry Hall near Doncaster. The previous year at the men’s weekend they all made a joke about my 65th birthday (I was fifty-eight at the

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time). It was good fun and the men enjoyed the practical joke of a birthday cake and birthday cards – it wasn't even my birthday! So the following year I wasn’t expecting anything unusual, but I guess I should have known better. One morning before our coffee break we had a time for worship and then prayer. I asked God to reveal something for the men, and then shared what I felt God was showing me. The first thing was about a house that had a mechanical door closer fitted to all the doors in the house, the type you find in schools, hospitals and business premises, so it was unusual to be in a house. One of the men was surprised about what I said, because when he moved into his house these were on all the doors and he removed them.

Then I said I had a picture of a brown cake and the words “This cake is for sharing.” The men claimed it didn’t mean anything to anyone. Ten minutes later in came the tea and coffee, but instead of the usual biscuits, the manageress brought in a large brown chocolate cake and a jug of cream and said to me. “Happy 65th Birthday David” along with the cheers and laughter from my friends. Later one of my friends asked me. “How often does God speak to you like that?” to which I replied “Whenever I ask”. I think this answer surprised my friend, but being able to communicate with God and witness healings from God, these things that once seemed supernatural, had now become a very natural part of my life. Also, not just my life, this was also the experience of my friends who developed the ability to hear from God and trust God to heal.

One lady told me “Before I came to this church I wasn’t sure if God existed or not. But now, learning about Jesus Christ and experiencing the miracles of healing and words from God, now I know for sure God is real”.

The supernatural evidence for God is that God heals and communicates with His people through dreams and visions, just as He has done for the past two thousand years. You can read about this in the New Testament of the Holy Bible, and you can read the testimonies of Christians down through history, and you can also experience the reality of these things in your own life.

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Some of you reading this book may have had a loved one who suffered illness or disability and then passed away. Perhaps you prayed for their healing but it never happened. Or perhaps you are going through some medical condition and you feel God has not answered your prayers for healing. I have prayed for God to heal people and seen some wonderful and instantaneous healings, but I have also prayed for people to be healed who later died. The only explanation I can offer, besides the fact we will all at some time face physical death, is that when it comes to divine healing, we enter into spiritual warfare, for there is a spiritual enemy opposed to divine healing. Since healing prayer cannot harm a person, and it is free, it is worthwhile to pray for healing and to receive healing prayer.

Supernatural Personal Experience of God

Following my Pentecost supernatural encounter with angels and with God, I went on a church weekend away to Sneaton Castle in Whitby. I was listening to our guest speaker giving a talk about people and their relationship with God. She said that some people are atheists, they have no experience of God. Some people believe in God, but they don’t go to church or pray. Some people believe in God, go to church, worship God, and become part of the church family. They know that God loves them because the Holy Bible tells them so. Then there is another group of Christians, who not only know that God loves them, but they feel, really loved by God.

Suddenly I realised that was me, I felt really loved by God, and I was surprised. I had been a Christian for years, but over the past few months I felt different. It was hard to put into words how I felt, but there was something within me had changed. That was the supernatural experience of feeling loved by God. Over the past nine months I had grown closer to God, and God had grown closer to me. I expected this feeling of being loved by God to diminish over time, but it has stayed with me ever since, even through the most difficult of times in my life. Many of my Christian friends have the same experience of feeling loved by God, and I hope you who read this book will also enjoy the same blessing from God in your own life.

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When I wanted to learn how to listen to God I found it difficult to find any good clear instruction. Many of the books I read about the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit spoke about listening and hearing from God. They gave many amazing examples, but they were not very forthcoming in telling you exactly how to hear from God. It was as though people were born with the ability to flow in the gifts of the Spirit than could learn or develop those gifts, and it was very frustrating.

Fortunately, I discovered Marketplace Ministries in Totnes run by Lindy Strong. Her online course on how to listen and communicate with God was exactly what I needed. Later, when I was leading our own Listening To God meeting in church, I wanted to develop my ability to hear from God clearly. As I live in Halifax and that is some three hundred miles from Totnes, I couldn’t attend regular meetings there (which would have been ideal really). So I began looking for somewhere closer to home, where I could go and get practical experience to develop this gift of listening to God. I found Pastor Graeme Foster of the Apostolic Church in Fenton, Stoke on Trent. Graeme held monthly meetings where he taught about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and there was an opportunity for everyone there to listen to God for one another. They even had children age ten who were able to listen and share a word from God. Graeme was very kind in allowing me to attend these meetings, which helped me so much in developing my gift. It was also a real pleasure to join in the worship there, which involved many people from the African and Caribbean countries, and who were joyful and lively in their worship.

Any Christian can learn how to receive a word from God by listening to God by reading a book, but we activate this gift through practice. We ask God to speak to us, we wait for God to speak, and then we share what God has revealed to us. We often have to step outside our comfort zone and ask God to give us a word for someone, and then share that word with them. No matter how seemingly insignificant the message or word or picture may seem to us, it can be life-changing for the person receiving.

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By allowing God to communicate with us what He wants to say, we enter the world of the supernatural. When we begin to receive words, thoughts, and pictures, they will come from one of three sources. They may come from God, they may come from the depths of our own thoughts and desires, or they may come from the enemy – Satan, or more likely one of the fallen angels (demons).

So how do we make sure we do not fall victim of being deceived by demons? Well, God warned us about this through prophecy.

(Prophecy # 90.)

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preaches any other gospel to you than that you have received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8-9. (c. 60 AD).

(Prophecy # 91.)

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 Hereby you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. 3 And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist. 1 John 4:1-3. (c. 60 AD).

When inviting God to speak to us, we are inviting God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit. We do NOT invite angels to speak to us (although God could send an angel to us). We do NOT invite saints to speak to us, nor anyone we know who has passed away, nor do we invite the Blessed Virgin Mary to speak to us. Those who try to open a line of communication with anyone other than God, may end up requiring deliverance ministry, and possibly offending God.

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When we invite God to speak to us we do not test God! But to ensure we receive from God and not the enemy, we measure everything we receive by the Word of God, the Christian Holy Bible. We do not receive any new teaching that overrules what the gospels and the scriptures of the New Testament tell us about God. Many have ignored this simple way of avoiding deception, and as a result there are hundreds of cults in the world today. Some seem identical to the Christian faith, but are full of messages that contradict the teachings of Jesus Christ.

For this reason, it is valuable for someone who wishes to learn how to hear from God, to meet with other mature Christians who are strong in the faith and know what God has spoken to His people through the Holy Bible. However, learning to hear from God is like exercising a muscle, it grows stronger with exercise. So as well as meeting with other Christians it is valuable to spend time on your own with God.

We need a time and place where we can be quiet without any disturbances. Begin by sitting comfortably, and if you need to pray about something then do that first before listening to God. Do not confuse prayer with listening to God. We begin with a short prayer inviting God to speak to us, then we empty our mind of distracting thoughts to keep it clear for God.

Imagine that in your mind there is a large flat-screen tv, and we are inviting God to project images, words, and scriptures on that screen. We may also hear something audibly in the same way we can imagine our favourite song playing. When you first try this you may get all kinds of junk coming into your mind, things about work, home, food, sport or anything. Don’t get annoyed simply acknowledge that it is a distraction and allow it to float off the screen.

I used to practice 20 minutes a day every day, and it took some three weeks before I could clear my mind of the junk, and feel I was getting anything from God. But this was because I was all on my own, without any help at all. Since that time I have often been amazed at how quickly those who came to our Listening To God

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meetings were able to hear from God. With practice you will find it easier to clear your mind, and begin to realise you are receiving words and pictures that do not come from your own imagination but from another source. That other source will be God.

Each time you listen to God, God is going to project another picture, symbol, or words of scripture on that tv screen in your mind. God is doing two things here. First, God often speaks to us in symbols, so He is teaching you what these symbols mean. He is getting you used to listening to Him and receiving from Him as though it were as natural as breathing. The aim of listening to God is so that we can ask God for a word for ourselves or another person, whenever we want to and immediately receive an answer from God. Also, God wants us to be ready in this way so that He can rely on us, He can give us a word for someone, even if we have never met them before, or even if the word from God doesn’t make any sense to us.

When I ask God to show me something for a person, I usually receive a picture. This could be something of with great detail such as looking at a map, or at times I can barely see the image. I carry postcard size blank cards with me, and I draw the image on the card. I am not very artistic, but I try! As I draw the image, I usually receive information, words or scriptures, or whatever God is trying to say to me. I write down what I receive, and then having shared with the person the message from God I give them the card. I am often surprised when people tell me they still have the card – years later. Or they tell me they have it pinned to their fridge door, or under a glass cover of their coffee table! My friend does something similar, but she has to use sheets of notepaper as she receives so much from God. However, you only need to receive just one word from God for a person and that one word can be life-changing for them.

At our Listening To God meetings we have lots of laughter, because God does have a wonderful sense of humour. There are of course serious and awesome messages from God, and often a wonderful sense of peace from listening to God in this way. Through listening to God for others, God can demonstrate His love

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for them in the most amazing and supernatural way. Often those who come for the first time to our Listening To God meeting, leave as though they are walking on air, and amazed at how much God loves and cares about them.

Christian Dream Interpretation.

From reading the Christian Holy Bible we know that God can speak to us in our dreams. Sometimes a dream from God can be prophetic, telling us what is going to happen in the future. They can also be of God warning us of some kind of danger, or of a blessing, or of God wanting to comfort us. Here is a list of dreams in the Holy Bible and I will indicate which ones are prophetic dreams.

1.God warns Abimelech not to take Abraham’s wife. Genesis 20:1-7. (Warning).

2. God promises the Land of Canaan to Jacob (Jacob’s Ladder). Genesis 28:10-19. (Blessing).

3. God warns Jacob in a dream to return home. Genesis 31:11-13. (Warning).

4. God warns Laban about how to speak to Jacob. Genesis 31:24. (Warning).

5.God gives Joseph two prophetic dreams about what will happen in the future. Genesis 37:1-10 and Genesis 42:6-9. (Prophetic).

6. The butler and the baker of the King of Egypt both had a dream. Joseph told them “Do not interpretations of dreams belong to God? Tell me your dreams”. They told Joseph their dreams and Joseph correctly told them the interpretation of what would happen to both of them. Genesis 40:5-23. (Both prophetic dreams).

7. God gives the King of Egypt two dreams which Joseph correctly interprets. Genesis 41:1-44. (Prophetic).

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8. Gideon overhears a dream and interpretation from God. Judges 7:9-15. (Prophetic).

9. God speaks to King Solomon in a dream and grants his desire for wisdom. 1 Kings 3:1-15. (Prophetic). 10. The King of Babylon has a disturbing dream from God, and then God gives the dream and interpretation to Daniel in a dream. Daniel 2:1-49. (Prophetic).

11. The King of Babylon has another dream from God, and Daniel gives the interpretation. Daniel 4:1-37. (Prophetic).

12. God gives Daniel a dream and interpretation. Daniel 7:1-28. (Prophetic).

13. An angel speaks to Joseph in a dream and tells him to marry Mary the mother of Jesus. Matthew 1:18-24. (Comfort).

14. God warns the wise men to return home. Matthew 2:1-12. (Warning).

15. God warns Joseph in a dream to go to Egypt for safety. Matthew 2:13-15. (Warning).

16. God tells Joseph in a dream it is safe to return home. Matthew 2:19-21. (Comfort).

17. God warns Joseph in a dream to take a different route home. Matthew 2:22-23. (Warning).

There are many books available on the subject of interpreting dreams and explaining every colour, symbol or picture. I would say they are a waste of money! The very best book you can buy on dream interpretation is the Christian Holy Bible. And the reason for that is the source of our dreams can come either from the desires of our hearts, from the enemy (one of Satan’s demons) or it will come from God. Therefore, as we have no interest in communicating with the demonic, or trying to find some interpretation from the junk that floats into our minds, we want to

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hear from God. Having a reasonable understanding of the Holy Bible will go a long way in interpreting our dreams from God.

