parachurch

²⁴And let us be considerate of one another, so as to prompt ourselves to charity and to good works, ²⁵not deserting our assembly, as some are accustomed to do, but consoling one another, and even more so as you see that the day is approaching.

¹¹And the same one granted that some would be Apostles, and some Prophets, yet truly others evangelists, and others pastors and teachers, ¹²for the sake of the perfection of the saints, by the work of the ministry, in the edification of the body of Christ, ¹³until we all meet in the unity of faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as a perfect man, in the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴So may we then no longer be little children, disturbed and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the wickedness of men, and by the craftiness which deceives unto error. ¹⁵Instead, acting according to truth in charity, we should increase in everything, in him who is the head, Christ himself. ¹⁶For in him, the whole body is joined closely together, by every underlying joint, through the function allotted to each part, bringing improvement to the body, toward its edification in charity.

⁴²Now they were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles, and in the communion of the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers. ⁴³And fear developed in every soul. Also, many miracles and signs were accomplished by the Apostles in Jerusalem. And there was a great awe in everyone. ⁴⁴And then all who believed were together, and they held all things in common. ⁴⁵They were selling their possessions and belongings, and dividing them to all, just as any of them had need. ⁴⁶Also, they continued, daily, to be of one accord in the temple and to break bread among the houses; and they took their meals with exultation and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷praising God greatly, and holding favor with all the people. And every day, the Lord increased those who were being saved among them.

⁴For just as, within one body, we have many parts, though all the parts do not have the same role, ⁵so also we, being many, are one body in Christ, and each one is a part, the one of the other. ⁶And we each have different gifts, according to the grace that has been given to us: whether prophecy, in agreement with the reasonableness of faith; ⁷or ministry, in ministering; or he who teaches, in doctrine; ⁸he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, in simplicity; he who governs, in solicitude; he who shows mercy, in cheerfulness.

¹⁰Just as each of you has received grace, minister in the same way to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. ¹¹When anyone speaks, it should be like words of God. When anyone ministers, it should be from the virtue that God provides, so that in all things God may be honored through Jesus Christ. To him is glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

²⁰For wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there am I, in their midst.”

¹²For just as the body is one, and yet has many parts, so all the parts of the body, though they are many, are only one body. So also is Christ. ¹³And indeed, in one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether servant or free. And we all drank in the one Spirit. ¹⁴For the body, too, is not one part, but many. ¹⁵If the foot were to say, “Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body,” would it then not be of the body? ¹⁶And if the ear were to say, “Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body,” would it then not be of the body? ¹⁷If the whole body were the eye, how would it hear? If the whole were hearing, how would it smell?

²and by the things which you have heard from me through many witnesses. These things encourage faithful men, who shall then be suitable to teach others also.

³I give thanks to my God, with every remembrance of you, ⁴always, in all my prayers, making supplication for all of you with joy, ⁵because of your communion in the Gospel of Christ, from the first day even until now.

¹⁰Therefore, while we have time, we should do good works toward everyone, and most of all toward those who are of the household of the faith.

¹⁶Let the word of Christ live in you in abundance, with all wisdom, teaching and correcting one another, with psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing to God with the grace in your hearts. ¹⁷Let everything whatsoever that you do, whether in word or in deed, be done all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

³¹Certainly, the Church had peace throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and it was being built up, while walking in the fear of the Lord, and it was being filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit.

²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, and parts like any part. ²⁸And indeed, God has established a certain order in the Church: first Apostles, second Prophets, third Teachers, next miracle-workers, and then the grace of healing, of helping others, of governing, of different kinds of languages, and of the interpretation of words.

¹⁹For when I was a free man to all, I made myself the servant of all, so that I might gain all the more. ²⁰And so, to the Jews, I became like a Jew, so that I might gain the Jews. ²¹To those who are under the law, I became as if I were under the law, (though I was not under the law) so that I might gain those who were under the law. To those who were without the law, I became as if I were without the law, (though I was not without the law of God, being in the law of Christ) so that I might gain those who were without the law. ²²To the weak, I became weak, so that I might gain the weak. To all, I became all, so that I might save all. ²³And I do everything for the sake of the Gospel, so that I may become its partner.

¹⁹Now, therefore, you are no longer visitors and new arrivals. Instead, you are citizens among the saints in the household of God, ²⁰having been built upon the foundation of the Apostles and of the Prophets, with Jesus Christ himself as the preeminent cornerstone. ²¹In him, all that has been built is framed together, rising up into a holy temple in the Lord. ²²In him, you also have been built together into a habitation of God in the Spirit.

¹⁹The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you greatly in the Lord, with the church of their household, where I also am a guest.

¹In those days, as the number of disciples was increasing, there occurred a murmuring of the Greeks against the Hebrews, because their widows were treated with disdain in the daily ministration. ²And so the twelve, calling together the multitude of the disciples, said: “It is not fair for us to leave behind the Word of God to serve at tables also. ³Therefore, brothers, search among yourselves for seven men of good testimony, filled with the Holy Spirit and with wisdom, whom we may appoint over this work. ⁴Yet truly, we will be continually in prayer and in the ministry of the Word.” ⁵And the plan pleased the entire multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and with the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolas, a new arrival from Antioch. ⁶These they set before the sight of the Apostles, and while praying, they imposed hands on them.

³²Then the multitude of believers were of one heart and one soul. Neither did anyone say that any of the things that he possessed were his own, but all things were common to them. ³³And with great power, the Apostles were rendering testimony to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. And great grace was in them all. ³⁴And neither was anyone among them in need. For as many as were owners of fields or houses, selling these, were bringing the proceeds of the things that they were selling, ³⁵and were placing it before the feet of the Apostles. Then it was divided to each one, just as he had need.

⁵We are only the ministers of him in whom you have believed, just as the Lord has granted to each of you. ⁶I planted, Apollo watered, but God provided the growth. ⁷And so, neither he who plants, nor he who waters, is anything, but only God, who provides the growth. ⁸Now he who plants, and he who waters, are one. But each shall receive his proper reward, according to his labors. ⁹For we are God’s assistants. You are God’s cultivation; you are God’s construction.

⁹For we are God’s assistants. You are God’s cultivation; you are God’s construction.