81 Bible Verses about Church

That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to you. Holy Father, keep through your own name those whom you have given me, that they may be one, as we are.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you are called in one body; and be thankful.

For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were dear unto us.

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death.

Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto sincere love of the brethren, see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have to all the saints,

[A song of ascents.] They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abides forever.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame scorch you.

You shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;

So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See you do it not: I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Therefore in all things he had to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

But you be not called Rabbi: for one is your Teacher, even Christ; and all you are brothers.

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Since you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word;

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

The voice of the LORD makes the hinds to calve, and strips bare the forests: and in his temple does every one speak of his glory.

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

And before the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was lying down to sleep;

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax collector.

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

Therefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be confounded.

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation: he that believes shall not be in haste.

Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock:

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone;

For no other foundation can a man lay than what is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the jewels of a crown, lifted up as a banner over his land.

He found him in a desert land, and in the wasteland of the howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the jewels of a crown, lifted up as a banner over his land.

He found him in a desert land, and in the wasteland of the howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. read more.
How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its cunning. If I do not remember you, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor the dust thereof.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love you.

Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.

The LORD shall bless you out of Zion: and you shall see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Yea, you shall see your children's children, and peace upon Israel.

Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have of my own things, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,

And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them. And he sprinkled it upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, both the laver and its base, to sanctify them.

And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the furnishings thereof, both the altar and all its vessels, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;

And you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is in it, and shall hallow it, and all its utensils: and it shall be holy.

You shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

That you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world;

For you were once darkness, but now are you light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until its righteousness goes forth as brightness, and its salvation as a lamp that burns.

So let all your enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when it goes forth in its might. And the land had rest forty years.

[A shaggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite.] O LORD my God, in you do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:

My times are in your hand: deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from them that persecute me.

All your commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help me.

Many are my persecutors and my enemies; yet do I not turn from your testimonies.

[Shin] Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart stands in awe of your word.

Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears.

Therefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause who had done the wrong, nor for his cause who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.

Besides those things that are outside, that which comes upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found unto you such as you desire not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, conceit, tumults:

I am afraid for you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.

Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears.

Therefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause who had done the wrong, nor for his cause who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.

Besides those things that are outside, that which comes upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found unto you such as you desire not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, conceit, tumults:

I am afraid for you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.

And it came to pass, that, while they discussed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

I am a companion of all them that fear you, and of them that keep your precepts.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

And Abraham drew near, and said, will you also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there be fifty righteous within the city: will you also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are there? That be far from you to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from you: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? read more.
And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes: Suppose there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: will you destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. And he spoke unto him yet again, and said, Suppose there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Suppose there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Suppose ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaks. And he said, I will not let you go, except you bless me. read more.
And he said unto him, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince have you power with God and with men, and have prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray you, your name. And he said, Why is it that you do ask my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And this was yet a small thing in your sight, O Lord GOD; but you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? And what can David say more unto you? for you, Lord GOD, know your servant. read more.
For your word's sake, and according to your own heart, have you done all these great things, to make your servant know them. Therefore you are great, O LORD God: for there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And what one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make himself a name, and to do for you great things and awesome, for your land, before your people, whom you redeemed to yourself from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? For you have confirmed to yourself your people Israel to be a people unto you forever: and you, LORD, have become their God. And now, O LORD God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, establish it forever, and do as you have said. And let your name be magnified forever, saying, {} The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of your servant David be established before you. For you, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, I will build you a house: therefore has your servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto you. And now, O Lord GOD, you are that God, and your words are true, and you have promised this goodness unto your servant: Therefore now let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you: for you, O Lord GOD, have spoken it: and with your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed forever.

And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keeps covenant and mercy with your servants that walk before you with all their heart: Who has kept with your servant David my father what you promised him: you spoke also with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is this day. read more.
Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you promised him, saying, There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that your children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as you have walked before me. And now, O God of Israel, let your word, I pray you, be confirmed, which you spoke unto your servant David my father. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built? Yet have you respect unto the prayer of your servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which your servant prays before you today: That your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which you have said, My name shall be there: that you may hearken unto the prayer which your servant shall make toward this place. And hearken to the supplication of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear in heaven your dwelling place: and when you hear, forgive. If any man trespasses against his neighbor, and an oath is required of him to cause him to swear, and the oath comes before your altar in this house: Then hear you in heaven, and act, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness. When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy, because they have sinned against you, and shall turn again to you, and confess your name, and pray, and make supplication unto you in this house: Then hear you in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which you gave unto their fathers. When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you afflict them: Then hear you in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, that you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and give rain upon your land, which you have given to your people for an inheritance. If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blight, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be; Whatsoever prayer and supplication be made by any man, or by all your people Israel, who shall know every man the affliction of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: Then hear you in heaven your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart you know; (for you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of men;) That they may fear you all the days that they live in the land which you gave unto our fathers. Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of your people Israel, but comes out of a far country for your name's sake; (For they shall hear of your great name, and of your strong hand, and of your outstretched arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house; Hear you in heaven your dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calls to you for: that all people of the earth may know your name, to fear you, as do your people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have built, is called by your name. If your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever you shall send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which you have chosen, and toward the house that I have built for your name: Then hear you in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. If they sin against you, (for there is no man that sins not,) and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near; Yet if they shall come to themselves in the land where they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto you in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; And so return unto you with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto you toward their land, which you gave unto their fathers, the city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name: Then hear you their prayer and their supplication in heaven your dwelling place, and maintain their cause, And forgive your people that have sinned against you, and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against you, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them: For they are your people, and your inheritance, which you brought forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron: That your eyes may be open unto the supplication of your servant, and unto the supplication of your people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto you. For you did separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be your inheritance, as you spoke by the hand of Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD. And it was so, that when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, Blessed be the LORD, that has given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there has not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. And let these my words, with which I have made supplication before the LORD, be near unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When you pray, say, Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. read more.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give you. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give to him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needs. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he asks for a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

There shall be a handful of grain in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like the grass of the earth.