Let’s say you have a dream and you see a vivid colour picture of a lion. What does a picture of a lion mean to you? In the Holy Bible we read. Satan prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8. We also read. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David has prevailed. Revelation 5:5. Both are pictures of a lion, one represents Satan and the other represents Jesus Christ. If you take a look in a dream interpretation book or look online, it will probably say the lion represents courage or strength, and it sounds quite reasonable, but may not be the explanation of the interpretation from God.

I was once spending time alone listening to God, and I felt God telling me to stand, which I did. My eyes were closed because I wanted to blank out all distractions and see what God wanted to show me. Then I had a picture of a lion standing on my right side, and I could feel the lion pressing gently at my side. I remembered the time I had a Labrador that would do the same thing, it would stand at my side and press its body gently against my leg. Knowing what I know about the nature of God, I knew it wasn’t Satan who was looking to devour me. It was the Lion of Judah a representation of Jesus Christ. God was with me, at my side, and no matter what I go through, no matter what I face, God is always with me to protect me from harm. This was a picture of God comforting me, and giving me His assurance.

It may be that when we have a dream from God, or someone comes to us with a dream they want us to interpret, the meaning is quite obvious. However, when we have a dream that we cannot interpret we simply ask God for the interpretation and God will give it. That is why listening to God is so important. We don’t need to carry around a dream interpretation book or go online. We just close our eyes and pray to God for the answer, and pay attention to what God shows us or says to us.

At our church, when we feel God has given us a message for someone or we interpret a dream for them, we need to keep in

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mind an important reality. What we think we have received, may be from God, or from the depths of our own mind, or from the enemy. God never makes a mistake but we can, and so for that reason,we stick to the following rules.

The Rules.

The reason we have rules at our Listening To God meeting, is that those of us who are old enough to remember the Charismatic Renewal of the 1980s, also remember the problems it caused in some churches. In keeping the following rules, we ensure that no one gets burnt by the experience and that everything we do is for the good of the Church.

Everything that we hear from God should be held under the light of the Holy Bible.

When sharing a Word from God for someone, we never share anything negative or hurtful, and we never speak to them about their sins.

Should we feel that God has shown us something for a person that could in any way be considered negative or hurtful, no matter what it is, we do not share it with them or anyone else. Instead, we speak privately to the priest or minister of that congregation.

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict a person of their sins – it is not our job!

The priest or minister is the shepherd of the sheep with a responsibility to God and the congregation, so we follow their lead in all matters.

When we invite God to speak to us for ourselves, we should not be surprised if God speaks to us about our character. In fact we should invite God to speak to us about our character, that we might become more like Christ. See Galatians 5:22-23. The Fruit of The Spirit.

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When we start to hear God clearly for ourselves and others, we must always allow for the fact we may get things wrong. We may not have heard clearly, or the enemy may have managed to get a word in! God is never wrong, and we are never always right.

The biggest problem we will have is when people start saying nice things about us! This is particularly true if God gives us an amazing prophecy which is then fulfilled, or the gifts of healings where we pray for someone and they are instantly healed by God. Some members of the church may start holding us in high esteem. The danger is that we may suffer from an inflated ego and think of ourselves as being far more important than we really are. All we have done is asked God to give us a word for someone, God has spoken and we have passed on the message from God. All we have done is prayed for someone to be healed, and God has healed them. We have not become Moses, Elijah or Jesus Christ, we are just very ordinary Christians, servants of God and no more important than any other member of the Church.

When sharing a Word from God for someone it is better to say I feel God is saying this, or I feel God is showing me this for you, rather than saying Thus says the Lord your God! In this way, if the person receiving comes to realise you are wrong, they won’t blame God. Instead, they will realise the error is on your part.

When someone comes to you asking for a Word from God for a particular reason, make sure you only share with them what God has said or shown you. Do not express your own thoughts or the desires of your own heart as though they came from God. For example, you tell them that their surgery will be successful, or they will get that job they want, or the outcome will be exactly as they wish. If things don’t turn out the way they wanted and the way you imagined (rather than heard from God), they will either blame you or blame God. And if you don’t get anything from God, don’t make something up. Tell them you couldn’t get anything for them at the moment, but you will try again later.

In this way, by following the rules in listening to God for others, we make sure everyone is protected and the experience is what it

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should be, a wonderful, supernatural experience of the love of God to His people.

Worship.

There is also evidence of personal experience of God through worship. Before I decided to become a Christian I did not enjoy going to church and singing hymns. But once I had decided to invite Jesus Christ into my life and be my Lord God and Saviour, I began enjoying going to church. I enjoyed singing hymns and songs of praise, and the words and music drew me into a closer and deeper relationship with God. Sometimes you can really feel so uplifted by the worship, you find yourself spiritually ascending into the heavenly realms.

When I was studying theology I had to read lots of books. Some of them were very interesting but some of them were so mind- numbing, I wondered how any author who loved God could make the Christian faith seem so boring. Thank God for Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who save us from the boring theory of theology, and encourage us to enter the exciting and supernatural world of God. You can begin your journey into this supernatural world of God, by accepting Jesus Christ into your life as your Lord and Saviour.

If you would like to know more about the Christian faith, then I would highly recommend attending an Alpha Course. The Alpha Course is a series of meetings and discussions exploring the Christian faith. Each meeting focuses on a different question around and is designed to create conversation. This means that instead of attending some boring lecture, you can ask questions and get answers from the leaders and others in the meeting. The course is run in churches, universities, cafes, and homes, and it is run in many parts of the world! Most of these meeting begin with food, so whether it is a quick snack or a good meal, I am sure you will enjoy the experience. You might also enjoy reading the book Questions Of Life by Nicky Gumbel - an opportunity to explore the meaning of life. To find an Alpha Course near you visit the website www.alpha.org

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In this chapter, I have shared with you some of my personal supernatural experiences through the Holy Spirit of God. I could have shared hundreds of supernatural experiences from other Christians, and those would have been so impressive, you would have thought my experiences insignificant by comparison.

Certainly I could have shared many supernatural experiences of my friends, as I have a number of friends who have had similar experiences of the Holy Spirit. However, the point I want to make here is that these supernatural experiences of the Holy Spirit of God, are not restricted to the ‘Super Spiritual’ but become available to every Christian who longs to serve God, and be equipped to serve God. It is for this reason that I explained how a Christian can learn to listen to God. So then, when God wants to speak to a person, they are ready and able to hear, and prepared to do what God tells them. I do hope that in your life you will also enjoy the wonderful experience of serving God, and the supernatural experiences of the Holy Spirit.

I would like to end this chapter on Supernatural Evidence, by sharing a testimony of someone who not only came to our Listening to God meeting for herself, but also went on to listen to God for others.

A very dear friend from church (Anne), came to our Listening To God meeting for the first time, and so as usual, whenever anyone comes for the first time, I always ask God for a word for them. I mentioned this in my first book Healing For The Bereaved, and this time, I asked Anne if she would like to share her experience and how things have progressed since that time.

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Anne’s Testimony

Like so many I found myself at a crossroads in my life a couple of years ago. After many years of teaching Religious Studies in the same school I was feeling frustrated and confused to the point where I had some decisions to make. Should I look for another job outside of education? Should I apply for another post within the school? Should I stay right where I was or look for somewhere else to teach? Interestingly (or not, as I know it was the work of God), David had invited me along to a Listening To God meeting at church, oblivious to my situation. I went, in the hope that God would reveal His plan for me or at the very least give me something to work with. I wanted to do only what was right by God.

Within a very short time I received a vision of a signpost displaying each of the options I have described. An arrow appeared above the signpost facing downwards, illustrating clearly to me that I was to remain in my current position. I pushed the image out of my mind thinking it was my imagination, except it came back, exactly the same, carrying what I later saw as a very bold message… to stay put. As we fed back at the end of our quiet time, David presented me with a postcard – he had asked God for a word for me, completely unaware of my dilemma. He had been given a shining star with a message “Anne, you are a star, and are in the right place at exactly the right time!” What amazing confirmation! I was so overcome.

Since then I have been so blessed by God at my place of work. He has truly anointed my feet, to walk in the spaces He has set before me. He has anointed my heart and mind in such a way that lessons where I am able to share my faith are truly driven by the Holy Spirit. Students will comment on my passion for Christ, seeds are being sown daily. I have had opportunities to pray with students and help nurture their faith. To one of my sixth formers I have

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become a mentor and she is preparing to pursue her calling into the ministry. Jesus has opened and continues to open so many doors. Whenever I have a bit of a ‘wobble’, wondering if He still has a purpose for me there, I will pray into the situation and without fail my Father provides confirmation. What an awesome God we have!

It goes without saying that my first Listening To God experience left me so excited and hungry for more that I look forward to each meeting, to share that very precious time with God, and if He reveals something to me that is an extra blessing. I keep a journal now of all my Listening To God experiences, as they often do not make much sense at the time. It is so intoxicating and encouraging when I look back and see how they are unfolding for me personally and for our church and our faith.

One such experience took place early in 2020 where God gave me a vision of our church, the building was empty of people and dark and cold. The chairs were all stacked up either side of the table but not in such a way as to obscure the cross or candles. I remember thinking the building looked as if it was being used for storage. Then a vine started to weave its way through the chairs with rich green leaves, and white flowers opened before my eyes – as if to symbolise new growth. This clearly had no meaning to anyone at the group when I shared it, but several weeks later during lockdown it did. The more I hear about people searching for God during the pandemic as churches were forced to close their doors, the more I look forward to the doors of the Church being thrown open wide and experiencing that new growth God shared with me.

I would encourage anyone who already has a relationship with Jesus to ask Him to take them out of their comfort zone and see where He leads. He will set the pace. I did, and I know I will never look back. If you belong to a church who meet to listen to God then go along, you have nothing to lose but everything to gain. Let us remember that God is speaking to us all the time but we often

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are not listening. In Jeremiah 33:3 we read “call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

I have certainly become more sensitive to hearing God’s voice, and the very powerful encounters I have with God, through the work of His Spirit, never cease to ‘wow’ me. During a healing service when a lady came for prayer God had blessed me with a word for her. He gave me an image, an adaptation of a painting I was familiar with – it showed hand prints with the message ‘you will be my witness’ based on the Great Commission in Matthew’s Gospel. I shared this with her after we prayed. She smiled and said it was confirmation of what she had been told previously and was just what she needed to hear, as she wanted to go out and do God’s work. I felt so blessed to be able to pass on such an encouraging, affirming message. It was also incredibly humbling.

I believe in a God who never disappoints, who is exciting and unpredictable. He is a God who has a plan and purpose for each of us, and just waits for us to take His hand so He can lead us into a beautiful life with Him. God loves all His children, unconditionally and without discrimination. The qualities, skills and gifts shared out amongst the apostles are offered to His faithful servants today. If we are obedient to God and wish to serve Him with all our heart, His Spirit will guide us, and nurture and encourage us, and take us deeper in the faith. What an adventure! Praise God! Amen.

Thank you Anne for sharing your testimony.

As we go through life we all have times when we have important decisions to make about our future. Some people ask their friends for advice, some consult their Star Sign in a newspaper or magazine, others might go to a medium or psychic and pay for a reading. Can your friends really help you to make the right decision? Are you willing to risk your future based upon a star

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sign in a magazine? Do you think it is a good decision to consult with those who allegedly speak to the spirits of the dead, and who quite possibly are unwittingly being guided by the demonic? I can assure you that the very best person to ask to guide your future is God.

As Christians we have every right to pray to God for His guidance, and to expect an answer to our prayers. Our only dilemma is making sure we hear clearly from God, and not confusing the desires of our own heart as being the same as hearing from God. This is why I wanted Anne to share her testimony with you. Anne wanted, needed direction from God in her life, but also realised the need for clarity. So she came to the meeting, where the followers of Jesus Christ spent time Listening To God, and instead of asking us to ask God for her, she waited to see what God would reveal.

