"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: "This is the message from the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the origin of all that God has created.

He will always have descendants, and I will watch over his kingdom as long as the sun shines.

It will be as permanent as the moon, that faithful witness in the sky."

I made him a leader and commander of nations, and through him I showed them my power.

I am telling you the truth: we speak of what we know and report what we have seen, yet none of you is willing to accept our message.

He tells what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his message.

"No," Jesus answered, "even though I do testify on my own behalf, what I say is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. You do not know where I came from or where I am going.

But if I were to do so, my judgment would be true, because I am not alone in this; the Father who sent me is with me.

So Pilate asked him, "Are you a king, then?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world for this one purpose, to speak about the truth. Whoever belongs to the truth listens to me."

Before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who firmly professed his faith before Pontius Pilate, I command you

There are three witnesses:

We believe human testimony; but God's testimony is much stronger, and he has given this testimony about his Son.

that the Messiah must suffer and be the first one to rise from death, to announce the light of salvation to the Jews and to the Gentiles."

But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised.

For just as all people die because of their union with Adam, in the same way all will be raised to life because of their union with Christ.

He is the head of his body, the church; he is the source of the body's life. He is the first-born Son, who was raised from death, in order that he alone might have the first place in all things.

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The power to rule over the world belongs now to our Lord and his Messiah, and he will rule forever and ever!"

They will fight against the Lamb; but the Lamb, together with his called, chosen, and faithful followers, will defeat them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings."

On his robe and on his thigh was written the name: "King of kings and Lord of lords."

All kings will bow down before him; all nations will serve him.

I will make him my first-born son, the greatest of all kings.

I help kings to govern and rulers to make good laws.

Every ruler on earth governs with my help, officials and nobles alike.

so he sent for his fortunetellers, magicians, sorcerers, and wizards to come and explain the dream to him. When they came and stood before the king,

He was given authority, honor, and royal power, so that the people of all nations, races, and languages would serve him. His authority would last forever, and his kingdom would never end.

Jesus drew near and said to them, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world.

God put all things under Christ's feet and gave him to the church as supreme Lord over all things.

His appearing will be brought about at the right time by God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

But the LORD loved you and wanted to keep the promise that he made to your ancestors. That is why he saved you by his great might and set you free from slavery to the king of Egypt.

But the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam; instead he turned the curse into a blessing, because he loved you.

It was now the day before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. He had always loved those in the world who were his own, and he loved them to the very end.

And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love.

No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!

so that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me.

But God's mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great,

Your life must be controlled by love, just as Christ loved us and gave his life for us as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice that pleases God.

Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it.

in order to present the church to himself in all its beauty---pure and faultless, without spot or wrinkle or any other imperfection.

This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven.

"I don't know, sir. You do," I answered. He said to me, "These are the people who have come safely through the terrible persecution. They have washed their robes and made them white with the blood of the Lamb.

"When that time comes," says the LORD Almighty, "a fountain will be opened to purify the descendants of David and the people of Jerusalem from their sin and idolatry.

Peter declared, "Never at any time will you wash my feet!" "If I do not wash your feet," Jesus answered, "you will no longer be my disciple."

Jesus said, "Those who have taken a bath are completely clean and do not have to wash themselves, except for their feet. All of you are clean---all except one."

So keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock which the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he made his own through the blood of his Son.

Some of you were like that. But you have been purified from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.

it was the costly sacrifice of Christ, who was like a lamb without defect or flaw.

But if we live in the light---just as he is in the light---then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin.