From a letter written by the apostle Paul
to believers in Rome:
But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.-Romans 15:23-33***Over 500 years before Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, was conceived of the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, a virgin, and born in Bethlehem, in Judea (Judaea), to Mary and her husband Joseph when Mary was a virgin, Judea was identified as Judah, the southern nation in the Promised Land. Jerusalem was the royal city. During the 11-year reign of King Jehoiakim (Eliakim), the 17th king to rule Judah, the Babylonians (Chaldeans) invaded Judah and Jerusalem and King Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of Babylon, began looting the temple of the Lord. Jehoiachin (Jeconiah/Coniah), the son born to Jehoiakim and Nehushta, was the 18th king to rule Judah. During Jehoiachin's 3-month reign, the Babylonians took more prominent Israelites, including Jehoiachin, his wives and mother, to Babylon. During the 11th year of the reign of Jehoiakim's brother King Zedekiah (Mattaniah), the 17th king to rule Judah, the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, according to the will of the Lord God, due to the idolatry and other wickedness of the Israelites. Over 130 years before Jerusalem was conquered, the Assyrians invaded the northern nation of Israel in the Promised Land and King Tiglath-pileser, ruler of Assyria, began taking Israelites captive. During the 9th year of the reign of King Hoshea, the 19th king to rule over all of the Israelites in the northern nation of Israel, the Assyrians conquered the royal city, Samaria, according to the will of the Lord God, due to the idolatry and other wickedness of the Israelites. Before Jesus was born to Joseph and Mary, and after Jesus was betrayed, arrested, crucified, buried in a tomb, resurrected, and returned to heaven less than 33 1/2 years after he was born, the Roman Empire was ruling the land whereupon the kingdoms of the Israelites previously stood. Israelites were living throughout Judea, Samaria and the surrounding provinces, and Romans and other Gentiles, people not born into the Israelite tribes, were also living throughout the land. Paul (Saul) was an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, descended from Abraham (Abram the Hebrew) and Sarah (Sarai), Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob (Israel) and his 2nd wife Rachel, and Jacob and Rachel's 2nd and last son Benjamin. Paul did not believe Jesus to be the Christ. Throughout Jerusalem, Paul persecuted and imprisoned Israelites who believed Jesus to be the Christ of God. 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 Israelites and Gentiles the good news of Jesus the Christ and everlasting life. Timothy (Timotheus) and Silas (Silvanus) were with Paul during at least 1 journey to Macedonia, a Roman province and country north of Achaia (Greece). Moreover, Timothy and Silas journeyed together from Macedonia to help Paul in Achaia.-Genesis 11:26-50:26, Exodus, Numbers 13:1-14:45, 20:1-19, 26:1-27:23, Deuteronomy 31:1-34:12, Joshua 1:1-4:24, 23:1-24:33, Judges 1:1-2:23, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles 1:1-34, 2:1-17, 3:1-24, 8:1-40, 9:35-29:30, 2 Chronicles, Ezra 1:1-11, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts 1:1-26, 6:1-84, 9:1-31, 11:19-28:31, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
Reference Information:
carnal = sarkikois = sarx = material things, for the flesh, fleshly
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