From past meetings, it could easily have been any one of us there who received that message from God. Or it could have been (as we have experienced many times) that God would give each of us part of the message, and as we each shared the word God had given us, a clear picture and message would have emerged for Anne.

As I have already mentioned, some people find it very easy to learn how to listen to God, and others (like myself), really had to work at it over a long period of time. Everyone who learns how to listen, finds it a wonderful experience not just for themselves, but also for those who they listen to God for, and I would encourage every Christian to make that effort to learn.

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Scientific Evidence It is commonly believed that planet earth and the universe is billions of years old, and that mankind slowly evolved from the lowest forms of life. That is what is taught in most schools around the world, and it was something I took for granted for nearly fifty years.

I was, therefore, surprised to discover there are many scientists who have serious doubts about Darwin’s theory of evolution. The website www.dissentfromdarwin.org is a website for scientists who wish to publicly express their scepticism of neo-Darwinism. This dissent from Darwinism by scientists came about as a result of widespread claims that no credible scientist existed who doubted neo-Darwinism. Over one thousand scientists from around the world have expressed their dissent on this website, and all hold a PhD in a scientific field such as biology, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, computer science, or one of the other natural sciences; or they must hold an M.D. and serve as a professor of medicine. This website is of interest to those who study and work in these areas of science, and for anyone who is interested in Darwin’s theory of evolution or the creation of the physical universe by God.

Then I discovered there are many scientists who not only refute the science supports the theory of evolution, but who also believe the science supports a reality of the seven days of creation as written in the Holy Bible.

Back in 1859, Charles Darwin formulated his theory of evolution in his book On The Origin of Species. This theory of evolution was made on the assumption that God did not exist, and therefore could not have created the universe and life on planet earth. This theory of evolution was taught in schools, and those developing scientific research did so on the assumption that God did not exist

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and the physical universe and life formed out of nothing – abracadabra! The theory of evolution assumes that once upon a time there was absolutely nothing, not even the smallest particle of any substance known to mankind. Then eventually, something formed all by itself and given billions of years evolved into the universe and life on earth.

Today many Christians assume that God created everything, but did so through the process of evolution over billions of years. The reason they believe this is because they were taught the theory of evolution in school as an absolute fact rather than just a theory. They also assume that all scientists believe the science supports this theory of evolution. As these Christians believe in God and believe in the theory of evolution, they feel God must, therefore, have created everything through the process of evolution.

For Christians this may seem a reasonable assumption to make, considering the scientific information available to them, and the fact they believe in God. However, for a Christian to accept the theory of evolution, it does present them with some difficult problems when reading the Ten Commandments of God, written in the Holy Bible. These Ten Commandments given by God to His people some 3,500 years ago, were given not as ten suggestions on how to live their lives, but as the commands of God that if broken could demand the penalty of death!

The Holy Bible describes how God created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them in just six 24 hour days (see Genesis chapter 1). And when we read the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:8-11, it becomes quite obvious that God does want us to believe that He created everything within just six 24 hour days.

To many people, the idea of God creating the physical universe including life on earth in just six periods of 24 hours, would be ridiculous. How could God create something so big and so

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complex in such a short space of time? It must be impossible. However, when it comes to God there are lots of things that may seem impossible but are in fact a reality. Like being able to communicate with God supernaturally, not only is this possible, it is a reality. Divine healing in the name of Jesus Christ should be impossible, but it is a reality for those who doctors said could not be healed, and were healed by prayer in Jesus’ name. Biblical prophecy, where God reveals the future over hundreds and thousands of years into the future, that should be impossible, but it is a reality. Perhaps God finds our self-limiting beliefs in what He can and will do, virtually impossible to deal with.

(Prophecy # 92.)

For with God, nothing will be impossible. Luke 1:38. (c. 30 AD).

Christians who believe in the theory of evolution conveniently choose to ignore God telling us He made creation in six 24 hour days. God told us this in the Ten Commandments. And while the Holy Bible contains different types of literature, anything contained within the Ten Commandments of God is expected to be taken as factual. The reason some Christians choose to ignore that which is written in the Ten Commandments, is because they don’t want to appear foolish to their non-Christian friends. They think their friends will laugh at them for believing in God, and believing that God could have possibly created the whole universe including life on earth, and man and woman, fully formed as humans are today, in just six 24 hour days. The reality is the present limitations of scientific knowledge today cannot understand nor measure exactly how God made creation, and how God made it so quickly. As scientific knowledge increases, we may find what is thought of as supernatural, becomes very natural at a much higher level of scientific knowledge.

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Of course one might argue which is the most improbable…. the six days of creation by God, or that starting with absolutely nothing, not even the smallest particle of any substance known to the scientific world, and then given billions of years, that absolutely nothing will evolve all by itself and without any outside intervention into the beautiful universe and planet earth we have today?

For over a hundred years since the theory of evolution became considered as scientific fact, Christians have either chosen to believe God created the universe through the process of evolution, or chosen to believe by faith (and some might argue blind faith) that God created everything in just six 24 hour days. But our generation is the generation that has seen the most spectacular advance in scientific knowledge since the beginning of time. And modern scientific research is presenting some shocking news, to both the atheists who put their faith in the theory of evolution (that God does not exist) and for those Christians who choose to believe in evolution rather than the word of God in the Holy Bible.

As a Church of England Lay Reader, who was expected to deliver the Sunday morning sermon in church and defend the word of God in the Holy Bible, I wanted to have an intelligent answer to the question of evolution and creation. Should a member of the church ask me about this, what could I tell them? I decided to do some research and find scientists who believed in God, to see how they would answer this question. I expected the scientists to say they believed in God and that they believed God created everything through the process of evolution. I was, however, surprised to discover scientists who believed in God, but also who believed the scientific evidence supported a six 24 hour days of creation.

I could in this chapter present various scientific arguments against evolution and in support of the God of all creation. However, some of you may find these explanations too difficult to

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understand, while others may find the explanation too simplistic. So I will give one simple argument against evolution (which you can always study in greater detail if you wish), and one from a scientist written for a high school student and adult.

One area where many scientists object to the theory of evolution is the complete lack of evidence for the missing link. The theory of evolution would suggest humans are descended from apes. Considering the process of evolution taking millions if not billions of years for ape-like creatures to evolve into humans, you would expect to find a vast number of fossils that confirm this link. Unfortunately for those who put their faith in evolution, this fossil evidence does not exist.

The late Dr Victor Pearce who was an eminent scientist, archaeologist and theologian, in his book Volume 1. Evidence for the Truth. Science, writes about the fossil void. Anthropologists now have a great number of human-like fossils and a whole range of ape fossils, but between them, there are no ape-men fossils. Page 125.

In the past, whenever it was claimed someone had discovered fossil evidence of the missing link, it eventually turned out to be the fossil of an ape or a human, or in some cases a hoax! If you pay a visit to a natural history museum, you might see an artist’s impression of apes evolving into humans. At first, you see these ape-like creatures on all fours, then gradually stooping creatures on two legs, until you see something resembling an ape, but standing upright like a modern man. As impressive as it looks, it is a complete work of fiction, yet our schools and museums continue to promote this work of fiction as scientific fact.

Here is the second objection to the theory of evolution. I have selected this example because it not only supports the God of all creation at the beginning of time, but it also supports what God has

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prophesied at the end of this age for planet earth and the universe. This is taken from the book by author John F Ashton PhD in his book In Six Days, Why 50 Scientists Choose to Believe in Creation. He has a contribution from Dr John M Cimbala, and both John F Ashton and John Cimbala have kindly allowed me to include this here in my book.

John M Cimbala, Mechanical Engineering.

Dr Cimbala is Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University. He holds a BS in Aerospace Engineering with highest distinction from Pennsylvania State University, an MS in Aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology, and a PhD in Aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology. As well as publishing a number of research papers in the area of fluid dynamics, Dr Cimbala served as a Visiting Senior Research Scientist at the NASA Langley Research Centre. He was a pioneer in the development of the Internet for teaching enhancement and in 1997, received the George W Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching at Pennsylvania State University.

I was raised in a Christian home, believing in God and His creation. However, I was taught evolution while attending high school, and began to doubt the authority of the Bible. If evolution is true, I reasoned, the Bible cannot also be true. I eventually rejected the entire Bible and believed that we descended from lower creatures; there was no afterlife and no purpose in life but to enjoy the short time we have on this earth. My college years at Penn State were spent as an atheist, or at best as an agnostic.

Fortunately, and by the grace of God, I began to read articles and listen to tapes about scientific evidence for creation. Over a period of a couple of years, it became apparent to me that the theory of evolution has no legitimate factual evidence, and that scientific data from the fossil record, geology, etc, could be better explained

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by a recent creation, followed by a global flood. Suddenly I realised that the Bible might actually be true! It wasn’t until I could believe the first page of the Bible that I could believe the rest of it. Once I accepted the fact that there is a creator God, it was an easy step for me to accept His plan of salvation through Jesus Christ as well. I became a follower of Christ during my first year of graduate school at Cal Tech.

Since then, I have devoted much time to studying the evidence for creation and a global flood. The more I study, the more convinced I became that there is a loving God, who created this universe and all living things. God revealed some details about His creation in the Book of Genesis, which I now believe literally – six days, a young earth, and a global flood.

There are many pieces of evidence about which I could write; here I choose one: the second law of thermodynamics. A formal definition of the second law of thermodynamics is: ‘In any closed system, a process proceeds in a direction such that the unavailable energy (the entropy) increases’. In other words, in any closed system, the amount of disorder always increases in time, or from an available energy state to one where energy is more unavailable. A good example: a hot cup of coffee cools off in an insulated room. The total amount of energy in the room remains the same (which satisfies the first law of thermodynamics). Energy is not lost, it is simply transferred (in the form of heat) from the hot coffee to the cool air, warming up the air slightly. When the coffee is hot, there is available energy because of the temperature difference between the coffee and the air. As the coffee cools down, the available energy is slowly turned to unavailable energy. At last, when the coffee is room temperature, there is no temperature difference between the coffee and the air, i.e. the energy is in an unavailable state. The closed system (consisting of the room and the coffee) has suffered what is technically called a

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‘heat death’. The system is ‘dead’ because no further work can be done, since there is no more energy available. The second law says that the reverse cannot happen! Room temperature coffee will not get hot all by itself, because this would require turning unavailable energy into available energy.

Now consider the universe as one giant closed system. Stars are hot, just like a cup of coffee, and are cooling down, losing energy into space. The hot stars in the cooler space represent a state of available energy, just like the hot coffee in the room. However, the second law of thermodynamics requires that this available energy constantly changes to unavailable energy.

In another analogy, the entire universe is winding down like a giant wind-up clock, ticking down and losing available energy. Since energy is continually changing from available to unavailable, someone had to give it available energy in the beginning! (In other words, someone had to wind up the clock of the universe at the beginning.) Who or what could have produced energy in an available state in the first place? Only someone or something not bound by the second law of thermodynamics. Only the Creator of the second law of thermodynamics could violate it and create energy in a state of availability in the first place.

As time goes forward (assuming things continue as they are), the available energy in the universe will eventually turn into unavailable energy. At this point, the universe will be said to have suffered a heat death, just like the coffee in the room. The present universe as we know it cannot last forever. Furthermore, imagine going backwards in time. Since the energy of the universe is constantly changing from a state of availability to one of less availability, the further back in time one goes, the more available the energy of the universe. Using the clock analogy again, the further back in time, the more wound up the clock. Far enough back in time, the clock was completely wound up. The universe,

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therefore, cannot be infinitely old. One can only conclude that the universe had a beginning, and that beginning had to have been caused by someone or something operating outside the known laws of thermodynamics. Is this scientific proof for the existence of a creator God? I think so. Evolutionary theories of the universe cannot counteract the above arguments for the existence of God.

