04-25 - 1Tim-4 Mt-24

N.Testament & Prophecy Advanced CU Study, verses paraphrased  [ ] references { } thots

 • 1 Timothy 4:9-16  Matthew 24:1-6

            ☀️ 1 Timothy 4:9-16

9 - The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, 10 that to this end we toil and strive, our expectation and trust being set upon the living God, who is Savior of all, especially [málista - from mala - very much – very much the case; particularly so; especially] of those who believe. 11 Instruct and teach this. [Instruct - paraggéllō - from para and aggelos - to declare, transmit a message].

     12 Let no one despise you (Timothy) because you’re young, but set an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. 13 And until I come there, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation [paraklésis - comfort, encouragement, exhortation, consolation] {translators often chose the most severe possibility for a word, sometimes an extreme of, or a running with a word. Example “aion to aion” may imply forever, but surely, aion alone does not. And in the verse “these will go away to - eternal punishment” (mt.25:46) the phrase is aionion kolasis - correction, it iS from kalaphos - to buffet as fits. A forever ‘punishment’ doesn’t fit. And does a good parent ever merely punish? Or does a good, in this case 100% Good and Genius, parent correct?}

     14 Don’t neglect the gift you have, which was given by prophecy when the elders prayed for and laid hands on you. 15 Practice these things. Immerse yourself in them. {The “washing of the word”.. an ongoing mental, spiritual baptism!} So all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this! For by so doing you will keep safe both yourself and your hearers.

     {“Go away into correction” or be corrected now, and serve called reigning during long 2nd advent? Full scope version of His first so brief one, which last quarter of is GWT Judgment/discernment/review/closure for all ‘Day’. Which iS the “aionion kolasis” / eonian korrection / age of correction (aka, judgment). Jesus said, “All those in the tombs/graves will hear God’s voice and will come forth” (from the graves/tombs). “Some, the good having done, into the resurrection of life, and some” {not yet having done the good} “into the resurrection of judgment” - Jn.5:28-29 with Rev.20 which is portrayed like describing the crests of waves, and not much of the in between, and Leviticus 23:23-36, the ancient Fall holy days as prophecy and outline of the Lord’s second advent.}

            🌙 Matthew 24:1-6

1 - Jesus left the temple and was going away from it, when his disciples came up to him to point out the glory of the structures of the temple [hieron - refers to the entire temple complex]. 2 But he answered them, “You see all this? Truly - I tell you - there will not be left here, one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” {Dan.12:11, hello? mid Dan.9:27.}

     3 A little later, as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came and said to him, “Tell us, when will this be? And what will be the sign of your coming and the consummation [sunteleia - completion, consummation, end] of the age?” {Sun-tel-eia contains “tel” usually translated end/the end, but it more closely means the “end-aim”. I read in a commentary, since tel is the beginning of the word telescope, it portrays perfectly how prophecy plays out. From ‘smaller’ scope to full scope at the end-aim. So the razing of Israel and the temple in 70 A.D./C.E. was an end/completion of an age, with the culmination of history as the full scope version.}

     4 Jesus answered, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name saying I am Christ. And they will lead many astray. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be alarmed, for this has to happen. But the end is not yet.”

           

Tomorrows verses, 04/26

1 Timothy 5:1-7  Matthew 24:7-14

Start the day with a Psalm (jan 1-20, feb-20’s, mar-30’s, apr-40’s, etc. dec-120-150)

Jesus said he “will draw all” Jn.12:32.

have a great day! ☀️🕊️

04-15 - Phil-3 Mt-21

N.Testament & Prophecy Advanced CU Study, verses paraphrased  [ ] references { } thots

 • Philippians 3:8-14  Matthew 21:23-32

            ☀️ Philippians 3:8-14

8 - Indeed, I (Paul) count everything else {worldly standing and acceptance} as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

     For his sake I’ve suffered the loss of all things and count them as nothing, in order that I may gain Christ. 9 And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ. The righteousness from God that depends on faith. {“Your faith has made you whole” from the inside, not the law that works upon us from without, and implies God could ‘owe us’ life. Instead, life is his gift.}

     10 What matters is that I know him, and the POWER of his resurrection, along with the fellowship of his sufferings, even willing to die {if that’s demanded by this world in the name of empire}. 11 That by any means I may arrive at the {first} resurrection from the dead. {Logically the first as all are resurrected.} 12 Not that I have already obtained or am already perfected! [Heb.11:40.] But that I press on and lay hold of that, for which I was laid hold for.

