44 [a]But I say to you, (A)love your enemies, bless those who curse you, (B)do good to those who hate you, and pray (C)for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for (D)He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:44 NU But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you

44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,(A) 45 that you may be children(B) of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.(C)

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20 For since the creation of the world (A)His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [a]Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but (B)became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 1:20 divine nature, deity

20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made,(A) so that people are without excuse.(B)

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.(C)

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19 (A)Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which (B)one may [a]edify another. 20 (C)Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. (D)All things indeed are pure, (E)but it is evil for the man who eats with [b]offense. 21 It is good neither to eat (F)meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles [c]or is offended or is made weak. 22 [d]Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. (G)Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 14:19 build up
  2. Romans 14:20 A feeling of giving offense
  3. Romans 14:21 NU omits the rest of v. 21.
  4. Romans 14:22 NU The faith which you have—have

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace(A) and to mutual edification.(B) 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.(C) All food is clean,(D) but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.(E) 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.(F)

22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn(G) himself by what he approves.

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Seek God in Early Life

12 Remember(A) now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the [a]difficult days come,
And the years draw near (B)when you say,
“I have no pleasure in them”:

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 12:1 Lit. evil

12 Remember(A) your Creator
    in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble(B) come
    and the years approach when you will say,
    “I find no pleasure in them”—

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Paul’s Early Life

26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.”

So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: “I think myself (A)happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer (B)for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am (C)accused by the Jews, especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.

“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to (D)the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. (E)And now I stand and am judged for the hope of (F)the promise made by God to our fathers.

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26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”(A)

So Paul motioned with his hand(B) and began his defense: “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you(C) today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,(D) and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs(E) and controversies.(F) Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

“The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child,(G) from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. They have known me for a long time(H) and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect(I) of our religion, living as a Pharisee.(J) And now it is because of my hope(K) in what God has promised our ancestors(L) that I am on trial today.

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Paul Recounts His Conversion(A)

12 (B)“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, (C)to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will [a]deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, (D)to whom I [b]now send you, 18 (E)to open their eyes, in order (F)to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, (G)that they may receive forgiveness of sins and (H)an inheritance among those who are (I)sanctified[c] by faith in Me.’

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 26:17 rescue
  2. Acts 26:17 NU, M omit now
  3. Acts 26:18 set apart

12 “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice(A) saying to me in Aramaic,[a](B) ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet.(C) I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.(D) 17 I will rescue you(E) from your own people and from the Gentiles.(F) I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes(G) and turn them from darkness to light,(H) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins(I) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 26:14 Or Hebrew