(End of contribution from the book – In Six Days).

Now let's take a look at the prophecies of God concerning the end of this age.

(Prophecy # 93.)

“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth. Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood. Joel 2:30-31(c. 800 BC).

(Prophecy # 94.)

All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, And the heavens shall be rolled up together like a scroll; All their host shall fall down As the leaf falls from the vine, And as fruit falling from a fig tree. Isaiah 34:4. (c. 700 BC).

(Prophecy # 95.)

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give its light; 25 the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers in the heavens shall be shaken. Mark 13:24-25. (2,000 years ago).

21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Revelation 21:1. (c. 60 AD).

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According to Dr John M Cimbala, the earth and universe had a beginning, and that beginning was created by God. Since that time the universe has been suffering from heat-death, which means the day will come when the sun shall be darkened, and as a result the moon will not give its light. This would be the end of all human life, and there is nothing mankind can do to stop it. But God has promised a new heaven and earth. It is as though from the very beginning of creation God had already planned and prepared for a new heaven and earth. As you will see as you read through this book, the history of mankind has been unfolding down through history according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God. There is nothing that mankind can do to stop this plan and purpose of God, and while some choose to ignore it, there are others who are witnesses to the truth and inheritors of the Kingdom of God.

Considering that the reason most people are atheists is because they feel the theory of evolution explains how the universe and mankind came into being without any help from God, and as they believe no one can prove God exists, they conclude that God does not exist, and that those who believe in God do so out of blind faith – the stupid fools! But this book provides the irrefutable evidence for God, evidence that you can examine for yourself, and now perhaps you are learning that science may well indeed support the six 24 hour days of creation. The atheist may claim that when you are dead you are completely dead, but this book brings the good news that we can trust the Christian Holy Bible, we can trust in the promises of God, and that God will comfort His people, He will comfort the bereaved (Hallelujah as the Pentecostals might say!)

There is a vast amount of information, books and DVDs on the science that refutes the theory of evolution and supports the biblical account of creation by God. I have listed a couple of books below, and websites that might be of interest, containing a wide selection of publications both for children and adults.

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In Six Days, Why 50 Scientists Choose to Believe in Creation. John F Ashton, PhD. Strand Publishing. Sydney. 1999. Contributions have been made by over fifty scientists, all with PhD’s in their particular field of science, including – Biology, Biochemistry, Medical Research, Physical Chemistry, Genetics, Mathematical Physics, Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Medical Physics, Geophysics, Botany, Horticultural Science, Zoology, Nuclear Physics, Meteorology, Orthodontics, Electrical Engineering, Hydrometallurgy, Forestry Research, Physics, Information Science, Agricultural Science. Each has written a chapter explaining why they believe.

I can certainly recommend the book In Six Days, and John F Ashton’s new book – Evolution Impossible - 12 Reasons Why Evolution Cannot Explain the Origin of Life on Earth. In this compelling and authoritative book, Dr John Ashton, a scientist and adjunct professor of biomedical and applied sciences, rebuts evolution in straight-forward language. He uses recent discoveries in genetics, biochemistry, geology, radiometric dating and other scientific disciplines, giving twelve reasons why the whole scenario is simply impossible.

When Jesus was asked about the end-times, Jesus told them.

(Prophecy # 96.)

And this gospel of the Kingdom of God shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations, and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14.

At this time, the New Testament which contains the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God, has been translated into some 1,521 languages, which make up a large percentage of the world’s population. This means we are getting really close to the end-times.

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Unlike our ancestors, when the theory of evolution was made popular by Darwin, our generation has an extensive library of information to challenge that claim. For those of you who wish to know more about the science that refutes the theory of evolution and claims the science supports a young earth. I have listed some websites below that have a vast amount of information, and many articles you can read for free.

Our generation also has easy access to study Bibles which make it easy to follow the prophecies of God, from the beginning of creation to our present day. Computers also make validating the claims, prophecies and promises of God, much easier than ever before. We are also the generation that was encouraged to read our Bibles, ask questions and even challenge our ministers. We are free to think for ourselves, and not be chained down by some antiquated theory of evolution.

Dissent From Darwinism www.dissentfromdarwin.org

Creation Ministries International www.creation.com

Creation Research www.creationresearch.net

Centre for Scientific Creation www.creationscience.com

Answers in Genesis www.answersingenesis.org

Institute for Creation Research www.icr.org

Creation Research Society www.CreationResearch.org

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Real Evidence

In this eighth chapter, we look at more prophecies of God, and perhaps the most important prophecies of God, because they reveal what we need to know about our salvation, our eternal destiny. God has promised a new heaven and a new earth, and this chapter reveals how we can be sure we are alive and able to enjoy God’s new creation.

At the beginning of this book, I shared with you prophecy number 4. Here it is again.

For thus says the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it, he has established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. Isaiah 45:18, 46:9-10, 48:3. (c. 700 BC).

Today we are living in interesting times. For this generation, more than for the past two thousand years, it has never been easier to prove the existence of God. The irrefutable evidence for God is available for all to see, for those who can read the Christian Holy Bible and read the prophecies for themselves. We can log on to our computers and do our own research, and it soon becomes obvious the prophecies declared by God and recorded in the Old Testament, could not have been added after the events in the New Testament.

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We are also in the position to look back and see all the prophecies of God that have been fulfilled, to look forward to those prophecies yet to be fulfilled, and understand the prophecies of God being fulfilled in our own lifetime.

Also, I have not included all the prophecies of God in this book, there are far too many to mention in a book like this. I hope this book will open up the world of biblical prophecy to you, and you will enjoy studying the Holy Bible as you discover the wonderful things God has done for mankind.

By reading the prophecies of God, it becomes apparent that you don’t have to have blind faith to believe in God. You only need blind faith if you don’t have any evidence, and biblical prophecy provides that rock-solid, irrefutable evidence that most thinking people want and need.

The irrefutable evidence for God has shown that Jesus Christ is God, that He came to earth two thousand years ago, taught the people, died on the cross, and rose from the grave. He ascended into heaven and will come again in great power and glory. He will establish His kingdom here on earth, from the capital city of Jerusalem, and His kingdom will never end.

This means that what God had to say, what Jesus Christ had to say, is of vital importance to every man, woman and child.

(Prophecy # 97.)

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

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13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15. (c. 60 AD).

(Prophecy # 98.)

Jesus said. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the demons are subject to you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20. (c. 30 AD).

There is irrefutable evidence that physical death is not the end of human life. At the point of death, it is as though we simply step out of our physical bodies, and enter the realms of heaven. However, the prophecies of God tell us there is a Judgement Day, and anyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life is thrown into the lake of fire, along with Satan and his demons.

If there is one thing we need to make sure of while we are here on earth it is that our names are written in the Book of Life in heaven.

In Prophecy number 16, we read of the Prophecy of God, saying that He was going to send another like Moses to the people.

The Lord your God will raise up to you a Prophet from the midst of you, of your brethren, one like me; to him you shall listen. Deuteronomy 18:15. (c. 1,400 BC).

Just a few verses later God makes another prophecy.

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(Prophecy # 99.)

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. Deuteronomy 18:19. (c. 1,400 BC).

The one God is speaking about here is Jesus Christ, who will be like Moses. Here God is saying that whoever will not listen to the words of God, that Jesus Christ will speak in the name of God, then God will require their life! They will die. This is not the physical death that every human will experience, but the second death on Judgement Day, when they are judged by Jesus Christ.

St. Peter makes a point about this so that no one is in any doubt of the meaning of this prophecy.

And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Acts 3:23. (c. 30 AD).

When we consider the fact that every prophecy of God is always fulfilled, precisely according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God, then we would be fools to ignore the warning of God.

God has said He will punish the world for their sins, and He will not leave the guilty unpunished.

(Prophecy # 100.)

And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity. Isaiah 13:11. (c. 700 BC).

(Prophecy # 101.)

The Lord preserves all them that love him: but all the wicked will

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he destroy. Psalm 145:20. (c. 400 BC).

(Prophecy # 102.)

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 103.)

For the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 104.)

And as it is appointed unto men and women once to die, but after this the judgment. Hebrews 9:27. (c. 30 AD).

Many people laugh and make jokes about hell or going to hell. Some people think that because God is loving, kind and forgiving, the God of love could never throw anyone into hell for eternal punishment. Everyone has their own opinion, but what is more important, our own cherished opinion, or the truth?

(Prophecy # 105.)

There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 14:12. (c. 700 BC).

(Prophecy # 106.)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7. (c. 700 BC).

When Jesus warned His followers about hell, was He just trying to put the fear of God into them, or was He genuinely fearful for them, and wanting to stress the vital importance of avoiding hell at all costs?

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(Prophecy # 107.)

And if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if your right-hand causes you to sin, cut it off, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. Matthew 5:29-30. (c. 30 AD).

Jesus is not actually telling people to chop off parts of their body. He is saying how important it is not to sin, and not to end up in hell.

(Prophecy # 108.)

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17. (c. 30 AD).

Right at the start of His ministry Jesus brought a message of hope to the people. God knows we are all sinners, each and every one of us, and so God has given us the opportunity to repent, to make a decision to turn away from sin, and turn to the teachings of Jesus Christ, for in Him there is forgiveness and healing.

You will remember all the ways in which Jesus Christ was like Moses. Well, there is a particular event that happened one thousand four hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ, that has something important to tell us about sin, offending God, the penalty of sin which is death, and the forgiveness of God, which is life.

The Hebrew slaves had been set free by God and were in the wilderness, when they began to complain against Moses and against God.

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And the people spoke against God, and against Moses, Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loathes this light bread (Manna). 6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many people of Israel died. 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against you; pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, make a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it up on a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked the serpent of brass, he lived. Numbers 21:4-9. (c. 1,400 BC).

This is what John had to say about Jesus Christ, being lifted up on the cross (crucified) and the serpent.

(Prophecy # 109.)

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man (Jesus Christ) be lifted up: 15 That whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him, might be saved. John3:14- 17. (c. 30 AD).

Here now is another prophecy of God, given through Isaiah seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ. This passage of scripture is talking of Jesus Christ and the crucifixion and contains

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a number of prophecies within it.

(Prophecy # 110.)

Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our grief’s, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, struck by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our lawbreaking, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the sins of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when You shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul to death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he

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bare the sin of many, and made intercession for those who broke the commands of God. Isaiah 53:1-12. (c. 700 BC).

Here are the prophecies of God contained in Isaiah 53:1-12. I will just reference them, and you can look at the details later if you wish.

(Prophecy # 111.)

Isaiah 52:3 Despised and rejected. Luke 17:25. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 112.)

Isaiah 53:7. Did not open his mouth. Matthew 27:12. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 113.)

Isaiah 53:9. His grave with the rich. Matthew 27:57-60. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 114.)

Isaiah 53:12. Numbered with the transgressors. Matthew 27:38. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 115.)

Isaiah 53:4. He bore our sicknesses. Matthew 8:16-17. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 116.)

Isaiah 53:7. Lamb of God for sin. John 1:29. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 117.)

Isaiah 53:9. Without sin. 1. Peter 2:21-25. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 118.)

Isaiah 53:12. Prayed for the sinners. Luke 23:34. (c. 30 AD).

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(Prophecy # 119.)

Isaiah 53:10-11. Made an offering for sin. Acts 10:43. (c. 30 AD).

Those of you who have seen the film The Passion of The Christ, will know how before the crucifixion, the victim is flogged with a whip. This whip of cords contained sharp bones and stones designed to rip the flesh open. This is what Jesus faced for us, and then was nailed to a cross. It would be difficult to imagine a more cruel, sadistic and agonising slow death. Yet we can see from the prophecies of God that this is what Jesus Christ came to do. Jesus became the sacrifice of God, for the sins of the people. In all other religions, you will find the people offering sacrifices to their gods, in the hope their sacrifice would be pleasing and acceptable to their gods. With Jesus Christ, He became the sacrifice of God for His people, in the hope that His sacrifice would be pleasing and acceptable to the people.

