Category: Epistles – Is his letter to our church?

Epistle of Paul to the Romans

Epistles ἐπιστολή or Letters

I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.

Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians

Don’t miss our recent FEATURED SERIES

JUNE 2024 – 2025 —

1 CORINTHIANS

———————————————————-

Letters – Is he writing to me?
The short answer: YES.

In their epistles or 1st century church letters the Apostles and other men sent out by Jesus build up the saints [small – ‘s’] or members of local first century churches.

A Disciple or other witness of JESUS would write it. Messengers then delivered these church letters to many isolated worshipers.

Followers of Jesus Christ receive these letters as a major encouragement to their personal faith. Then leaders read them to worshipers of their church.

Although the Epistles 0r Letters to the Church were originally written to churches of the first century,

Romans through Jude will seem like letters to your 21st century church.

What do Peter, Paul, John and others tell us we must do?
Is he talking about an issue in your 21st c. church as well?
How does the writer’s advice, warning, or encouragement to the 1st c. believers apply to you as well
Is the writer of this letter talking about something you need to address in your 21st century ‘christian’ life?

Contemporary Application of the Letters (Epistles)

Most New Testament writers take on specific issues confronting faithful followers of Jesus Christ. These same issues continue to confront believers until the Lord’s coming again in these last days.

Certainly Christ our Lord will come again to those God has chosen for eternal life.

Believers currently suffer more than most of you who know Christ in your local church can imagine.

In other lands Christians continue to suffer by the hand of the ungodly.
Go into all the world

A 21st century Common Era church can see and hear nearly any atrocity of man or artificial imagination of sinful man’s mind, yet ‘christians‘ dare not speak of any absolute truth of the Lord God or talk of JESUS CHRIST.

Will YOU comment on Scripture and share the Gospel?

I invite you to read the inspired word of Scripture written in these LETTERS TO THE CHURCH.

YES, He IS writing to YOU.

Beloved brother or sister in Christ Jesus,

Will you read this ‘CHURCH LETTER’ and talk of JESUS through your comment, sharing and email to me about this ‘Letter to you?”

Roger@talkofJesus.com

The Clarity and Connections of Apostolic Faith
How do WE respond after hearing a letter from an Apostle of Jesus Christ written to our Church?

We are about to take a look at the faith of three Apostles through Epistles they sent to many churches.

But more than that:

The Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaims connections — relationships that matter.

We receive the same love evident through these connections to God and the Apostles, who continue to mean much to 21st century Christians who believe with Apostolic faith.

Apostolic Unity in the Gospels

When someone asks us about our faith, their questions may boil down to a single foundational question:

“Faith in what?”

or perhaps, “faith in whom?”

Let’s begin with what the Lord says about these connections. Jesus actually presents His clarifying question to the Apostles.

And out of all the possibilities of their answers, one stands out in every Gospel.

Peter’s answer to Jesus
- Gospel of Luke
9: And calling the twelve together, He gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick…

And departing, they were going from village to village, proclaiming the gospel and healing everywhere.

Peter Confesses Jesus Is the Christ

(Mat 16:13–20; Mar 8:27–30 )

.. and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

.. And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Luke 9:18b,20a BSB

And Peter answered and said,

“The Christ of God.”
- Gospel of Matthew
And Simon Peter answered and said,

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Mat 16:16 LSB
- Gospel of Mark
And He continued asking them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”

Mark 8:29 LSB

Peter provided an answer communited to him by the Holy Spirit of God. And the Apostle John through the same Spirit says the same more fully and in mysterious revealed detail.

Gospel of John

Nearly all of us are familiar with John’s introduction of Jesus in his Gospel:

IN THE BEGINNING was the Word [logos]

(We will come to discover that John refers to JESUS as the Word in the flesh.)

and the Word

was with God [Theos]

[but now, in John 1:1, the Apostle clearly states:]

And the Word was God.

1:1 ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος

John 1:1 LSB – English translation from Greek New Testament

JESUS IS GOD !

The Gospels all record that the twelve Apostles witness God’s power personally MANY TIMES in JESUS.

“I and the Father are [in essence] one,” John records later in his Gospel [John 10:30].

The Apostle’s Gospel of connection to the Living God revealingly becomes even stronger and more forward-facing after Jesus’ resurrection.

We see this first in Peter and John, but with an additional absolute faith in Christ later proclaimed to all the world by the Apostle Paul.

John 20 – Apostolic Authority from God

ἐμφυσάω

emphysáō – John 20:22, where Jesus, after the manner of the Hebrew prophets, expresses by the symbolic act of breathing upon the apostles the communication of the Holy Spirit to them

He breathed on them and *said to them,

“Receive the Holy Spirit.

