15 And Jesus said to them, “Can (A)the [a]friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and (B)then they will fast.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 9:15 Lit. sons of the bridechamber

15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?(A) The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.(B)

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Then he said to me, “Write: (A)‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, (B)“These are the true sayings of God.”

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Then the angel said to me,(A) “Write this:(B) Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”(C) And he added, “These are the true words of God.”(D)

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29 (A)He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but (B)the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.

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29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom.(A) The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.(B)

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Then I, [a]John, saw (A)the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared (B)as a bride adorned for her husband.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 21:2 NU, M omit John

I saw the Holy City,(A) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,(B) prepared as a bride(C) beautifully dressed for her husband.

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23 So when they had (A)appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

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23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders[a](A) for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting,(B) committed them to the Lord,(C) in whom they had put their trust.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 14:23 Or Barnabas ordained elders; or Barnabas had elders elected

Paul and Barnabas Are Sent to the Gentiles

13 Now (A)in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: (B)Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, (C)Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, (D)“Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work (E)to which I have called them.” Then, (F)having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

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13 Now in the church at Antioch(A) there were prophets(B) and teachers:(C) Barnabas,(D) Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,(E) Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod(F) the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,(G) “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work(H) to which I have called them.”(I) So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them(J) and sent them off.(K)

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20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and (A)lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into (B)joy. 21 (C)A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and (D)your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

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20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn(A) while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.(B) 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain(C) because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief,(D) but I will see you again(E) and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.(F)

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The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet (A)the bridegroom. (B)Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, (C)they all slumbered and slept.

“And at midnight (D)a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom [a]is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and (E)trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and (F)the door was shut.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 25:6 NU omits is coming

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like(A) ten virgins who took their lamps(B) and went out to meet the bridegroom.(C) Five of them were foolish and five were wise.(D) The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.(E)

“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’(F)

“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.(G) And the door was shut.

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(A)Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that (B)Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

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Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time,(A) so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan(B) will not tempt you(C) because of your lack of self-control.

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But because I have said these things to you, (A)sorrow has filled your heart.

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Rather, you are filled with grief(A) because I have said these things.

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The Road to Emmaus(A)

13 (B)Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was [a]seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that (C)Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But (D)their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you [b]walk and are sad?”

18 Then the one (E)whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”

19 And He said to them, “What things?”

So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, (F)who was a Prophet (G)mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 (H)and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping (I)that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 24:13 Lit. 60 stadia
  2. Luke 24:17 NU walk? And they stood still, looking sad.

On the Road to Emmaus

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem.(A) 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;(B) 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.(C)

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas,(D) asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,”(E) they replied. “He was a prophet,(F) powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers(G) handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.(H) And what is more, it is the third day(I) since all this took place.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 24:13 Or about 11 kilometers

14 (A)She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors;
The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.
15 With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought;
They shall enter the King’s palace.

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14 In embroidered garments(A) she is led to the king;(B)
    her virgin companions(C) follow her—
    those brought to be with her.
15 Led in with joy and gladness,(D)
    they enter the palace of the king.

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12 And in that day the Lord God of hosts
(A)Called for weeping and for mourning,
(B)For baldness and for girding with sackcloth.

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12 The Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    called you on that day(A)
to weep(B) and to wail,
    to tear out your hair(C) and put on sackcloth.(D)

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