The first sacrifice for sin, was provided by God in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve sinned against God through their disobedience. They had sinned and were under the penalty of death, but God provided an animal sacrifice. The animal in effect paid the price for their sin, and that price was death.

From the time God instructed Moses for the Hebrews to build a tabernacle (portable temple), and gave them the Ten Commandments and the Law, God also provided a way for them to deal with their sins (disobedience to God). For one thousand, four hundred years, these children of God offered the sacrifices for their sins, often animal sacrifice.

In Jesus Christ, He made the one final sacrifice for the sins of humankind. God requires us to accept the sacrifice of God, the death of Jesus Christ, and He hopes this sacrifice will be pleasing and acceptable to us.

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In Daniel, it is the angel Gabriel that delivers the prophecy of God, that the Messiah will bring an end to the sacrifice and offering.

(Prophecy # 120.)

He will cause the animal sacrifice and offerings to cease. Daniel 9:27. (c. 600 BC).

(Prophecy # 121.)

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; mine ears have You opened: burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8 I delight to do Your will, O my God: yes, Your law is within my heart. Psalm 40:6-8. Hebrews 10:5-7. (c. 30 AD).

God provided the very first sacrifice for sin in the Garden of Eden. Then God provided the very last sacrifice for sin in Jerusalem. That sacrifice was Jesus Christ, our Lord God and our Saviour.

In Acts chapter 8 we read of an Ethiopian eunuch who was impressed with this scripture.

And the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 He was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near, and get close to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran to him, and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you understand what you are reading?

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31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray tell me, of whom speaks the prophet about this? of himself, or of some other man? 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached to him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what is stopping me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. Acts 8:26-39. (c. 30 AD).

At the beginning of this book I mentioned how I was searching for God. Then when I believed God existed, I thought of God as some great power in the universe, billions of miles away, and who would never have given such an insignificant human as myself any consideration.

Then sometime later, I read the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and the whole of the New Testament. I came to feel that God was so real, and that God cared about me. Then I considered the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, the very fact He suffered and died on the cross – not just for the sins of the world, but specifically my sins. I felt it was difficult to comprehend that

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Christ Jesus would die for me, that I might enjoy eternal life in heaven.

I decided that considering all that God had done for me, (all Jesus Christ had done for me), then it would be ungrateful of me not to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and my Saviour. I also felt that the very least I could do in His response of love for me, was to go to church on Sundays and become a Christian. In accepting the sacrifice of God through Jesus Christ, we become children of God, we are loved by God.

At the beginning of John’s Gospel, he describes Jesus Christ as the very ‘Word of God’.

(Prophecy # 122.)

In the beginning, was the Word (Jesus Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by Jesus, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lightens every man that comes into the world. 10 Jesus was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came to his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received Jesus, to them gave he power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:1-13. (c. 30 AD).

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Dear reader, in reading about the irrefutable evidence for God and the price Jesus Christ paid for your sins on the cross, do you think it unreasonable of God to expect you to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour? Do you think it unreasonable of God to expect you to go to church, to read the Holy Bible, to learn how to pray and offer worship to God? Do you think it unreasonable of God to expect you to be willing to serve God in some way?

In the service of Holy Communion in church, we are entering into something that is deeply spiritual. When we eat the bread and drink the wine, symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, it takes us back to the very first sacrifice of God, for the sins of Adam and Eve. It links us to the time of the Hebrew slaves in Egypt, when they ate the Passover meal and daubed the doorposts of their homes with the blood of the lamb. That night when the Angel of the Lord had passed through the land of Egypt, the firstborn of all the Egyptians were dead. No harm came to the Hebrews, and they were led to the Promised Land of Canaan, (the land of Israel), by God, through Moses.

The bread and wine of Holy Communion link us to the manna (bread from heaven) that fed the children of God in the wilderness, for the bread of the Holy Communion is how God sustains us as His children, as we walk through our own wilderness until we come to the promised land of heaven.

The bread and wine link us to the Last Supper with Jesus and His disciples, as though we are there with Him and He gives us a new covenant with God, a covenant written on our hearts and minds, a covenant that cannot and will not be broken by God.

The bread and wine link us to the sacrifice of God, of his broken body, and blood that was shed on the cross for our sins, that we might enjoy eternal life in the Promised Land in heaven with our God.

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That small piece of bread, and that sip of wine of Holy Communion, allow us to enter into a Holy Communion with our God, that transcends time and space. No matter who you are, no matter what you have done, no matter how worthless or unworthy you might feel, our Lord Jesus Christ welcomes you into the family of God.

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Questions and Answers

Some people have certain questions or objections to God, and some have a real fanatical hatred of the idea that God exists. As this is a book about the Real Evidence For God, it would only be fair to try and answer some of those objections.

I could write pages of my research into this subject, but in the end I came to the conclusion that if one of my children or grandchildren were to tell me they were gay, would I love them any less? The answer, of course, is that I would love them just the same, for as their father I have unconditional love for my children. Also, many years ago I was separated and divorced and then lived with my partner (who was still married to her husband) before marrying some years later when she divorced her husband. During those years, we were living together as partners, and some people might have said we were living in sin. The Church would have said we were committing adultery (another sin against God). But the people at our church were kind to us and made us feel as much a part of the family of God as everyone else in the church. I think that from the pages of this book you will see that God did not withhold the promise of the Holy Spirit to me. Therefore, God has taught me that even though according to the rules I was a sinner, God extended His extreme grace and love towards me, and I have been richly blessed by Him. He has also taught me not to condemn or judge anyone, but to treat everyone as though they were a child of God.

I would say to those who are gay, not to allow your sexuality to become a barrier between you and God. Give your life to Christ, say a prayer repenting of your sins, and be willing to live your life guided by His Holy Spirit. Find a church that welcomes you for you, and does not judge or condemn you. Enjoy being part of your new family, read and study the Holy Bible, take part in worship,

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and learn to listen to God. When and if you find certain scriptures troublesome, then speak with those Christian leaders who have asked the same questions, faced the same problems, and found the answers you are seeking.

Let your focus be upon Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross for your salvation, and enter into a Holy Communion with God.

Q1. Does God hate mediums and psychics?

No, otherwise God would have prevented mediums and psychics from receiving salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. In Acts 8:1-24 and 19:11-20 and 16:16-34, we read of those who were involved in what the Church today would call matters of the occult. One young girl earned her masters great profit through a spirit of divination, but Paul cast the spirit out of her. The reason Paul cast the spirit out of her was because the spirit was demonic!

A man who practised magic thought he could pay the disciples for him to receive the power, that whoever he prayed for would receive the Holy Spirit – but he was wrong! Others who practised magic, who received their salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit, came together and all burned their magic books. They burned them because they found something greater than their magic – Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit of God, and they found their magic incompatible with the Christian faith.

Since the time of Jesus Christ, humankind has been living under a period of extreme grace of God, which has been paid for by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Today, God extends that same grace, that same salvation and the promise of the Holy Spirit to those who are involved in these things – mediums, spiritualists, psychics, palm readers, crystal ball gazers and a host of what is called new age, but in reality is demonic.

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For those of you with an ability to hear from your ‘spirit guide’, even if it brings you great wealth, you cannot be really sure your ‘spirit guide’ is not some demonic angel. If your ‘spirit guide’ was so good for and to you, then why haven’t they mentioned how important it is for your salvation to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour? Why does your ‘spirit guide’ want to prevent you from receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit? I will tell you why, because they know if you do, they are finished.

So, for those who are involved in the occult, new age, mediums and psychics and the like, God extends his love to you, He offers you the opportunity to become His child. I would suggest you go to one of the Healing Rooms. There they will pray with you, to cast out all that is not of God from within you, and for you to receive your salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Then, see what great things God can do in your life, for yourself and for others.

Here is the Healing Rooms website, where you can find a Healing Rooms local to you. www.healingrooms.org.uk

Q2. I don’t believe in God, I believe planet earth was visited by aliens from another planet millions of years ago, and that’s how life started and evolved on earth.

Depending on where you live on planet earth, if you look up at the night sky, you might only see a few stars due to clouds and/or distracting lights. However, in other places where the sky is clear and there are no distracting lights, the night sky is teeming with thousands of stars, and looks spectacular. Then when you look at the stars, you realise the stars go out in all directions seemingly without end. It is easy to imagine that intelligent life must exist somewhere out there on other planets.

It is also easy to imagine that planet earth could have been visited

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from intelligent beings from another planet responsible for life on earth. Many authors have produced some interesting and entertaining books on the subject, and of course some amazing films have also been made.

While it is easy to imagine these things, what is more important is the question: Is there any real evidence for aliens visiting planet earth? This is a question author Gary Bates investigates in his book Alien Intrusion. UFOS and the Evolution Connection. (Updated & Expanded). Creation Book Publishers, Powder Springs, GA. 2004.

The rear cover of the book describes the contents.

UFOs have been seen throughout the centuries. But in our enlightened technological age, are we any closer to solving the mystery? This book revisits the most famous events that have defined UFO culture, such as Roswell and alien autopsies; astronaut Gordon Cooper’s sightings; Major Donald Keyhoe’s allegations of official silence; and the claims of famous contactees Billy Meier and George Adamski.

Also discover evidence about alien abductions and other UFO phenomena that is widely ignored by the UFO community. The author’s research and conclusions will surprise you and challenge your thinking – not just about UFO’s, but about the nature of life itself. This is a landmark volume that brings together the most important evidences, and comes to conclusions for more sinister – yet profound – than most could imagine.

I (David Ramanauskas) found this book very interesting, as I have always been interested in UFO’s and the possibility of life on other planets. Before reading Alien Intrusion, I had considered the fact that Satan and his demons being thrown out of heaven and coming to earth, was just like an alien invasion of planet earth. Also, we

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are taught that at the end of this age Jesus Christ is going to return with an army of His angels to destroy Satan and his demons. Are all these accounts of UFO’s simply an illusion by Satan and the demonic into making humans think they are real. Then, having convinced humans there is no God, when Jesus Christ returns with His army of angels, Satan may have us convinced the return of Christ is, in fact, an alien invasion! Will this be how Satan makes the armies of the world come against Jerusalem, and fight not only against the Jews, but also against our Lord Jesus Christ.

As the Holy Scriptures tell us.

And for this reason God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who did not believe in the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12. (c. 30 AD).

God has warned us that if we are not prepared to believe the truth, about God and what God has said, then God will allow us to be given over to all kinds of lies, whatever we want, but in the end, it leads to death.

It may well be that in the future, following Jesus Christ’s return, God may well have humans populating other planets according to His predetermined plan and purpose for humankind. In the meantime, in these last days of planet earth, in these end-times, we need more than ever before to remain faithful to the truth of God.

Q3. I don’t believe in biblical prophecy.

There was a time when I didn’t believe in biblical prophecy, but that was because I didn’t know anything about it. I can only assume that when someone says they don’t believe in biblical prophecy it is for the same reason, unless of course they have such a self-limiting belief or hatred of God, they refuse to examine the evidence of biblical prophecy.

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Being too lazy to check if their theory is true, they are happy in their ignorance. If the prophecies of God had been added after the event, that would mean Moses and the Hebrew slaves would not have left Egypt until after Jesus Christ had been crucified in Jerusalem. In fact, there would be no Jerusalem, no Herod’s Temple, no nation of the Jews in the land of Canaan which is now called Israel. That would be insane! While such prophecies cannot be made by man, it is a simple thing for God to proclaim the future, as the history of humankind is unfolding to a predetermined plan and purpose of God. That is what the evidence of biblical prophecy proves, and what any reader can verify if they wish to do so.

The interesting thing about biblical prophecy is that you will find they had a meaning for the people who first heard them, they had meaning to those who read them down through history, and to this day, and some also have a meaning for their future fulfilment.

