The Principles of First Mention

The Gospel of Mark (Part Seven)

New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs in 6 Months - Thomas Road Baptist Church

Fully Devoted

Christmas Presence

Elijah. Man of Courage, Man of Faith, Man of God.

The Bible for Young Explorers: Matthew

Multiplying the Gospel // Gospel X - Multiplying the Message

Here Be Dragons

Daily Bible Reading— February 2025, God’s Strengthening Word: Sharing God's Love

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
   <div class="book bk1SA">
      <div class="chapter ch29" data-usfm="1SA.29">
         <div class="label">29</div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Achish Sends David Back to Ziklag</span></div><div class="p"><span class="content">  </span><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="1SA.29.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. </span></span><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="1SA.29.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish. </span></span><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="1SA.29.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">The commanders of the Philistines asked, &#8220;What about these Hebrews?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="1SA.29.3"><span class="content">Achish replied, &#8220;Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="1SA.29.3"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="1SA.29.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, &#8220;Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master&#8217;s favor than by taking the heads of our own men? </span></span><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="1SA.29.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">Isn&#8217;t this the David they sang about in their dances:</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="1SA.29.5"><span class="content">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Saul has slain his thousands,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="1SA.29.5"><span class="content">and David his tens of thousands&#8217;?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="1SA.29.5"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="1SA.29.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">So Achish called David and said to him, &#8220;As surely as the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content"> lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until today, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don&#8217;t approve of you. </span></span><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="1SA.29.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">Now turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="1SA.29.7"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="1SA.29.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">&#8220;But what have I done?&#8221; asked David. &#8220;What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can&#8217;t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="1SA.29.8"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="1SA.29.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">Achish answered, &#8220;I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, &#8216;He must not go up with us into battle.&#8217; </span></span><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="1SA.29.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">Now get up early, along with your master&#8217;s servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="1SA.29.10"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="1SA.29.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.</span></span></div>
      </div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
   <div class="book bk1SA">
      <div class="chapter ch30" data-usfm="1SA.30">
         <div class="label">30</div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">David Destroys the Amalekites</span></div><div class="p"><span class="content">  </span><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="1SA.30.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, </span></span><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="1SA.30.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="1SA.30.2"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="1SA.30.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. </span></span><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="1SA.30.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. </span></span><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="1SA.30.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">David&#8217;s two wives had been captured&#8212;Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. </span></span><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="1SA.30.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content"> his God.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="1SA.30.6"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="1SA.30.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, &#8220;Bring me the ephod.&#8221; Abiathar brought it to him, </span></span><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="1SA.30.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">and David inquired of the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content">, &#8220;Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="1SA.30.8"><span class="content">&#8220;Pursue them,&#8221; he answered. &#8220;You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="1SA.30.8"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="1SA.30.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">David and the six hundred men with him came to the Besor Valley, where some stayed behind. </span></span><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="1SA.30.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">Two hundred of them were too exhausted to cross the valley, but David and the other four hundred continued the pursuit.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="1SA.30.10"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="1SA.30.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. They gave him water to drink and food to eat&#8212; </span></span><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="1SA.30.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">part of a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of raisins. He ate and was revived, for he had not eaten any food or drunk any water for three days and three nights.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="1SA.30.12"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="1SA.30.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">David asked him, &#8220;Who do you belong to? Where do you come from?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="1SA.30.13"><span class="content">He said, &#8220;I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me when I became ill three days ago. </span></span><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="1SA.30.14"><span class="label">14</span><span class="content">We raided the Negev of the Kerethites, some territory belonging to Judah and the Negev of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="1SA.30.14"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="1SA.30.15"><span class="label">15</span><span class="content">David asked him, &#8220;Can you lead me down to this raiding party?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="1SA.30.15"><span class="content">He answered, &#8220;Swear to me before God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to them.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="1SA.30.15"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="1SA.30.16"><span class="label">16</span><span class="content">He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah. </span></span><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="1SA.30.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled. </span></span><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="1SA.30.18"><span class="label">18</span><span class="content">David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. </span></span><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="1SA.30.19"><span class="label">19</span><span class="content">Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back. </span></span><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="1SA.30.20"><span class="label">20</span><span class="content">He took all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock, saying, &#8220;This is David&#8217;s plunder.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="1SA.30.20"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v21" data-usfm="1SA.30.21"><span class="label">21</span><span class="content">Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Valley. They came out to meet David and the men with him. As David and his men approached, he asked them how they were. </span></span><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="1SA.30.22"><span class="label">22</span><span class="content">But all the evil men and troublemakers among David&#8217;s followers said, &#8220;Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="1SA.30.22"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v23" data-usfm="1SA.30.23"><span class="label">23</span><span class="content">David replied, &#8220;No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content"> has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us. </span></span><span class="verse v24" data-usfm="1SA.30.24"><span class="label">24</span><span class="content">Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.&#8221; </span></span><span class="verse v25" data-usfm="1SA.30.25"><span class="label">25</span><span class="content">David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v25" data-usfm="1SA.30.25"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v26" data-usfm="1SA.30.26"><span class="label">26</span><span class="content">When David reached Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, &#8220;Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content">&#8217;s enemies.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v26" data-usfm="1SA.30.26"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v27" data-usfm="1SA.30.27"><span class="label">27</span><span class="content">David sent it to those who were in Bethel, Ramoth Negev and Jattir; </span></span><span class="verse v28" data-usfm="1SA.30.28"><span class="label">28</span><span class="content">to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa </span></span><span class="verse v29" data-usfm="1SA.30.29"><span class="label">29</span><span class="content">and Rakal; to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites; </span></span><span class="verse v30" data-usfm="1SA.30.30"><span class="label">30</span><span class="content">to those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athak </span></span><span class="verse v31" data-usfm="1SA.30.31"><span class="label">31</span><span class="content">and Hebron; and to those in all the other places where he and his men had roamed.</span></span></div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
   <div class="book bk1SA">
      <div class="chapter ch31" data-usfm="1SA.31">
         <div class="label">31</div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Saul Takes His Life</span></div><div class="p"><span class="content">  </span><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="1SA.31.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. </span></span><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="1SA.31.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. </span></span><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="1SA.31.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="1SA.31.3"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="1SA.31.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">Saul said to his armor-bearer, &#8220;Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="1SA.31.4"><span class="content">But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. </span></span><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="1SA.31.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. </span></span><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="1SA.31.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="1SA.31.6"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="1SA.31.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="1SA.31.7"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="1SA.31.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. </span></span><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="1SA.31.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. </span></span><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="1SA.31.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="1SA.31.10"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="1SA.31.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, </span></span><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="1SA.31.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">all their valiant men marched through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. </span></span><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="1SA.31.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.</span></span></div>
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New International Version

