Church

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

And great fear came over the whole church and all who heard about these events.

And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced a time of peace. It grew in strength and numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.

When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

…and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church.

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.

Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.

When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.

On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.

Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,

When Paul had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church at Jerusalem. Then he went down to Antioch.

From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea.

Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my beloved Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.

Gaius, who has hosted me and all the church, sends you greetings. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you greetings, as does our brother Quartus.

To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.

What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?

So if you need to settle everyday matters, do you appoint as judges those of no standing in the church?

Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—

First of all, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.

Don’t you have your own homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? No, I will not!

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.

The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be edified.

It is the same with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, strive to excel in gifts that build up the church.

But in the church, I would rather speak five coherent words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who are uninstructed or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the church.

But if there is no interpreter, he should remain silent in the church and speak only to himself and God.

If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church.

For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:

For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.

And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church,

His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

…to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her

…and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.

Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.

This mystery is profound, but I am speaking about Christ and the church.

…as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.

And as you Philippians know, in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church but you partnered with me in the matter of giving and receiving.

And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.

Greet the brothers in Laodicea, as well as Nympha and the church that meets at her house.

After this letter has been read among you, make sure that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.

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

For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?

…in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

If any believing woman has dependent widows, she must assist them and not allow the church to be burdened, so that it can help the widows who are truly in need.

…to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets at your house:

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

The church in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does my son Mark.

They have testified to the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.

I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction.

So if I come, I will call attention to his malicious slander against us. And unsatisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers and forbids those who want to do so, even putting them out of the church.

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.

To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life.

To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of the One who holds the sharp, double-edged sword.

To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze.

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of the One who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead.

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation.