From a letter written by the apostle Paul
to believers in Ephesus and everywhere:
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.-Ephesians 3:1-12***Sometime after Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, was arrested, crucified, buried in a tomb, resurrected, and returned to heaven, there was trouble between a group of Greek speaking Israelites and a group of Hebrew speaking Israelites about an issue regarding the treatment of widows.
Matthias and the 11 disciples and apostles who had walked with Jesus before Jesus was betrayed suggested that 7 wise men, full of the Holy Spirit, be chosen to handle the issue. Stephen was 1 of the 7 men selected. However, lies were spread about Stephen and Stephen was forcefully taken and made to give an answer to the high priest and the Sanhedrin, the high court of the Israelites (Hebrews/Jews). Stephen spoke and gave an account of the history of the Israelites, the descendants of Abraham (Abram the Hebrew) and Sarah (Sarai), Isaac and Rebekah, and Isaac and Rebekah's youngest fraternal twin son Jacob (Israel). Stephen spoke about the Israelites and their responsibility for the death of some prophets and the crucifixion of Jesus. Stephen was dragged out of Jerusalem, pelted with stones and died. Paul (Saul) was an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, descended from Jacob and his 2nd wife Rachel, and Jacob and Rachel's 2nd and list son Benjamin. Paul guarded the garments of the men stoning Stephen to death. Shortly thereafter, Paul was persecuting and imprisoning Israelites throughout Jerusalem who believed Jesus to be the Christ. When Paul was journeying to the synagogues in Damascus, Syria, to find, bind and take to Jerusalem any Israelite believers he found, Paul and those with him saw a light from heaven flash around them. Paul heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him, and Paul spoke to Jesus, and obeyed Jesus. In Damascus, Paul was baptized. From thenceforward, Paul the apostle journeyed and wrote divinely inspired letters, teaching the good news of Jesus the Christ and everlasting life. After an incident in Antioch, Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas proclaimed that they were taking the word of the Lord to the Gentiles, people not born into the Israelite tribes.-Genesis 11:26-35:29, 1 Chronicles 1:1-34, 2:1-17, 3:1-24, 8:1-40, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
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