The Better Reading Plan

Changed: Next Steps for a Changed Life

Soul Detox

Holy Emotions - Biblical Responses to Every Challenge

A Jolt of Joy

Daily Devotions with Greg Laurie

Believing God Is Good No Matter What

You in Five Years

The Comeback Part 1

Living in Increase (Part 3) - Increase in Purpose

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 bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch13" data-usfm="ACT.13">
 <div class="label">13</div><div class="nb"> 1Now 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. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, &#8220;Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.&#8221; 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.</div><div class="s1">On Cyprus</div><div class="p"> 4The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.</div><div class="p"> 6They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10&#8220;You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.&#8221;</div><div class="p">Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.</div><div class="s1">In Pisidian Antioch</div><div class="p"> 13From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. 14From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. 15After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, &#8220;Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: &#8220;Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country; 18for about forty years he endured their conduct#13:18 Some manuscripts he cared for them in the wilderness; 19and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to his people as their inheritance. 20All this took about 450 years.</div><div class="p">&#8220;After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. 22After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: &#8216;I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 23&#8220;From this man&#8217;s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. 24Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. 25As John was completing his work, he said: &#8216;Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 26&#8220;Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead, 31and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.</div><div class="p"> 32&#8220;We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors 33he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;You are my son;</div><div class="q2">today I have become your father.&#8217;#13:33 Psalm 2:7</div><div class="m"> 34God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.&#8217;#13:34 Isaiah 55:3</div><div class="m"> 35So it is also stated elsewhere:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;You will not let your holy one see decay.&#8217;#13:35 Psalm 16:10 (see Septuagint)</div><div class="p"> 36&#8220;Now when David had served God&#8217;s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. 37But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.</div><div class="p"> 38&#8220;Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. 40Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:</div><div class="q1"> 41&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Look, you scoffers,</div><div class="q2">wonder and perish,</div><div class="q1">for I am going to do something in your days</div><div class="q2">that you would never believe,</div><div class="q2">even if someone told you.&#8217;#13:41 Hab. 1:5&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 42As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. 43When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.</div><div class="p"> 44On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.</div><div class="p"> 46Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: &#8220;We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47For this is what the Lord has commanded us:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;I have made you#13:47 The Greek is singular. a light for the Gentiles,</div><div class="q2">that you#13:47 The Greek is singular. may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.&#8217;#13:47 Isaiah 49:6&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 48When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.</div><div class="p"> 49The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch14" data-usfm="ACT.14">
 <div class="label">14</div><div class="s1">In Iconium</div><div class="p"> 1At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7where they continued to preach the gospel.</div><div class="s1">In Lystra and Derbe</div><div class="p"> 8In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10and called out, &#8220;Stand up on your feet!&#8221; At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.</div><div class="p"> 11When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, &#8220;The gods have come down to us in human form!&#8221; 12Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.</div><div class="p"> 14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15&#8220;Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 16In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.&#8221; 18Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.</div><div class="p"> 19Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.</div><div class="s1">The Return to Antioch in Syria</div><div class="p"> 21They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. &#8220;We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,&#8221; they said. 23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders#14:23 Or Barnabas ordained elders; or Barnabas had elders elected for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. 24After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, 25and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.</div><div class="p"> 26From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2CO">
 <div class="chapter ch9" data-usfm="2CO.9">
 <div class="label">9</div><div class="p"> 1There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord&#8217;s people. 2For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we&#8212;not to say anything about you&#8212;would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.</div><div class="s1">Generosity Encouraged</div><div class="p"> 6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;</div><div class="q2">their righteousness endures forever.&#8221;#9:9 Psalm 112:9</div><div class="m"> 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.</div><div class="p"> 12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord&#8217;s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2CO">
 <div class="chapter ch8" data-usfm="2CO.8">
 <div class="label">8</div><div class="s1">The Collection for the Lord&#8217;s People</div><div class="p"> 1And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord&#8217;s people. 5And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But since you excel in everything&#8212;in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you#8:7 Some manuscripts and in your love for us&#8212;see that you also excel in this grace of giving.</div><div class="p"> 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.</div><div class="p"> 10And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.</div><div class="p"> 13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15as it is written: &#8220;The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.&#8221;#8:15 Exodus 16:18</div><div class="s1">Titus Sent to Receive the Collection</div><div class="p"> 16Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.</div><div class="p"> 22In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.</div>
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