The Lamb Takes the Scroll

5 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne ^(A)a scroll written inside and on the back, ^(B)sealed with seven seals. ² Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ^(C)“Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” ³ And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

⁴ So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open ^[a]and read the scroll, or to look at it. ⁵ But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, ^(D)the Lion of the tribe of ^(E)Judah, ^(F)the Root of David, has ^(G)prevailed to open the scroll ^(H)and ^[b]to loose its seven seals.”

⁶ And I looked, ^[c]and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood ^(I)a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and ^(J)seven eyes, which are ^(K)the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

The Word Becomes Flesh

^14 (A)And the Word ^(B)became ^(C)flesh and dwelt among us, and ^(D)we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, ^(E)full of grace and truth.

^15 (F)John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ^(G)‘He who comes after me ^[a]is preferred before me, ^(H)for He was before me.’ ”

^16 [b]And of His ^(I)fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. ¹⁷ For ^(J)the law was given through Moses, but ^(K)grace and ^(L)truth came through Jesus Christ.

⁴⁵ Philip found ^(A)Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom ^(B)Moses in the law, and also the ^(C)prophets, wrote—Jesus ^(D)of Nazareth, the ^(E)son of Joseph.”

⁴⁶ And Nathanael said to him, ^(F)“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

⁴⁷ Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, ^(G)an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

5 Therefore, ^(A)having been justified by faith, ^[a]we have ^(B)peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ^2 (C)through whom also we have access by faith into this grace ^(D)in which we stand, and ^(E)rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but ^(F)we also glory in tribulations, ^(G)knowing that tribulation produces ^[b]perseverance; ^4 (H)and perseverance, ^[c]character; and character, hope. ^5 (I)Now hope does not disappoint, ^(J)because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

⁹ For ^(A)in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead ^[a]bodily; ¹⁰ and you are complete in Him, who is the ^(B)head of all ^[b]principality and power.

Not Legalism but Christ

¹¹ In Him you were also ^(C)circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by ^(D)putting off the body ^[c]of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ^12 (E)buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through ^(F)faith in the working of God, ^(G)who raised Him from the dead. ¹³ And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ^14 (H)having wiped out the ^[d]handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ^15 (I)Having disarmed ^(J)principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

^5 (A)Therefore put to death ^(B)your members which are on the earth: ^(C)fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, ^(D)which is idolatry. ^6 (E)Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon ^(F)the sons of disobedience, ^7 (G)in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

^8 (H)But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, ¹⁰ and have put on the new man who ^(I)is renewed in knowledge ^(J)according to the image of Him who ^(K)created him, ¹¹ where there is neither ^(L)Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, ^(M)but Christ is all and in all.

Character of the New Man

¹² Therefore, ^(N)as the elect of God, holy and beloved, ^(O)put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ^13 (P)bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. ^14 (Q)But above all these things ^(R)put on love, which is the ^(S)bond of perfection. ¹⁵ And let ^(T)the peace of God rule in your hearts, ^(U)to which also you were called ^(V)in one body; and ^(W)be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another ^(X)in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

^23 (B)who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but ^(C)committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; ^24 (D)who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, ^(E)that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—^(F)by whose ^[a]stripes you were healed. ²⁵ For ^(G)you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned ^(H)to the Shepherd and ^[b]Overseer of your souls.

Called to Blessing

⁸ Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be ^[a]courteous; ^9 (A)not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary ^(B)blessing, knowing that you were called to this, ^(C)that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For

Suffering for Right and Wrong

^13 (I)And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? ^14 (J)But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. ^(K)“And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” ¹⁵ But ^[c]sanctify ^[d]the Lord God in your hearts, and always ^(L)be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the ^(M)hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; ^16 (N)having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. ¹⁷ For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Christ’s Suffering and Ours

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring ^[e]us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,