32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light,(A) when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.(B)

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32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

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God Disciplines His Children

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.(A)

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Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

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It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened,(A) who have tasted the heavenly gift,(B) who have shared in the Holy Spirit,(C)

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For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

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I have fought the good fight,(A) I have finished the race,(B) I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me(C) the crown of righteousness,(D) which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day(E)—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.(F)

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I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

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29 For it has been granted to you(A) on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer(B) for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle(C) you saw(D) I had, and now hear(E) that I still have.

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29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

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And Saul(A) approved of their killing him.

The Church Persecuted and Scattered

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered(B) throughout Judea and Samaria.(C) Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul(D) began to destroy the church.(E) Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

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And Saul was consenting unto 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.

And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

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Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you

Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

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Join with me in suffering,(A) like a good soldier(B) of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown(C) except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.(D) Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead,(E) descended from David.(F) This is my gospel,(G) for which I am suffering(H) even to the point of being chained(I) like a criminal. But God’s word(J) is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything(K) for the sake of the elect,(L) that they too may obtain the salvation(M) that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.(N)

11 Here is a trustworthy saying:(O)

If we died with him,
    we will also live with him;(P)
12 if we endure,
    we will also reign with him.(Q)
If we disown him,
    he will also disown us;(R)
13 if we are faithless,
    he remains faithful,(S)
    for he cannot disown himself.

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Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:

Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:

12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

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I want you to know how hard I am contending(A) for you and for those at Laodicea,(B) and for all who have not met me personally.

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For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

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16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

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16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

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Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?[a] Have you experienced[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain?

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 3:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
  2. Galatians 3:4 Or suffered

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

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Saul’s Conversion(A)

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.(B) He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus,(C) so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way,(D) whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

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And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

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Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent.(A) But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief,(B) and you will not know at what time(C) I will come to you.

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Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

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