Matthew 24:26-30

²⁶ "If people tell you, 'The Christ is in the desert,' don't go there. If they say, 'The Christ is in the inner room,' don't believe it. ²⁷ When the Son of Man comes, he will be seen by everyone, like lightning flashing from the east to the west. ²⁸Wherever the dead body is, there the vultures will gather.

²⁹ "Soon after the trouble of those days,
'the sun will grow dark,
and the moon will not give its light.
The stars will fall from the sky.
And the powers of the heavens will be shaken.' — Isaiah 13:10; 34:4

³⁰ "At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the peoples of the world will cry. They will see the Son of Man coming on clouds in the sky with great power and glory. ³¹ He will use a loud trumpet to send his angels all around the earth, and they will gather his chosen people from every part of the world.

(NCV)

Psalm 94:17-19

¹⁷ If the Lord had not helped me,
I would have died in a minute.
¹⁸ I said, "I am about to fall,"
but, Lord, your love kept me safe.
¹⁹ I was very worried,
but you comforted me and made me happy.

(New Century Version)

Romans 7:14-21

The War Within Us

¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual, but I am not spiritual since sin rules me as if I were its slave.¹⁵ I do not understand the things I do. I do not do what I want to do, and I do the things I hate.¹⁶ And if I do not want to do the hated things I do, that means I agree that the law is good.¹⁷ But I am not really the one who is doing these hated things; it is sin living in me that does them.¹⁸ Yes, I know that nothing good lives in me—I mean nothing good lives in the part of me that is earthly and sinful. I want to do the things that are good, but I do not do them.¹⁹ I do not do the good things I want to do, but I do the bad things I do not want to do.²⁰ So if I do things I do not want to do, then I am not the one doing them. It is sin living in me that does those things.

²¹ So I have learned this rule: When I want to do good, evil is there with me.²² In my mind, I am happy with God's law.²³ But I see another law working in my body, which makes war against the law that my mind accepts. That other law working in my body is the law of sin, and it makes me its prisoner.²⁴ What a miserable man I am! Who will save me from this body that brings me death?²⁵ I thank God for saving me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

NCV

Matthew 28:16-20

¹⁶Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

¹⁸And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

(King James Version)

Psalm 96

¹O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.

²Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.

³Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.

⁴For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.

⁵For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

⁶Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

⁷Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.

⁸Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.

⁹O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

¹⁰Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.

¹¹Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

¹²Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice

¹³Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

(King James Version)

Malachi 4

(King James Version)

¹For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

²But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

³And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

⁴Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

⁵Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

⁶And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

(King James Version)

John 10:1-6

(New Century Version)

The Shepherd and His Sheep

¹ Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, the person who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.

² The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

³ The one who guards the door opens it for him. And the sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

⁴ When he brings all his sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.

⁵ But they will never follow a stranger. They will run away from him because they don't know his voice."

⁶ Jesus told the people this story, but they did not understand what it meant.

(New Century Version)

2 Timothy 3

(King James Version)

¹This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

²For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

³Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

⁴Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

⁵Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

⁶For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

⁷Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

⁸Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

⁹But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.

¹⁰But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

¹¹Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

¹²Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

¹³But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

¹⁴But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

¹⁵And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

(King James Version)

Jude 1:17-22

A Warning and Things to Do

¹⁷ Dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said before.

¹⁸ They said to you, "In the last times there will be people who laugh about God, following their own evil desires which are against God."

¹⁹ These are the people who divide you, people whose thoughts are only of this world, who do not have the Spirit.

²⁰ But dear friends, use your most holy faith to build yourselves up, praying in the Holy Spirit.

²¹ Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the Lord Jesus Christ with his mercy to give you life forever.

²² Show mercy to some people who have doubts.

(New Century Version)

Ephesians 6:10-19

¹⁰Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

¹¹Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

¹³Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

¹⁵And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

¹⁶Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

¹⁸Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

¹⁹And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

(King James Version)

John 6:44-46

⁴⁴ The Father is the One who sent me. No one can come to me unless the Father draws him to me, and I will raise that person up on the last day.

⁴⁵ It is written in the prophets, 'They will all be taught by God.'Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.

⁴⁶ No one has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only he has seen the Father.

(New Century Version)

Galatians 5:13-15

¹³ My brothers and sisters, God called you to be free, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful self. Serve each other with love.

¹⁴ The whole law is made complete in this one command: "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."

¹⁵ If you go on hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful, or you will completely destroy each other.

(New Century Version

Ezekiel 18:5-9

⁵But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

⁶And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,

⁷And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

⁸He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,

⁹Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.

(King James Version)

Matthew 12:33-37

³³Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

³⁴O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

³⁵A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

³⁶But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

³⁷For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

(King James Version)

Matthew 10:34-36

³⁴Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

³⁵For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

³⁶And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

(King James Version)

Colossians 2:16-19

Don't Follow People's Rules

¹⁶ So do not let anyone make rules for you about eating and drinking or about a religious feast, a New Moon Festival, or a Sabbath day.

¹⁷ These things were like a shadow of what was to come. But what is true and real has come and is found in Christ.

¹⁸ Do not let anyone disqualify you by making you humiliate yourself and worship angels. Such people enter into visions, which fill them with foolish pride because of their human way of thinking.

¹⁹ They do not hold tightly to Christ, the head. It is from him that all the parts of the body are cared for and held together. So it grows in the way God wants it to grow.

(NCV)

Matthew 5:17-20

¹⁷Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

¹⁸For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

¹⁹Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

²⁰For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

(King James Version)

James 5:19-21

Saving a Soul

¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you wanders away from the truth, and someone helps that person come back,

²⁰ remember this: Anyone who brings a sinner back from the wrong way will save that sinner's soul from death and will cause many sins to be forgiven.

(NCV)