Sometimes the prophecies are very clear and easy to understand, and other times they are like some Bible code or some cryptic crossword puzzle that challenges the reader to find the answer. The last book of the Holy Bible (Revelation), is a good example of how God has set before us a puzzle. For in Revelation, it tells us about the past, present and future, but not necessarily in chronological order! It can be most frustrating for those who study biblical prophecy, and for the enemy (Satan) to understand, which is probably a good thing!

For anyone who has spent time learning how to listen to God, they will inevitably realise that God has a sense of humour, and God loves to set us puzzles. We think we are clever, and God likes to see just how clever we really think we are. It is the same thing with parables, and as you will know, Jesus liked to speak in parables (a parable is a story with a hidden meaning). In fact, God gave another prophecy through Isaiah and through Jesus Christ about

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parables.

(Prophecy # 123.)

And his disciples came and said to him. “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

11 He answered and said to them. “Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them, it is not given.

12 For whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has.

13 Therefore I speak to them in parables: because they seeing, don’t see, and hearing they don’t hear and neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says.

By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive.

15 For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

17 For truly I say to you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them”. Matthew 13:10-17. (c. 30 AD). Isaiah 6:9-10. (c. 700 BC).

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The reason for this book dear reader, is that in reading you may see, hear and understand, and turn to the Lord our God Jesus Christ. That He may heal you, physically, mentally and spiritually, and raise you up on the last day.

Q4. I don’t believe Jesus Christ is God

Some people will say that Jesus never claimed to be God, and so that is why they don’t believe he is God. It is surprising to hear someone say they know what Jesus said, and then follow that statement with the words – Jesus never claimed to be God. This only goes to prove the person making the statement doesn’t know much about what Jesus actually said. So here for the uninformed, are the words of Jesus Christ.

Jesus answered them, I told you, and you did not believe: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

26 But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give to them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them. Many good works have I shown you from my Father; for which of those works do you stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work don’t stone you; but for blasphemy; and because that you, being a man, make yourself God. John 10:25-33. (c. 30 AD).

No confusion there, when Jesus said “I and my Father are one” Jesus knew they would be shocked, because He was making Himself equal with God, because Jesus Christ was and is God.

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Q5. Evil and Wars

The first objection that people often come up with is – If there really is a God, then why does God allow all the evil and wars in the world? Then they usually immediately follow the question with their own answer! I will tell you why God doesn’t do something about all the evil in the world, it is because God can’t do anything about it, because God does not exist.

This may seem a logical explanation to the atheist, but when we examine the prophecies of God we know for sure that God exists. Then if we look in the Old Testament, we can see how God dealt with evil in the world. On the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, because there was such evil, God rained down fire and brimstone and destroyed the cities. You can read about it in Genesis 18:17- 29.

In Genesis 6:11-13 we read. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Genesis 6:11-13. (c.1,400 BC).

The response by God to the evil in the world was to send a worldwide flood and destroy all human life except Noah and his family.

When Jesus was asked by His disciples about the end times, when it would be, Jesus told them it would be as it was in the days of Noah. In the days of Noah the world was full of evil and violence, and we have read in the end-times prophecies of God what will

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happen then to the world.

In Revelation 20:11-15, we read about the Judgement Day of God, and all those whose names are not written in the Book of Life are destroyed. There are many evil people who have done terrible things in their lives, and who have died without facing justice, but there is a Judgement Day of God when they will face the Judgement of Jesus Christ.

So when people say that God does not exist, they are wrong. When they say that God cannot or will not do anything about the evil in the world, they are also wrong. When they say that God does not care, then they are wrong again, for this is what Jesus Christ said.

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven (Jesus Christ). 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:13-16. (c. 30 AD).

When we read the scriptures, we find the Lord God of all creation who has, and will, deal with all the sin and evil in the world, and who does care about us. That is why Jesus Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin on the cross.

Q6. Religion has been the origin of many wars

Some people are of the opinion that most of the wars in the world have been started because of religion, and if only they could stop people believing in God, then the world would have no more wars.

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Not only that, but they also accuse Christians of being the most warlike tribe on the planet. However, when we look at the scriptures, we find that God punished Cain for murdering his brother Abel, and in the Ten Commandments God commands us not to commit murder. The teachings of Jesus Christ were of peace and non-violence, and those who followed Jesus Christ during the first three hundred years were pacifists. There are historical records (Foxe’s Book of Martyrs), telling of soldiers in the Roman army who during peacetime served as the police force of their day, keeping law and order, but then when commanded to go to war, they not only refused to do so, but accepted the punishment of death rather than disobey the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Then since Emperor Constantine The Great took control over the Christian Church, he and church leaders looked at the peaceful teachings of Jesus Christ, and ignored them, or interpreted them in a way that changed their meaning and helped them fool or bully Christians into taking up arms, going to war and slaughtering one another on the battlefield. Even today, our great cathedrals and some churches seem more like war museums than temples of worship to the Prince of Peace. Although I must say, I am in favour of paying respect to those brave men and women who went to war, and sacrificed their lives for their country. Having said that, since the time of Jesus Christ two thousand years ago, through to this present day, Christians should have been known as the most peaceful tribe on earth.

The past two thousand years have been filled with endless wars, often led by people wanting to conquer other nations for wealth, or pride, or just plain madness. They raised up great armies of men willing to face great danger and death, and yet those leaders managed to convince them to sacrifice their lives for some great cause, or for some great gain. Often, the men were told a pack of

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lies!

At the time of writing this book, Great Britain is having the VE Day celebration (Victory in Europe), when Britain and the US defeated the Nazi German army in Europe, which led to the end of the Second World War. The Daily Mail had a reprint of its newspaper from Wednesday May 2, 1945, and the headline – HITLER DEAD.

The newspaper article quoted Hitler from his book Mein Kampf.

Here is one such quote – I act according to the mind of the Almighty Creator: in taking up the struggle against the Jews, I am fighting for the work of the Lord. Mein Kampf.

In his struggle against the Jews some six million Jews were murdered in Europe, and some seventy five million people died in the Second World War. Millions of others were left injured physically and mentally. Millions of people were left orphaned, widowed, homeless and starving. All this from the supreme leader of the German people, Adolf Hitler, who claimed to know the mind of our Almighty Creator!

Leaving aside the terror of the Second World War, the satanic attack on the Jews is something that could have only been inspired by the mind of Satan. For it is Satan who wanted the Jews destroyed. It is clear that Hitler not only did not know anything of the mind of the Almighty Creator, Hitler also knew nothing about Jesus Christ and the prophecies and promises of God.

God said (of the Jews), I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.

(Prophecy # 124.)

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Now the Lord had said to Abram, Get out of your country, and from your family, and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you: 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the Earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3. (c. 1,400 BC).

If we look at the nations that oppressed the Jews or invaded the nation of Israel and Jerusalem, we can see that in the end, they all were indeed cursed by God. The German people led by Hitler cursed the Jews during the Second World War, and at the end of the war, Germany was ruined, cursed by God.

Hitler, who evaded justice on earth by taking his own life, will have to face the Almighty Creator on Judgement Day, and the one who will pronounce judgement upon him will be Jesus Christ, who was crucified as King of the Jews.

Sadly, if Hitler had known the mind of God, and the prophecies and promises of God, then perhaps he could have chosen a much better way in leading the people of Germany to a prosperous future, rather than the hell he created for them.

Q7. Why did God allow my loved one to die?

Death is such a miserable and terrible thing. When someone we love dies, then we are stricken with grief. We may experience feelings of loss and emptiness, like being orphaned – even if we are surrounded by family and friends. We may have feelings of guilt, anger or hatred, and the pain can seem unbearable. It can seem that death who has robbed us of the life of our loved one, has also robbed us of our own life. Sometimes, even those with a strong faith in God can be angry with God, and ask God why He

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allowed their loved one to die. At that time, their faith in God can feel completely broken and worthless.

At the beginning of the Holy Bible, we read that God created the world and put Adam and Eve in charge of planet earth and all that was in it. Death was not part of God’s plan for humankind. At the end of the Holy Bible we read that God is giving us a new heaven and a new earth, where there will be no more death, sorrow, suffering, crying, or pain Revelation 21:1-7 Then in John’s Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Holy Bible we read that Jesus said:

Satan was a murderer from the beginning and a liar. John 8:44. (c. 30 AD).

The thief comes not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hired man, and not the shepherd, whose does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and runs away: and the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep. 13 The hired man flees, because he is a hired man, and does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and my sheep know me. 15 As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:10-15. (c. 30 AD).

Here Jesus tells us that it is Satan who is a murderer, and that Jesus is like a good shepherd willing to lay down His life for the sheep. We are His sheep. That is why Jesus Christ offered His life on the cross for us, that we might not perish but have eternal life.

In His ministry, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44) a widow of Nain’s son (Luke 7:11-17), and the daughter of Jarius

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Luke 8:49-56).

When Jesus was dying on the cross, a thief who was crucified with Him said to Jesus.

Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus said to him. “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43. (30 AD).

It is for this reason at a Christian funeral service we commend and commit our loved one into the eternal care of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we do so in knowing and trusting in the prophecies and promises of God. We can be sure our loved ones are alive and well, full of health and life, united with family and friends who have gone on before them, in that safe place provided by God called Heaven (Paradise).

Not only do we have the promises and prophecies of God in the Christian Holy Bible, we also have supernatural evidence. This supernatural evidence of God proves that God knows who we are, where we are, what is going on in our lives, and that God loves and cares about us. So, while God is patient and kind, and willing to listen to you as you pray, shout or scream in your anger towards Him. God will wait for you to turn to him, for peace and healing of your broken heart.

Q8. Which Religion Is True?

Some people say that there are so many different religions and faiths, all claiming to be the truth and the others false, how can anyone know for sure which is the true religion or faith to follow? Some people also claim that all religions worship the same God and it doesn’t matter which one you choose, they are all the same.

The prophecies in the Bible prove that Jesus Christ is God. They also prove that Jesus Christ was there at the beginning of creation

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and that all things were made through Him and made for Him. The prophecies tell us that Jesus Christ will be the one who judges every man and woman, according to their names written in the Book of Life.

The prophecies of God prove that God has chosen to reveal Himself to the world as God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to God the Father except through me”. John 14:6. (c. 30 AD).

In most other religions their leaders do not claim to be God. Those religions or faiths that do make this claim to be God, all reject Jesus Christ as God. (This includes the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons (Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). Perhaps those who claim their religious leader is God may like to show you the evidence, and then you can compare it with the evidence of God I have presented in this book. With respect to those who follow all other religions and faiths, I do not believe there is one that provides such evidence for God than that which is found in the Christian Holy Bible. Those who follow Jesus Christ as their Lord and God are known as Christians, and their religion known as Christianity. Therefore is seems logical in deciding which religion is the truth, that Christianity is the way, the truth and the life.

Q9. I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian

Well, you could say you don’t need to go to church, but I think it would be crazy not to. I don’t go to church because I have to, I go because I want to.

First of all, I want to go to church to show my respect for God, to show my appreciation for what Jesus Christ has done for me, by dying in agony on the cross, so that I might enjoy eternal life in heaven.

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Second, I go to church because for me there is something very special in the service of Holy Communion. It helps me feel close to God, and part of the family of God. This is an act of worship in which we give and receive from God. It is spiritually uplifting, sometimes just a small group gathered together, and sometimes the church is full of people singing beautiful songs of worship to God.

In addition, there are the opportunity to be of service to God in some way, both in the church and in our lives. In the church there is usually more jobs than volunteers! So any help is gratefully received.

Over time, we find that members of the church become like our own family. We spend time together, learning how to pray, discovering more about the Holy Bible and God’s plan for our lives, and we also have many social events and activities.

So, I don’t need to go to church, but I think I would be a fool to miss all the benefits.