     13 Brothers and sisters, I don’t consider that I have arrived. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal. The prize. The prize which is the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. {Aka, more literal than we have known. Especially during His long second advent? Which is surely(?) a full scope version of his first so brief one, but with helpers serving called reigning? Outline, the Fall holy days of Leviticus 23.}

            🌙 Matthew 21:23-32

23 - When he entered the temple (on the morning of the fig tree having withered) the leaders - the chief priests and elders of the people - came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered, “I will ask you a question, and if you tell me the answer, then I’ll tell you by what authority I’m doing these things. 25 The baptism of John, was it from heaven? Or from man?”

     They discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he’ll say, ‘Why then didn’t you believe?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we’re afraid of the crowd here, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered, “We don’t know.” And he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

     {The Pharisees also literally feared the people somewhat, “lest the people stone them” Acts 5:46. Why they arrested him when he was apart from the crowds which gathered around him.}

      28 “What do you think?” Jesus said, “a man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in my vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘No, I don’t think I will,’ but afterward he changed his mind and he went. 30 Then he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I’ll go.’ But he didn’t go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They answered, “The first.”

     Jesus said, “Truly, I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God before you! 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed. And even when you saw that, you still didn’t change your minds.”

           

Tomorrows verses, 04/16

Philippians 3:15-21 Matthew 21:33-46 and ACTS 21:1-25 separately

Start the day with a Psalm (jan 1-20, feb-20’s, mar-30’s, apr-40’s, etc. dec-120-150)

Jesus said he “will draw all” Jn.12:32.

have a great day! ☀️🕊️

02-02 - Ro-6 Mt-11

🗝️s New Testament & Bible prophecy study, verses paraphrased [ ] references { } thots

 • Romans 6:8-16  Matthew 11:1-10 and Rev. 16:8-16 separately

            ☀️ Romans 6:8-16

8 - Now if we (Paul and all believers) have died with Christ (in baptism, the old, prone to error self reckoned as passed away) then we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from out of death, never dies again. Death no more having dominion over him. 10 That for which he died, sin [hamartia - missing the mark] he died, once for all. And the life of him is to and of God. 11 So you also, consider yourselves dead to sin, and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

     12 Therefore don’t let sin rose over you, to make you obey its inordinate passions. 13 Don’t use your body to sin. But present yourself to God as one who has been brought from death into life. And present your whole self to God as an instrument for righteousness. 14 For sin shall have no dominion over you, for you are not under law {which doesn’t work/transform} but under grace {which does work and transforms, nurtures, strengthens, and enables}.

     15 What then? Are we to sin because we’re not under law but under grace? Of course not! 16 You yourselves know, whatever we obey, present ourselves as obedient to, we are a slave to, whether a slave to sin [hamartia - missing the mark”] {entropy} which leads to death {lack of Life/blessing} or to obedience {of “the way/new and living way”} which leads to righteousness [dikaiosuné - righteousness, righteous character, justice, equity]. {Dikaiosuné - right character (is by grace, and) is what makes for justice and equity.}

            🌙 Matthew 11:1-10

1 - When Jesus had instructed his twelve disciples (and sent them out) he went on from there to teach and preach in nearby cities.

     2 Now when John heard in prison about the works of Jesus, he sent word by his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come? (The Christ/Messiah.) Or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered, “Go and tell John what you hear and see, 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who doesn’t fall away from me.” {Fall away due to persecutions even if severe.}

     7 And as they were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 No? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? You can find those who wear soft clothing in kings' houses. 9 What then? Did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes! I tell you, and he is more than a prophet! 10 This is he of whom it is written (said by Father to Son) ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’”

           

Tomorrows verses, 02/03

Romans 6:17-23  Matthew 11:11-19

Start the day with a Psalm (jan 1-20, feb-20’s, mar-30’s, apr-40’s, etc. dec-120-150)

have a great day! ☀️🕊️

10-10 - MARK 11 27-33

scriptures paraphrased to post 

   🕊️a reading & study 🕊️

27 - And the next day they went again into Jerusalem. And as Jesus was walking in the temple, the chief priests, scribes and elders (leaders, authorities) came to him, 28 and they asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?” (He was teaching the people and he had kicked out those buying and selling in the temple court. And had overturned their tables.) 29 Jesus said to them, “I’ll ask you a question. And if you can answer it, I’ll tell you by what authority I’m doing these things. 30 Was the baptism of John from heaven? Or was it from man?”

