Idolatry at Lystra

^8 (A)And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. ⁹ This man heard Paul speaking. ^[a]Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, ¹⁰ said with a loud voice, ^(B)“Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked. ¹¹ Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, ^(C)“The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” ¹² And Barnabas they called ^[b]Zeus, and Paul, ^[c]Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³ Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, ^(D)intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.

¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, ^(E)they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out ¹⁵ and saying, “Men, ^(F)why are you doing these things? ^(G)We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from ^(H)these useless things ^(I)to the living God, ^(J)who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, ^16 (K)who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. ^17 (L)Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, ^(M)gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with ^(N)food and gladness.” ¹⁸ And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

Stoning, Escape to Derbe

^19 (O)Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, ^(P)they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be ^(Q)dead. ²⁰ However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

The River of Life

22 And he showed me ^(A)a ^[a]pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. ^2 (B)In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was ^(C)the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were ^(D)for the healing of the nations. ³ And ^(E)there shall be no more curse, ^(F)but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His ^(G)servants shall serve Him. ^4 (H)They shall see His face, and ^(I)His name shall be on their foreheads. ^5 (J)There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor ^(K)light of the sun, for ^(L)the Lord God gives them light. ^(M)And they shall reign forever and ever.

The Time Is Near

⁶ Then he said to me, ^(N)“These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the ^[b]holy prophets ^(O)sent His angel to show His servants the things which must ^(P)shortly take place.

^7 (Q)“Behold, I am coming quickly! ^(R)Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

⁸ Now I, John, ^[c]saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, ^(S)I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

⁹ Then he said to me, ^(T)“See that you do not do that. ^[d]For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

²³ Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, ^(A)and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ²⁴ He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and ^(B)the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

The Gift of His Peace

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. ²⁶ But ^(C)the ^[a]Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will ^(D)send in My name, ^(E)He will teach you all things, and bring to your ^(F)remembrance all things that I said to you. ^27 (G)Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. ²⁸ You have heard Me ^(H)say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because ^[b]I said, ^(I)‘I am going to the Father,’ for ^(J)My Father is greater than I.

²⁹ “And ^(K)now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.

The Apostles Commissioned^(A)

^19 (B)Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were ^[a]assembled, for ^(C)fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ^(D)“Peace be with you.” ²⁰ When He had said this, He ^(E)showed them His hands and His side. ^(F)Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

²¹ So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! ^(G)As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” ²² And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ^23 (H)If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”