Q10. I don’t believe in Hell

Some atheists don’t believe in God, so therefore they don’t believe in hell. They seem to think that the concept of God and hell, was just a way of people in power using a promise of reward of heaven and threat of hell to control people. Then there are some Christians who obviously believe in God, but refuse to believe in hell. They think that the God of love would never allow anyone to go to hell. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but when it comes to such serious matters as heaven and hell, it is not what we think that is important, it is what is true that is vitally important to our eternal destiny.

Christians don’t seem to have any problem believing what Jesus Christ had to say about salvation and heaven, but some Christians choose to ignore what Jesus Christ had to say about hell. I have

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heard Christians say. “My God would never do anything so terrible as to cast someone into hell. I simply refuse to believe in hell”. I can only assume those Christians who say they don’t believe in hell, or that God is going to punish the wicked for their sins, have never read the whole of the Holy Bible, or they must have some strange filter in their brain that deletes everything they read that they don’t like or agree with.

Time now to look at what God has said and prophesied about such matters.

In Genesis we read of Adam and Eve being tempted into sin by Satan, who is expecting God to kill them for disobedience. The penalty for sin is death, but because of God’s relationship with humans, He provides the blood sacrifice of an animal in their place. We know that when God created angels, He created them differently to humans, and that angels don’t die. When we enter heaven, we become like angels in that we also do not die. So how does God punish angels who are disobedient and sin against Him?

In Genesis chapter three, we read of when Satan had tempted Adam and Eve into sin, and God pronounced His judgement against Satan.

(Prophecy # 125.)

You shall bruise His heel, and He shall bruise your head. Genesis 3:15. (c. 1,400 BC).

This prophecy refers to when Satan has Jesus Christ crucified, and then at the end of this age when Jesus Christ has Satan cast into the lake of the eternal fire.

(Prophecy # 126.)

And Satan, the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and

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shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10. (c. 30 AD).

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead who were in them: and they were judged every man and woman according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:12-15. (c. 30 AD).

From the time when Satan committed such a terrible sin against God and humankind in the garden of Eden, until the Judgement Day of God. Satan and his demons, together with those humans who have done such evil in the world, will receive the punishment they deserve for their crimes against God and against humankind.

(Prophecy # 127.)

And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. Isaiah 13:11. (c. 700 BC).

(Prophecy # 128.)

The wicked shall not be unpunished. Proverbs 11:21. (c. 700 BC).

(Prophecy # 129.)

Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. Psalm 11:6. (c. 400 BC).

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(Prophecy # 130.)

Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. Psalm 34:21. (c. 400 BC).

(Prophecy # 131.)

Then shall he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: Matthew 25:41. (c. 30 AD). (Prophecy # 132.)

For the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 133.)

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Matthew 16:27. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 134.)

And if thy right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is better for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. Matthew 5:29. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 135.)

But I will forewarn you of whom you shall fear: Fear him, which after he has killed has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, Fear him. Luke 12:5. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 136.)

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Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. 2 Thessalonians 1:9. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 137.)

Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are praised to heaven, shall be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in you, had been done in Sodom, the city would have remained until this day. Matthew 11:21-24. (c. 30 AD).

(Prophecy # 138.)

He that believes on Jesus Christ the Son of God has everlasting life: and he that does not believe in the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him. John 3:36. (c. 30 AD).

Now it could be that all the other prophecies of God were fulfilled with 100% accuracy, and it was just these few prophecies that are in error. However, that’s unlikely because there are many prophecies in the Holy Bible that warn of terrible disasters facing the people, and these prophecies are a warning to avoid the terror that is to come. A good example of this is the following prophecy in Luke’s Gospel.

(Prophecy # 139.)

And when you shall see Jerusalem surrounded with armies, then know that the destruction of Jerusalem is close. 21 Then let them who are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them who are in the midst of it depart out; and don’t let those outside the city enter in.

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22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to them that have children and babies in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Luke 21:20-24. (c. 30 AD).

This prophecy was given by Jesus Christ to His followers. Then, years after His death and resurrection, in 66 AD, the Jews attempted to overthrow the Roman rule in Jerusalem. In 70 AD, the Roman army having surrounded Jerusalem destroyed the city, killed a million Jews and took the rest into slavery. The city of Jerusalem ceased to exist and the land was renamed Palestine by the Romans.

Fortunately for the Christians living in Jerusalem, when they saw the Roman army approaching Jerusalem they remembered the prophecy of Jesus Christ. The warning was for them, not to stay and fight the Romans in order to protect the people, the city or the Temple of God, but to flee the city. Those who heeded the prophecy of God were saved, and those who chose to ignore this warning either perished or were taken into slavery.

As I have already mentioned, since the time of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, we have been living under a period of the grace of God. God has forewarned us of the terror and vengeance of God that is to come upon the earth. God has given us a choice, we can choose to ignore the prophecies and warnings of God – and perish. Or we can choose to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and saviour, demonstrate we mean what we say by becoming Christians and doing what Christians do – going to church, reading our Bibles, praying and worshipping God, and learning to serve Him while there is still the time to do so. God has given us free will, we are free to accept Jesus Christ or reject the sacrifice of God for our sins.

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In Chapter 2. God With Us, I shared with you Prophecy # 14 The ways in which Moses and Jesus Christ were alike. But there is another link between Moses and Jesus Christ, and the end-times. God had chosen Moses to lead the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land. The Egyptians were a nation who worshipped many gods – except the Lord God of all creation. The Egyptians needed these Hebrew slaves to make the bricks that helped to build their magnificent temples in which to worship their gods. Naturally, the Egyptians would not be willing to allow the Hebrews to go free, and so in Exodus chapters 7-12, we read that God sent Ten Plagues upon the Egyptians. These Ten Plagues did not come against the Egyptians all at once, they were one by one, in a particular order, and gave the Egyptians the opportunity to allow the Hebrews to go free. The Egyptians believed their gods were greater than any other gods, and that their gods would protect them. As each plague came upon the Egyptians, it was as though the Lord God of all creation was ridiculing the Egyptians and their gods.

Following each of the plagues, the Pharaoh King was given the opportunity to repent (over his decision not to allow the Hebrews their freedom), and to let the Hebrews go to follow the Lord God of all creation.

Finally, when the tenth plague came upon the Egyptians, the most devastating plague that killed the firstborn in every household of the Egyptians, only then did they let the Hebrews go free. As the Hebrews were leaving Egypt, the Pharaoh King sent his army after them to bring them back. Then in Exodus chapter 14 we read of how God parted the Red Sea for the Hebrews to pass on dry land, but as the Egyptian army followed, God allowed the sea to return and drowned the entire army!

If you go to Egypt today and look at their temples and buildings, many of them covered with Egyptian hieroglyphics, these hieroglyphics record the history and great victory over their enemies. The one thing you will not find is any mention of their defeats! There is no mention of the Hebrew slaves, nor the defeat of their army when they chased after the Hebrews. Also, what is

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interesting is that the Egyptians were great in battle before the Hebrews left Egypt, but afterwards their military might declined. Certainly there was no further military action against the Hebrews as one might have expected, against a slave nation who dared to defy their Egyptian Pharaoh. The reason for this was not because they feared the Hebrews, but because they feared the Lord God of all creation, who was greater than their gods who failed to protect them, and who destroyed their army supernaturally in the Red Sea.

Now the link between Moses and the Ten Plagues on Egypt, and Jesus Christ are found in the book of Revelation in the Holy Christian Bible. In Revelation chapters 6 to 9 we read of the plagues God sends upon the earth, and each plague is measured and distinct from the previous plague. Then we read:

(Prophecy # 140.)

And the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

21 Neither did they repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. Revelation 9:20-21. (c. 30 AD).

In these last days, the people of the earth will not repent, and so in Revelation chapter 15, we read of the Seven Last Plagues to come upon mankind. Finally, we read of Satan and his demons being defeated, and also the destruction of the enemies of God. In this way, the successive series of plagues upon the earth not only defeat the enemies of the Lord God of all creation, they also ridicule the false gods the people on earth worship. At the end of this time, there will no longer be anyone worshipping any other religion, nor will anyone survive who wants to worship idols made of human hands. There will be just one God who the whole of humankind will worship and that is Jesus Christ who is God.

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At the time of writing this book, earth is suffering from the worldwide plague called Covid 19, also known as the Corona Virus. The whole planet went into lockdown, with international travel banned, and people confined to their houses, many of them not allowed to go to work, shops and many businesses closed. All pubs, bars and restaurant closed, even churches closed, preventing the prayers and worship to the Lord our God.

During this time, many Christians went online and services and prayer groups were set up online and worship continued. But the very fact that all the Christian churches around the world (with a few odd exceptions) were closed, Christians began asking the question, is this pandemic of Covid 19, one of the plagues of Revelation sent upon humankind by God?

My question is, once this pandemic is over, and it will come to an end. Will people repent of their sins, and turn to the Lord God of all creation who is Jesus Christ for their salvation? The prophecies of God tell us that they will not repent. This means that whether Covid 19 is a plague sent from God or not, there are far worse plagues to come upon the earth. We can choose to ignore them, and as each plague is over, we can all return to life exactly as it was before the plague. Or we can consider the reality, that we have been living under a period of extreme love and grace of God, giving us the opportunity to repent and turn to God for our salvation. In Psalm 103 we read of the grace and love of God that He extends towards us.

Psalm 103.

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases;

4 Who redeems your life from destruction; who crowned you with loving kindness and tender mercies;

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5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The Lord executes righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the children of Israel.

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever.

10 He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 Like as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities them that fear him.

14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more.

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his

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commandments to do them.

19 The Lord has prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord, you his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21 Bless you the Lord, all you his hosts; you ministers of his, that do his pleasure. 22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul. Psalm 103:1-22. (c. 400 BC).).

Q 11. I don’t believe in healing

There are some atheists who don’t believe God can heal because they don’t believe in God. So, they think anyone who claims to have been healed by God must be lying, deluded, or wasn’t really ill or injured in the first place.

Sadly, there are some people who don’t believe in healing because someone they loved had an illness, they prayed to God that they would get better, and then, unfortunately, their loved one died.

In the chapter about Supernatural Evidence, I have written about my experience of healing, and I have also prayed for people who were seriously ill and who later died. Yet I have prayed for others and with others, and witnessed many healings in the name of Jesus Christ.

Such is the evidence that God is still healing people today, just as you have read in the book of Acts in the Holy Bible, you may be surprised that divine healing prayer is not available in every church in the country.

(Prophecy # 141.)

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Is any sick among you? let them call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise them up; and if they have committed sins, they shall be forgiven them. James 5:14-15. (c. 30 AD).

This is a prophecy of God given through James, who from his comments was not saying anything unusual or supernatural. James was simply stating the fact that everyone who was sick, when they came to the elders of the church and received healing prayer, they recovered.

From the following scriptures you will see that Jesus healed every sickness and disease, He gave authority to His followers to heal the sick, and He told His followers to make disciples of Christ in all nations, teaching them everything they had learned from Him. Then He states the fact that those who follow Him will heal the sick. The evidence that this is true is in the thousands of Christians around the world who are involved in the healing ministry, and those who witness and experience healing in the name of Jesus Christ.

Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Matthew 9:35. (c. 30 AD).

Then Jesus called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. Luke 9:1-2. (c. 30 AD).

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After these things the Lord Jesus appointed other seventy also, and sent them two by two before his face into every city and place, where he himself would come…. And into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9 And heal the sick that are there, and say to them, The kingdom of God is come close to you. Luke 10:1, 8-9. (c. 30 AD).

Jesus said. Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 20 Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you: and, look, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:19-20. (c. 30 AD).

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils…. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Mark 16:17-18. (c. 30 AD).

I wish I could say to those who are ill or suffered injury that you should go to your nearest Church of England church, and the healing team (elders) will pray for you and you will be healed. The problem is that most churches don’t have a healing team, and most churches have never witnessed a miracle of healing. The reason for this is due to the self-limiting beliefs of the priest, minster, and/or members of the congregation.