    31 They discussed this among their selves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he’ll say, ‘Why then didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But can we say, ‘From man’?” For they were afraid of the people, who all held that John was a prophet. 33 So they answered, “We don’t know.” And Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

                          ~ * ~

🗝️ [  ] - word/language insights,

usually from biblehub dot com - peering through translator partial unbelief; cross references, etc.

      {  } - thots

Tomorrow - Mark 12:1-11

Start the day with a Psalm (jan 1-20, feb-20’s, mar-30’s, apr-40’s, etc. dec-120-150)

MARK 1 1-8

 a paraphrased ‘enter the story’

 🍃🕊️reading & study 🕊️🍃

     06/30 - GospeL Verses

(Mark was not a disciple, he may have seen and heard Jesus at a young age? He became helper and secretary to Paul and others, and traveled some with Paul and company. His gospel account is thought to be the earliest and some of it by interview.) 1 - The beginning of the gospel [euaggelion - a good message, good news] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. {The entire message/written logos aNd logos personified.} 2 As it’s written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before you, who will prepare your way. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the LORD, make his paths straight,’” 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, and confessing their sins [hamartia - missing the mark]. {Being baptized agrees to/confesses we are flawed and have missed the mark of perfection. It’s not that God has so terribly high and impossible a standard - which we cannot currently fulfill, but God iS life, and, he “is Perfect” Mt.5:48, so imperfect is entropy which “does not quit” aka fading away, which matures and results in gone, not seen, death. But no option to stray in Eden and creation would have to be only an Ant Farm, so “God is savior of all” - 1Tim.4:10.}

     6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I! The strap of whose sandals I’m not worthy to bend down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water. But he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit{/Presence of God}.

             ~ * ~

🗝️ [  ] - word/language insights, usually from biblehub dot com - peering through translator partial unbelief; cross references, etc.

      {  } - thots

Tomorrows verses - Luke 3:7-14

My own studies, had to paraphrase to post..

Start the day with a Psalm (jan 1-20, feb-20’s, mar-30’s, apr-40’s, etc. dec-120-150)

LUKE 3 1-6

 a paraphrased ‘enter the story’

 🍃🕊️reading & study 🕊️🍃

     06/29 - GospeL Verses

1 - In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod [Antipas, son of Herod the Great] being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance, for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight! 5 For every valley will be filled! And every mountain and hill will be made low! The crooked shall become straight! The rough places shall become level, 6 and all will see the salvation of God!’”

             ~ * ~

🗝️ [  ] - word/language insights, usually from biblehub dot com - peering through translator partial unbelief; cross references, etc.

      {  } - thots

Tomorrows verses - Mark 1:1-8

My own studies, had to paraphrase to post..

Start the day with a Psalm (jan 1-20, feb-20’s, mar-30’s, apr-40’s, etc. dec-120-150)

MATTHEW 21 23-32

 a paraphrased ‘enter the story’

 🍃🕊️reading & study 🕊️🍃

     04/15 - GospeL Verses 

23 - When he entered the temple (on the morning of the fig tree withering) the leaders - the chief priests and elders of the people - came up to him as he was teaching, and said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered, “I also will ask you a question, and if you tell me the answer, then I’ll tell you by what authority I’m doing these things. 25 The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from man?”

     They discussed it among theirselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he’ll say to us, ‘Why then didn’t you believe?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we’re afraid of the crowd here, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered, “We don’t know.” And he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

      28 What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in my vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And that son answered, ‘I’ll go,’ but he didn’t go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They answered him, “The first.” Jesus said, “Truly, I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God before you! 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed. And even when you saw that, you still didn’t change your minds and believe.”

                      ~ * ~

🗝️ [  ] - word/language insights, usually from biblehub dot com - peering through translator partial unbelief; cross references, etc.

      {  } - thots

Tomorrows verses - Matthew 21:33-46

My own studies. Been neglecting Psalms (jan 1-20, feb-20’s, mar-30’s, apr-40’s, etc. dec-120-150) and the Prophets.

Romans 6 8-16

  02/02 ~ From New Testament Letters

  🕊️ (In the Order Believed Written)

         Paul’s Letter To The Romans

8 - Now if we have died with Christ (in baptism, the old self died) then we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, never dies again. Death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died, he died to sin - once for all - and the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also, consider yourselves dead to sin, and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Therefore don’t let sin reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Don’t use your body to sin, but present yourself to God as one who has been brought from death to life, and your body to God as an instrument for righteousness. 14 For sin shall have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

     15 What then? Are we to sin because we’re not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, whether slaves to sin [hamartia - missing the mark”] {entropy} which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? {Rightness, life. God is Life, and “is Perfect”. So imperfect is entropy the worm and fire/slow gehenna crucible, that doesn’t quit/reverse. Also imperfect is an abyss of potential.. But! “Perfect” means the ‘end’ of all this can only be the best one possible.}

                          ~ * ~

🗝️ [  ] - word/language insights, usually from biblehub dot com - peering through translator partial unbelief; facts, cross references, etc.

      {  } - thots

Tomorrows verses - Romans 6:17-23

By Necessity Paraphrased

Daily ‘Enter the Story’ Gospels and N.T. Letters Reading & Study (In their natural order) My own studies.

Oct-10 From Mk-11 Gal-3

 🕊️ A paraphrased NT scripture study

   (sometimes w/ commentary) 

  [and original language insight]

         📜🍞+🍷🕊️(+Logic)

Today’s GospeL Verses ~ Mark 11:27-33

27 - And they went again into Jerusalem. And as Jesus was walking in the temple, the chief priests, scribes and elders (leaders, authorities) came to him, 28 and they asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?” [He was teaching the people and he had kicked out those buying and selling in the temple yard and court. And had overturned their tables.] 29 Jesus answered, “I will ask you a question, and if you can answer it, I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or was it from man?”31 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he’ll say, ‘Why then didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But can we say, ‘From man’?” For they were afraid of the people, who all held that John was a prophet. 33 So they answered, “We don’t know.” And Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

         - - - - - - - - - - - -

From New Testament Letters

     (In the Order Believed Written)

                ~ Galatians 3:22-29 ~

22 - The Scripture has imprisoned all under sin, so the promise by faith in Jesus might be given to those who believe.

     23 Before faith came, we were under the law, held in custody (under lock and key) until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian (and tutor) [paidagógos - a trainer, tutor] until Christ came. This is so we might be justified by faith. 25 And now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus all are sons and daughters of God, through faith. 27 And when you were baptized, it was a putting on of Christ, like putting on new clothing. 28 And therefor there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female. Instead you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, and you are heirs according to PROMISE.

                       ~*~

🗝️ [  ] - word/language insights, usually from biblehub dot com, and facts, cross references, etc.      (  ) - thots

Tomorrow’s Verses:

Mark 12:1-11

Galatians 4:1-7

Acts & Rev - weekly

Recently Jonah, Daniel

psalms - jan-1-19 / feb-2o's / mar-3o's / apr-4o's / may-5o's / jun-6o's / jul-7o's / aug-8o's / sep-9o's / oct-100-110 / nov-11o's / dec-12o-15o ..the psalms are very prophetical in an overview sense.

⛲️ Is.11:7 - The lion will eat straw like the ox!

Humanity and creation will be sealed with God’s Spirit/Presence. This is logic, for is anything else possible? For surely(?) God is Life.

ᗷ૦૦қ ๏Ŧ คςtร - 2:22-41

 [Peter is addressing a crowd in Jerusalem on the Pentecost following Jesus’ death and resurrection which the disciples/apostles and others witnessed.]

     22 - “Fellow Israelites, listen to this. Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge. And you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.” (Another version - “But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out..” 🤔?God knew that sending His representative to the world - a Light so bright, into the darkness - the darkness, the world was sure to kill him. So(!) God would use it to deliver all from Satan’s treacherous trickery - which God also foreknew, aNd, allowed. After all it’s noT a total ant farm that God is after!  But there does have to be total herd immunity! To all and any darkness. Parable of the decomposing apple and the worm that does noT quit! Prognosis of decomposition is? And it’s an abyss of potential, already PROVEN by history. “GOD has subjected all to disobedience(/corruption/decay) that He may have mercy upon all” Ro.11:32.)

     24 “But God released him from the horror [ódin - a birth pang, agony] of death and raised him back to life, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 King David said  concerning him, ‘I see that the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices. My body also will rest in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to (the grave) sheol, you will not let your holy one see decay.” (Jesus most surely spoke Aramaic - sheol - Ecclesiastes 9:5,10 - “..the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing.. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in sheol, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” Ps.30:9 “..what profit is my death? Will the dust praise you?” Genesis 3:19 “..dust you are..”