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
   <div class="book bkPSA">
      <div class="chapter ch61" data-usfm="PSA.61.4+PSA.61.5+PSA.61.6+PSA.61.7+PSA.61.8">
         <div class="q1"><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="PSA.61.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">I long to dwell in your tent forever</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="PSA.61.4"><span class="content">and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">61:4 </span><span class="ft">The Hebrew has </span><span class="fqa">Selah </span><span class="ft">(a word of uncertain meaning) here.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="PSA.61.4"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="PSA.61.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">For you, God, have heard my vows;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="PSA.61.5"><span class="content">you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="PSA.61.5"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="PSA.61.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">Increase the days of the king&#8217;s life,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="PSA.61.6"><span class="content">his years for many generations.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="PSA.61.6"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="PSA.61.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">May he be enthroned in God&#8217;s presence forever;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="PSA.61.7"><span class="content">appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="PSA.61.7"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="PSA.61.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">Then I will ever sing in praise of your name</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="PSA.61.8"><span class="content">and fulfill my vows day after day.</span></span></div>
      </div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
   <div class="book bkPRO">
      <div class="chapter ch16" data-usfm="PRO.16.7+PRO.16.8+PRO.16.9">
         <div class="q1"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="PRO.16.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">When the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content"> takes pleasure in anyone&#8217;s way,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="PRO.16.7"><span class="content">he causes their enemies to make peace with them.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="PRO.16.7"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="PRO.16.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">Better a little with righteousness</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="PRO.16.8"><span class="content">than much gain with injustice.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="PRO.16.8"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="PRO.16.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">In their hearts humans plan their course,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="PRO.16.9"><span class="content">but the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content"> establishes their steps.</span></span></div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
   <div class="book bkJHN">
      <div class="chapter ch3" data-usfm="JHN.3.22+JHN.3.23+JHN.3.24+JHN.3.25+JHN.3.26+JHN.3.27+JHN.3.28+JHN.3.29+JHN.3.30+JHN.3.31+JHN.3.32+JHN.3.33+JHN.3.34+JHN.3.35+JHN.3.36">
         <div class="p"><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="JHN.3.22"><span class="label">22</span><span class="content">After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. </span></span><span class="verse v23" data-usfm="JHN.3.23"><span class="label">23</span><span class="content">Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. </span></span><span class="verse v24" data-usfm="JHN.3.24"><span class="label">24</span><span class="content">(This was before John was put in prison.) </span></span><span class="verse v25" data-usfm="JHN.3.25"><span class="label">25</span><span class="content">An argument developed between some of John&#8217;s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. </span></span><span class="verse v26" data-usfm="JHN.3.26"><span class="label">26</span><span class="content">They came to John and said to him, &#8220;Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan&#8212;the one you testified about&#8212;look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v26" data-usfm="JHN.3.26"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v27" data-usfm="JHN.3.27"><span class="label">27</span><span class="content">To this John replied, &#8220;A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. </span></span><span class="verse v28" data-usfm="JHN.3.28"><span class="label">28</span><span class="content">You yourselves can testify that I said, &#8216;I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.&#8217; </span></span><span class="verse v29" data-usfm="JHN.3.29"><span class="label">29</span><span class="content">The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom&#8217;s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. </span></span><span class="verse v30" data-usfm="JHN.3.30"><span class="label">30</span><span class="content">He must become greater; I must become less.&#8221;</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">3:30 </span><span class="ft">Some interpreters end the quotation with verse 36.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v30" data-usfm="JHN.3.30"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v31" data-usfm="JHN.3.31"><span class="label">31</span><span class="content">The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. </span></span><span class="verse v32" data-usfm="JHN.3.32"><span class="label">32</span><span class="content">He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. </span></span><span class="verse v33" data-usfm="JHN.3.33"><span class="label">33</span><span class="content">Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. </span></span><span class="verse v34" data-usfm="JHN.3.34"><span class="label">34</span><span class="content">For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">3:34 </span><span class="ft">Greek </span><span class="fqa">he</span></span></span><span class="content"> gives the Spirit without limit. </span></span><span class="verse v35" data-usfm="JHN.3.35"><span class="label">35</span><span class="content">The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. </span></span><span class="verse v36" data-usfm="JHN.3.36"><span class="label">36</span><span class="content">Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God&#8217;s wrath remains on them.</span></span></div>
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