Thankfully, I can make a recommendation for those who have been to the doctors, and have followed their advice, taken medicine and are still ill or in pain. I would urge you to contact your local Healing Rooms, where the members of the healing team (elders) will offer you healing prayer with an expectancy of success. They will pray for you without any self-limiting beliefs or restrictions placed upon their prayers from bishops or priests. Then, if you do not receive an immediate healing in the name of Jesus Christ, they won’t give up or abandon you. They will offer to pray for you

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again and again, for they know that when it comes to healing prayer they are involved in spiritual warfare, and battling for your health.

Here is the website for the headquarters of the Healing Rooms in the UK. There is no charge or fee to attend a Healing Room, or to receive healing prayer. Nor do you have to be a Christian or a member of a church to receive healing prayer, everyone is welcome.

Healing Rooms England & Wales www.HealingRooms.org.uk

Worldwide – International Association of Healing Rooms www.HealingRooms.com

For those of you who minister in, or are a member of the Church of England, as well as the above websites, I would recommend you read a book by the late David Pytches, Come Holy Spirit. David was formerly the Bishop of Chile, Bolivia and Peru, and then became vicar of St Andrew’s, Chorleywood in Hertfordshire. This book and other books by David will give you a good perspective on the healing ministry that should be a part of every Church of England church in the country and worldwide.

The Alpha Course

Now that you have read this book, if you are not already a member of a church, I would, of course, encourage you to find a local church and become part of the family of God.

Some of you might still have questions or doubts, and so I would recommend your attending a local Alpha Course.

Approximately 30,000 churches and organisations ran Alpha with

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approximately 1.5 million participants.

The Alpha Course is based on hospitality, sharing and open conversation. The same Alpha content is run all over the world, by Christians of all traditions, and provides a common expression of proclamation, service and witness. Millions of people have experienced Alpha in over 100 countries and over 100 languages around the globe.

Every session begins with food, whether it’s a three-course meal or a light snack. Eating food together creates space for people to connect, relax and share life on a deeper level.

The Alpha talks are designed to engage people from all walks of life and inspire conversation. They explore the big issues of life and faith and unpack the basics of Christian belief, addressing questions like “Who is Jesus?”, “Why and how do I pray?” and “How does God guide us?”

The discussion time is an opportunity for people to respond to the talk, hear from others, and contribute their own perspective in an honest, friendly, and open environment.

For more information visit their website – www.alpha.org

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Biblical Timeline Since the beginning of creation, the history of humankind has been unfolding according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God.

For those who believe in the theory of evolution, planet Earth and the universe are billions of years old. However, there are many scientists who not only disagree with that theory, but believe the science supports the view of a very young Earth as described in the Christian Holy Bible.

James Usher (1581-1656) was the archbishop of Ireland between 1625 and 1656. He studied the Christian Holy Bible, together with the ancient texts of the Hebrews and the Egyptians, to calculate important dates in the Bible including the date of Creation of 4004 BC. (4004 BCE). How accurate that date is may be open for debate, and I have already presented the case for creation over evolution in this book. Also, while those who study archaeology may argue over a precise year of a particular event, the Biblical timeline here serves as a useful chronology of events. It helps us to see more clearly that since the beginning of creation the history of humankind is unfolding according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God.

In the beginning, before planet Earth and the universe had been created, there was God. God has chosen to reveal Himself as God the Father (of all creation), God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit. God in three distinct persons, yet still just one God. The important point here is that Jesus Christ was not just a carpenter from Nazareth with lived two-thousand years ago and started a new religion. Jesus Christ is God, who with God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit, was there at the beginning of creation.

In the year 325 AD, the bishops from around the world held their first council in Nicea, and produced a statement of faith known as the Nicene Creed. This is a statement about what they believed about God, and what the real evidence for God proves is true. Here is the Nicene Creed.

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We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. (End of Nicene Creed).

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This is our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who created all things, and who is involved in the world but not restricted in any way by the laws of science, for God created science.

Biblical Timeline for Humankind.

In the beginning, there was God.

God created the heavenly realms and angels.

C. 4004 BC. God created planet Earth and all forms of life, including Adam and Eve from whom all human life is descended. Satan tempts Adam and Eve into sinning against God. God provides the first sacrifice to pay for the sins of humankind. God proclaims His first prophecy in the Garden of Eden. Satan and some of the angels in heaven are cast out of heaven down to earth.

C. 2349 BC. Angels have been having sex with women and producing children (half-angel, half-human). There is evil throughout the world. God sends a worldwide flood to destroy all life, but rescues Noah, his family, and a wide range of animals in the ark.

C. 2200 BC. The Tower of Babel, and Babylon.

C. 1900 BC. Abram, who God renames Abraham. The prophecies of God through Abraham, and the Promised Land of Canaan (Israel). Genesis 17:1-8. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly. 3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall you name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made you.

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6 And I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you, and to your seed after you. 8 And I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land wherein you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. Genesis 17:1-8.

This land of Canaan, which we know today as modern-day Israel, was given by God to the descendants of Abraham as an everlasting possession. Today, no matter what power or authority claim to be different, the land of Israel has been given to the Jews, the direct descendants of Abraham, and Jerusalem is its capital.

C. 1800 BC. Jacob (the son of Abraham) renamed Israel by God (Genesis 32:22-30).

C. 1700 BC. Israel (Jacob) and his family go to live in the land of Egypt, where eventually they become a slave workforce for the Egyptians.

C. 1490 BC. Moses is chosen by God to lead these Hebrew slaves (the descendants of Israel) out of Egypt to freedom, and to the Promised Land of Canaan (Israel). The prophecies of God through Moses. In the wilderness, God makes a covenant between the people and Himself, sealed with the sprinkling of the blood of oxen sacrificed to God. God gives them the Ten Commandments and the laws of God. God instructs the people to build a Tabernacle (a portable temple) and provides detailed instructions for the sacrifices the people have to make to God when they (sin), break the laws of God. God makes a prophecy to send another to the people who will be like Moses. That person is Jesus Christ – who is God.

C. 1450 BC. The Hebrews entered the Promised Land of Canaan (Israel) for the first time (450 years following the promise of God to Abraham).

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C. 1000 BC. King David renamed Zion as the City of David, which became known as Jerusalem. The prophecies of God through King David. His son, King Solomon builds the first temple to God, to replace the portable tabernacle. The prophecies of God through King Solomon.

C. 800 BC. The prophecies of God through Joel.

C. 700 BC. The prophecies of God through Isaiah, Micah, Proverbs.

C. 600 BC. The prophecies of God through Habakkuk.

C. 587 BC. The Babylonians invade Jerusalem, destroy the temple, and take the Jews into slavery in Babylon. The prophecies of God through Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Daniel.

C. 538 BC. Cyrus The Great of Persia (Iran), invades Babylon, and allows the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.

C. 500 BC. The prophecies of God through Zecharaiah. C. 450 BC. The prophecies of God through Malachi.

C. 40 BC. The Roman Empire in control over Jerusalem.

C. 5 BC. The birth of Jesus Christ the Messiah – who is God.

C. 33 AD. The prophecies of God through Jesus Christ. The Last Supper, and New Covenant of God. The new era of extreme grace of God, of mercy and the forgiveness of sins. The promise of God to the Jews and Gentiles (everyone who was not a Jew). The crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven of Jesus Christ. Pentecost and the prophecy and promise of God of the Holy Spirit.

70 AD. Following an uprising against the Romans by the Jews, the Roman Army come if force against Jerusalem. Over a million Jews

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as killed, the temple is destroyed, the people were taken into slavery out of Jerusalem. The Romans remove the name Jerusalem, Israel and Judah off all maps, and rename the area Palestine.

306 AD. Constantine The Great, became Emperor of Rome, became a Christian and turned the Roman Empire to Christianity.

325 AD. Constantine The Great was responsible for calling the first Council of Bishops from around the world to Nicea, where they produced the statement of faith - The Nicene Creed.

692 AD. Muslims build a shrine (known as The Dome of The Rock) and a mosque (known as the Al-Aqsa Mosque) on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Both of these are within the area covered by King Solomon’s Temple in 1000 BC. The same site of Herod’s Temple in 33AD visited by Jesus Christ and his disciples. It is this mosque and shrine that prevent the Jews from rebuilding the temple again, and reinstating the sacrifices to God according to the Law of Moses.

1939 – 1945. The Second World War, in which Hitler’s Nazi Germany murdered six million Jews in Europe, and over eighty- five million people were killed.

1948. 14th May 1948. The nation-state of Israel was declared. The descendants of Israel and Judah return as one nation, but they were not in control over all Jerusalem. The Flag of Israel is established bearing the Star of David.

1967. 7th June 1967. The old city of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount where King Solomon built the temple to God, was now back under the control of the Jews, for the first time in over two-thousand years.

1980. 30th July 1980. Israel declares Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel.

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2017. 6th December 2017. The USA accept Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel.

2020. Many nations of the world, including the European Union, the United Nations and the Arab League, are hostile towards Israel for making Jerusalem the capital city of Israel.

In fulfilment of the prophecies of God, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel), the Jews, are now back in the land of Israel with their capital city of Jerusalem. Since the 7th of June 1967, the nation of Israel has suffered wars, violence and political opposition from the nations of the world. This violence and political opposition threaten the very existence of the Jews in Israel, but it is not surprising when we consider the prophecies of God that are to come upon the earth and humankind.

The prophecies of God for the future of humankind.

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no life be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Matthew 24:21-22.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man (Jesus Christ) in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matthew 24:29-31.

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When the Son of man (Jesus Christ) shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was hungry, and you gave me food: I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: 36 Naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and fed you? Or thirsty, and gave you drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger, and took you in? Or naked, and clothed you? 39 Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and came to you? 40 And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, In as much as you have done it for one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me. 41 Then shall he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil (Satan) and his angels: 42 For I was hungry, and you gave me no food: I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and you did not take me in: naked, and you clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and you visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to you? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, In as much as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did it not do it for me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous to life eternal. Matthew 25:31-46.

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And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon. Revelation 16:16.

And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God; 18 That you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great. 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse (Jesus Christ), and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh. 20 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

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6 Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 21 And I saw a new heaven and a new Earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle (temple) of God is with humankind, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

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5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said to me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 They that overcome shall inherit all things, and I will be their God, and they shall be my children. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 19:17-21:8.

Two-thousand-seven-hundred years ago, God gave the following prophecy through Isaiah. For thus said the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. Isaiah 45:18, 46:9-10, 48:3. (C. 700 BC.).

God has proven to the world of His existence through the prophecies in the Christian Holy Bible. Those prophecies of God not only prove the existence of God, but also prove that since the beginning of creation, the history of humankind has been unfolding according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God.

Some people may choose to ignore the evidence for God, and some may deny the existence of God. However, in the same way that people ignored the prophecy and warnings of Jesus Christ regarding the Temple in Jerusalem, that was destroyed with over a

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million Jews killed and the rest of the population taken into slavery. God has also warned humankind through Jesus Christ of what will happen in the near future. Considering how all the prophecies of God are always fulfilled with 100% accuracy, it would seem reckless, even insane to ignore the prophecies and promises of God for these end-times in which we now live.

As the author of this book, I would urge every reader to ensure their name is written in the Book of Life, and that so no matter what happens in the future their eternal destiny is assured through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Our eternal home, is with God in the new heaven and new earth. He will be our God and we shall be His children. So, while there is yet still time, pray to God and repent of your sins. Accept the Lord Jesus Christ into your life as your Lord and Saviour, and your salvation is assured according to the promises and prophecies of God. Yours in Christ David Ramanauskas

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About The Author David Ramanauskas is an independent minister and funeral celebrant, leading funeral services and bereavement support meetings.

He is also involved in the healing and deliverance ministry, and leads a supernatural Christian meditation group called Listening To God.

You may contact David through his website. www.GodinHalifax.com

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