23From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel a Savior, [in the person of] Jesus, according to His promise.
34And [as for the fact] that He raised Him from the dead, never again to return to decay [in the grave], He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and sureblessingsof David [those blessings and mercies that were promised to him].’ [Is 55:3]
46And [at the same time] Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and confidently, saying, "It was necessary that God’s message [of salvation through faith in Christ] be spoken to you [Jews] first. Since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, now we turn to the Gentiles.
5"The waters surrounded me, to the point of death.The great deep engulfed me,Seaweed was wrapped around my head. [Ps 69:1; Lam 3:54]
6"I descended to the [very] roots of the mountains.The earth with its bars closed behind me [bolting me in] forever,Yet You have brought up my life from the pit (death), O Lord my God.
9"But [as for me], I will sacrifice to YouWith the voice of thanksgiving;I shall pay that which I have vowed.Salvation is from the Lord!"
20‘The sun shall be turned into darknessAnd the moon into blood,Before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21‘And it shall be that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking, adoring, and worshiping the Lord Jesus] shall be saved (rescued spiritually).’ [Joel 2:28-32]
47praising God continually, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved.
5because of the [confident] hope [of experiencing that] which is reserved and waiting for you in heaven. You previously heard of this hope in the message of truth, the gospel [regarding salvation]
12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints (God’s people) in the Light.
14in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sins’ penalty].
5even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace—His undeserved favor and mercy—you have been saved from God’s judgment). [Rom 6:1-10]
8For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God;
10For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]. [Rom 1:20]
8O do not remember against us the sins and guilt of our forefathers.Let Your compassion and mercy come quickly to meet us,For we have been brought very low.
9Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name;Rescue us, forgive us our sins for Your name’s sake.
322:3 Lit the God of my rock.My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge,My Savior—You save me from violence. [Gen 15:1]
31"As for God, His way is blameless and perfect;The word of the Lord is tested.He is a shield to all those who take refuge and trust in Him.
49Who also brings me out from my enemies.You even lift me above those who rise up against me;You rescue me from the violent man.
7[Jeremiah said,] O Lord, You have persuaded me and I was deceived;You are stronger than I and You have prevailed.I am a laughingstock all day long;Everyone mocks me.
13Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord!For He has rescued the life of the needy oneFrom the hand of evildoers.
16And let that man be like the citiesWhich the Lord overthrew without regret.Let him hear an outcry in the morningAnd a shout of alarm at noon;
20But you, beloved, build yourselves up on [the foundation of] your most holy faith [continually progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], pray in the Holy Spirit,
23save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy but with fear, loathing even the clothing spotted and polluted by their shameless immoral freedom. [Amos 4:11; Zech 3:2-4]
25to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
1Finally, my 3:1 Lit brethren.fellow believers, continue to rejoice and delight in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you.
4though I myself might have [some grounds for] confidence in the flesh [if I were pursuing salvation by works]. If anyone else thinks that he has reason to be confident in the flesh [that is, in his own efforts to achieve salvation], I have far more:
20But [we are different, because] our citizenship is in heaven. And from there we eagerly await [the coming of] the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
16Then the king gave a command, and Daniel was brought and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you constantly serve, rescue you Himself!" [Ps 34:7, 19; 37:39, 40; 50:15]
20When he had come near the den, he called out to Daniel with a troubled voice. The king said to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to rescue you from the lions?"
27"He rescues and saves and performs signs and wondersIn heaven and on earth—He who has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions."
12He groaned and sighed deeply in His spirit and said, "Why does this generation demand a sign? I assure you and most solemnly say to you, 8:12 Lit if a sign will be given. The statement takes the form of an oath, which is an emphatic way of forbidding something.no sign will be given to this generation!"
35For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake and the gospel’s will save it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God]. [Matt 10:39; Luke 17:33; John 12:25]
37For what will a man give in exchange for his soul and eternal life [in God’s kingdom]?
2For He says,"At the acceptable time (the time of grace) I listened to you,And I helped you on the day of salvation."Behold, now is "the acceptable time," behold, now is "the day of salvation"— [Is 49:8]
6in purity and sincerity, in knowledge and spiritual insight, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
7in [speaking] the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand [like holding the sword to attack] and for the left [like holding the shield to defend],
2"Behold, God, my salvation!I will trust and not be afraid,For the Lord God is my strength and song;Yes, He has become my salvation."
3Therefore with joy you will draw waterFrom the springs of salvation.
4And in that day you will say,"Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name [in prayer].Make His deeds known among the peoples [of the earth];Proclaim [to them] that His name is exalted!"
1Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so shortThat it cannot save,Nor His ear so 59:1 Lit dull.impairedThat it cannot hear.
17For He [the Lord] put on righteousness like a coat of armor,And salvation like a helmet on His head;He put on garments of vengeance for clothingAnd covered Himself with zeal [and great love for His people] as a cloak. [Eph 6:14, 17; 1 Thess 5:8]
19So they will fear the name of the Lord from the westAnd His glory from the rising of the sun.For He will come in like a narrow, rushing streamWhich the 59:19 Or Spirit.breath of the Lord drives [overwhelming the enemy]. [Matt 8:11; Luke 13:29]
2Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love]. [John 13:34]
16Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule [who discipline themselves and conduct their lives by this principle], and upon the [true] Israel of God (Jewish believers). [Ps 125:5]
18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, my 6:18 Lit brethren.brothers and sisters. Amen.