A Generous and Growing Church

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching,^(A) to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.^(B)

⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.^{(C) 44} Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.^{(D) 45} They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts,^{(E) 47} praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number^[a] those who were being saved.^(F)

Exhortations to Godliness

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus^(A)— ²⁰ he has inaugurated^[a] for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh^(B))— ²¹ and since we have a great high priest over the house of God,^{(C) 22} let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.^{(D) 23} Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.^{(E) 24} And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other,^(F) and all the more as you see the day approaching.