Behold, you shall call a nation that you know not, and nations that knew not you shall run unto you because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.

He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he has established justice in the earth: and the coastlands shall wait for his law.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

For you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; and your descendants shall inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

There shall be a handful of grain in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like the grass of the earth.

Behold, you shall call a nation that you know not, and nations that knew not you shall run unto you because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.

He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he has established justice in the earth: and the coastlands shall wait for his law.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

For you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; and your descendants shall inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. read more.
And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.

And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their deeds.

And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and you rulers of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment? Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron. read more.
Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves in an evil way in their deeds.

Whosoever compounds any like it, or whosoever puts any of it upon a foreigner, shall even be cut off from his people.

They answered and said unto him, You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us? And they cast him out.

Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

But the soul that eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

And brings it not unto the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to offer it unto the LORD; even that man shall be cut off from among his people.

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

And not holding the Head, from whom all the body by joints and ligaments having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increases with the increase of God.

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

But I say unto you, That Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they desired. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white clothing; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white clothing, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

And round about the throne were four and twenty thrones: and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white clothing; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Fear none of those things which you will suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days: be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life.

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found unto you such as you desire not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, conceit, tumults:

For it has been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them who are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

For you are yet carnal: for while there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are you not carnal, and walk as men?

But brother goes to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

I urge Euodias, and urge Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

But as God has distributed to every man, as the Lord has called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that you come not together unto judgment. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that you are mad?

Let all things be done decently and in order.

For this cause I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed you:

But as God has distributed to every man, as the Lord has called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that you come not together unto judgment. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

And the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

(For if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my justice was as a robe and a turban.

I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

Awake, awake; put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for no longer, there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.

And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with rich apparel.

But as God has distributed to every man, as the Lord has called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that you come not together unto judgment. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

And the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

(For if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep.

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Then said Jesus unto them, All you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel against the shepherds that feed my people; You have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, says the LORD.

As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered on a cloudy and dark day.

A man that is divisive after the first and second admonition reject;

Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am humble among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

I told you before, and tell you again, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them who earlier have sinned, and to all others, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you: and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.

[A Psalm of David.] LORD, who shall abide in your tabernacle? who shall dwell in your holy hill?

For there was a tabernacle made; the first, in which was the lampstand, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary.

Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubim of skillful work shall you make them.

But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

And has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ:

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.

And not holding the Head, from whom all the body by joints and ligaments having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increases with the increase of God.

Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

For by one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Buried with him in baptism, in which also you are risen with him through the faith of the working of God, who has raised him from the dead.

The like figure unto which even baptism does also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Blessed is the man whom you choose, and cause to approach unto you, that he may dwell in your courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, even of your holy temple.

When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto you, into your holy temple.

In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto a holy temple in the Lord:

But as for me, I will come into your house in the multitude of your mercy: and in your fear will I worship toward your holy temple.

The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids test, the children of men.

For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God.

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion: declare among the people his doings.

Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of your judgments.

Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old; the tribe of your inheritance, which you have redeemed; this mount Zion, where you have dwelt.

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.

Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

The elders who are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

For this cause I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed you:

Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:

He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be condemned.

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to tarry certain days.

Blessed is the man whom you choose, and cause to approach unto you, that he may dwell in your courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, even of your holy temple.

Those that are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

My soul longs, yea, even faints for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.

Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as were being saved.

If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that you are mad?

And I say also unto you, That you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto you as a heathen man and a tax collector.

For first of all, when you come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in honor:

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.

Remember them who have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their manner of life.

Whosoever's sins you remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever's sins you retain, they are retained.

And I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Verily I say unto you, whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone;

And I say also unto you, That you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.

Paul, and Silas, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

But if I tarry long, that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

And Herod with his men of war despised him, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.

I know that you are Abraham's descendant; but you seek to kill me, because my word has no place in you.

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon.

In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto a holy temple in the Lord:

And I say also unto you, That you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.

You also, as living stones, are built up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

And when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.

And when he was departed from there, he went into their synagogue:

And they went into Capernaum; and immediately on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, so that we may be also glorified together.

And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, You are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

Greet Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.

Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?

Speak unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for a house:

And you shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eats that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.

All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the jewels of a crown, lifted up as a banner over his land.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the jewels of a crown, lifted up as a banner over his land.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Paul, and Silas, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

But if I tarry long, that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

He said unto them, But whom say you that I am? And Simon Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but my Father who is in heaven. read more.
And I say also unto you, That you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto a holy temple in the Lord: In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

Paul, and Silas, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affections and mercies,

A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that any of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself; but he that prophesies edifies the church.

Therefore let him that speaks in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body being fitly joined together and knit together by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

And some of them believed, and joined Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

And some of them believed, and joined Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found unto you such as you desire not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, conceit, tumults: And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall mourn over many who have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and licentiousness which they have committed.

For it has been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them who are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you says, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

For you are yet carnal: for while there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are you not carnal, and walk as men? For while one says, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are you not carnal?

For first of all, when you come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they who are approved may be made manifest among you.

Who is she that looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?

And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

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

Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

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

For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, not violent, not given to dishonest gain;

Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

This is a true saying, If a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work.

And I will give you shepherds according to my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, says the LORD.