Idols Cannot Save Babylon

The Day of the Lord a Dark Day

From Death to Life

2 You were dead through the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world,^[a] following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.^{[b](A) 3} All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, doing the will of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else,^{(B) 4} but God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us^{(C) 5} even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ^[c]—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places^[d] in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— ⁹ not the result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them.^(D)

One in Christ

¹¹ So then, remember that at one time you gentiles by birth,^[e] called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision”—a circumcision made in the flesh by human hands^(E)— ¹² remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.^{(F) 13} But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.^{(G) 14} For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us,^{(H) 15} abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace,^{(I) 16} and might reconcile both to God in one body^[f] through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.^{[g](J) 17} So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, ¹⁸ for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.^{(K) 19} So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God,^{(L) 20} built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone;^{[h](M) 21} in him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord,^{(N) 22} in whom you also are built together spiritually^[i] into a dwelling place for God.

⁴¹ Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”^{(A) 43} Jesus answered them, “Do not complain among yourselves. ⁴⁴ No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me, and I will raise that person up on the last day.^{(B) 45} It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.^{(C) 46} Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.^{(D) 47} Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life.^{(E) 48} I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. ⁵⁰ This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”^(F)

⁵² The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”^{(G) 53} So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.^{(H) 54} Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day,^{(I) 55} for my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. ⁵⁶ Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me and I in them.^{(J) 57} Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which the ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” ⁵⁹ He said these things while he was teaching in a synagogue at Capernaum.

The Words of Eternal Life

⁶⁰ When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” ⁶¹ But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you?^{(K) 62} Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?^{(L) 63} It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ⁶⁴ But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who were the ones who did not believe and who was the one who would betray him.^{(M) 65} And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”^(N)

⁶⁶ Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. ⁶⁷ So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” ⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”^{[a](O) 70} Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.”^{(P) 71} He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot,^[b] for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.