32 But (A)recall the former days in which, after you were [a]illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 10:32 enlightened

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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For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted (A)the heavenly gift, and (B)have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,

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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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(A)You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

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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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(A)I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me (B)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous (C)Judge, will give to me (D)on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

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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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Are you so foolish? (A)Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by (B)the flesh? (C)Have you suffered so [a]many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 3:4 Or great

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

(A)Look to yourselves, (B)that [a]we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 John 1:8 NU you

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

You therefore must (A)endure[a] hardship (B)as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (C)No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also (D)if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say, and [b]may the Lord (E)give you understanding in all things.

Remember that Jesus Christ, (F)of the seed of David, (G)was raised from the dead (H)according to my gospel, (I)for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, (J)even to the point of chains; (K)but the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore (L)I endure all things for the sake of the [c]elect, (M)that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

11 This is a faithful saying:

For (N)if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
12 (O)If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
(P)If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He (Q)cannot deny Himself.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 2:3 NU You must share
  2. 2 Timothy 2:7 NU the Lord will give you
  3. 2 Timothy 2:10 chosen ones

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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16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already [a]attained, (A)let us walk (B)by the same [b]rule, let us be of the same mind.

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Footnotes

  1. Philippians 3:16 arrived
  2. Philippians 3:16 NU omits rule and the rest of v. 16.

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

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29 For to you (A)it has been granted on behalf of Christ, (B)not only to believe in Him, but also to (C)suffer for His sake, 30 (D)having the same conflict (E)which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

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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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Saul Persecutes the Church

Now Saul was consenting to his death.

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and (A)they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and (B)made great lamentation over him.

As for Saul, (C)he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

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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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(A)Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and (B)repent. (C)Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you (D)as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

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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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Not Philosophy but Christ

For I want you to know what a great (A)conflict[a] I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:1 struggle

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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The Damascus Road: Saul Converted(A)

Then (B)Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked (C)letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

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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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