Nov 24c

CHRONOLOGICAL BIBLE

Our faith in God will cause us to perform good works

James 2

1 ¶  My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

2  For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

3  And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

4  Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

5  Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

6  But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

7  Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

8 ¶  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

9  But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

11  For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

12  So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

13  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

14 ¶  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

15  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22  Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24  Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25  Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James 3

1 ¶  My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

2  For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3  Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

4  Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5  Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

7  For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

8  But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9  Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

10  Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

11  Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12  Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

13 ¶  Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

14  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Our Christian lives can be cripple by sin

James 4

1 ¶  From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

2  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

5  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

11 ¶  Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12  There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

13  Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

15  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

16  But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James 5

1 ¶  Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

2  Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.

3  Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

4  Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

5  Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

6  Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

8  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

9  Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

10  Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

11  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

12 ¶  But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

13  Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

14  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:

15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

17  Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

18  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

19  Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

20  Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Herod arrests Peter and plans to kill him

Acts 12

3  And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

4  And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

5 ¶  Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

6  And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

7  And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

8  And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

9  And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

10  When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

11  And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

12  And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

13  And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.

14  And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

15  And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

16  But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.

17  But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

18  Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.

19  And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.

God steps in and kills Herod

Acts 12

20 ¶  And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.

21  And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

22  And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

23  And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

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