     We feel the presence of passed on loved ones because they come from another dimension called the future. And or an angel brings us remembrance.)

     28 “You have made known to me the paths of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29 Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to sheol, his body did not see decay. (No decomposition.) 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. (The believers had gathered, about 120.) 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit(/Presence of God) and has poured out what you now see and hear happening. 34 For David himself, never, ascended into heaven, yet he said, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand 35 until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.”’ [Cross Ref. - 1Cor.15:22-29, Rev.21:1-5] 36 Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

     37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do!” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins [of your hamartion - missing the mark(s)]. And you will receive the (great) gift of the Holy Spirit(/Presence of God). 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone, whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked [skolios: curved, winding, hence crooked] generation [genea - from ginomai - to come into being].” [“Make straight the way of the LORD!” was John the Baptist’s message.] 41 Those who believed were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the church [believers] that day.

                         ~*~

     Very Brief Outline of Acts:

Jesus returns to where he was with the Father before his advent/visit (his brief first one).

The Holy Spirit/Presence of God is poured out on the believers who were in Jerusalem on the late Spring holy day of Pentecost. Peter speaks, there are 3000 new believers that day.

The good news message spreads, Peter is invited and goes to a Roman’s house and all believe. The first record of non Hebrew believers (besides likely some on Pentecost).

     Persecution breaks out.. jail. stoning. Pharisee Saul leads the persecution, but on his way to Damascus with papers for arrests, Jesus makes himself seen but is so bright Paul falls to the ground and is blinded. After two days he is healed and is a believer, and soon is called Paul. He wrote many (to most) of the New Testament letters, but spent a few years (it seems to me) exclusively listening to the Lord. He established many ‘churches’ in what’s called three missionary journeys, and met and worked with Mark and Luke, and quite a few others. (Luke wrote this Book of Acts.) His fourth journey is to Rome to trial as a prisoner. There’s a shipwreck on the way.. He wrote many of his letters while in prison and under ‘house’ arrest.

                            🍃

Pentecost

Pentecost (the day of) was the Opening, or beginning, of the Holy Spirit being poured out upon believers. A Greek Parallel New Testament I have says it like this, "and it will be in the last days, is saying the God, I shall pour out from the Spirit of me upon all flesh, and will prophesy the sons of you and the daughters of you..."
- These verses (surely?) Acts 2:17-21, prophesied by Joel (2:28-32) apply to every generation since that first outpouring in Jerusalem, at Pentecost. We know for sure, or so it's commonly accepted, that it fits the often occurring pattern of Bible prophecy, having an immediate escalation or peak, and a 'last' days peak. In this instance, the 'immediate' of what Joel prophesied, occurred forty nine days after the ascension of Jesus (as Peter claimed and was saying in Acts 2) and of what Jesus said when He told them to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, saying, "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem.. ..and to the ends of the earth".

Some Remarkable Things

I'm watching a movie called "Acts" put out by "The Visual Bible". I bought it at a Goodwill store for $1.99, as you can see, a veRy good deal! It's word for word the Book of Acts from the New International Version. I was watching the part which was on the Day of Pentecost, forty nine days after Jesus rose. The day the Baptism of the Holy Spirit came.. And then Peter got up and was speaking to the crowd that had gathered, and said some remarkable things, being of course, that they had seen Jesus risen from the grave, had even felt that he was flesh and bone.. These same disciples of Jesus, all went on saying this for the rest of their lives, and then all but one (who went on to write the Book of Revelation in his old age) were executed for refusing to stop doing so. What are we to make of such behavior?!

Holy Ghost Baptism

Acts 1:1-4

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

1 Theophilus, I first wrote to you about all that Jesus did and taught from the very first ² until he was taken up to heaven. But before he was taken up, he gave orders to the apostles who he had chosen with the help of the Holy Spirit.

³ For forty days after Jesus had suffered and died, he proved in many ways that he had been raised from death. He appeared to his apostles and spoke to them about God’s kingdom. ⁴ While he was still with them, he said: (basically) "..the Father will give you the gift and baptism of the Holy Ghost/Spirit.." A cornerstone of God's work and kingdom (which is ultimate reality) and a greatest miracle of all!
Acts 1:4,5 and 10:47