Gospel of John 20:22b LSB

Christ’s communication from the One God — Father, Son and now the Holy Spirit given — to His Apostles sent into all the world with Gospel Good News!

What is Apostolic Faith?

πίστις – faith, assurance,believe, belief,them that believe, fidelity occurs 244 times in 228 verses in the TR Greek.

conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it
- the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ
- a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God
- the religious beliefs of Christians
- belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same
- fidelity, faithfulness
- the character of one who can be relied on
Source: Lexicon :: Strong’s G4102 – pistis – faith

This is Apostolic faith,

which finds its roots in the eternal truth that GOD IS — the Person of JESUS IS God — and Christ chose Apostles to continue God’s work of redemption of sinners by proclaiming the Gospel to all mankind.

Who are Apostles?

ACTS on Mission

Tens of Thousands of men, women and children witnessed the Son of God, JESUS, born as a man to a virgin.

Many followed JESUS as DISCIPLES, listening to His teachings and commands. Sometimes Jesus taught thousands. At other times hundreds would follow their Master (Lord) as a Rabbi sent from God. Jesus would teach a houseful of guests or sometimes just one chosen by Him even without witness of the Twelve.

More than five hundred witnessed Jesus AFTER the Lord’s crucifixion and resurrection from the grave (even as several had seen Him raise Lazarus and others).

.. He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles:

Luke 6:13, also Matthew 10 & Mark 3

Disciples followed their itinerant Rabbi from mountainside to village to city over three years, hearing the Messiah Jesus teach true faith. Yet even one of the Twelve had been chosen before time to betray the Lamb of God, our Savior redeeming our sins on a Cross in Jerusalem.

The APOSTLE’S sent out by Jesus were all chosen as witnesses to the Son of Man — an itinerant Teacher who was not of this world, but IS before all time — with God and was God.

Three Apostles nearer to Jesus

And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

And six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain alone by themselves. And He was transfigured before them;

Gospel of Mark 5:37, 9:2, additional references

James, the older brother of John, became the first Apostle martyred for his faith in Jesus just fourteen years into the establishing of the Church. Another would later replace him, as Matthias would replace Judas Iscariot.
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It would be James the half-brother of Jesus who would later lead the church in Jerusalem, writing epistles to followers of The Way and conferring with the Apostles including Peter and John. 
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We witness these three Apostles nearest to Jesus on several occasions, both before and after the Lord’s resurrection.

Many witness the boldness of Simeon Peter and John in the Temple after Jesus is risen. It’s just once instance where Apostles proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the face of imprisonment, persecution and even death.

Σίμων Πέτρος – Simon Peter

So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go?”

Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”

Gospel of John 6:68-69 LSB

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

And I also say to you that you are Peter,
and upon this rock
I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
Gospel of Matthew 16:17b-18 LSB

a Fisher of Men

Ἰωάννην Βοανηργές – John son of thunder

Jesus called these two brothers and close friends of His inner-circle of Apostles, “sons of thunder,” and more than once James and John had caused a commotion among his disciples.

And they [James and John] said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.”

.. And hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John.

Gospel of Mark 10:37,41 LSB

And nearer the time of their journey to Jerusalem for Jesus’ crucifixion:

And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”

But He turned and rebuked them..

Luke 9:54-55a LSB

THEN on a hideous hill outside Jerusalem, as Peter and the other Apostles hid distanced from the iniquitous crucifixion of Christ, the youngest of these dared a nearby witness of this most ironic Sacrifice of all time — the Son of God, their friend, hanging and pierced on a cursed Cross.

When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother,

“Woman, behold, your son!”

Then He said to the disciple,

“Behold, your mother!”

From that hour the disciple took her into his home.

Gospel of John 19:26-27 LSB + Witness of the Disciple Jesus loved – youngest of the Twelve

The Lord Jesus entrusted His own mother Mary to the beloved Disciple John, who so often would cling to Him and His every word.

Christ would also restore Peter as the Rock upon which He would build His church.

“Children, have you any fish?”

Jesus’ love and connection to these two Apostles cannot be disputed.

Σαῦλος – Saûlos – Ῥωμαῖος Ταρσέα

After His resurrection the Lord will also embrace an arch-enemy who had not only denied a connection of the Son to God the Father, but even worse had persecuted and killed followers of The Way.
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- Saul, Roman Citizen of Tarsus and Leading Jew of the Pharisees 
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And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

Acts of the Apostles 9:26 NKJV

Παῦλος – Paulos – ἀπόστολος ἐθνῶν
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apostolos ethnos  
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ACTS on Mission

But I say unto you, Love your enemies,

bless them that curse you,

do good to them that hate you,

and pray for them which despitefully use you,

and persecute you..

Gospel of Matthew 5:44 KJV – from Jesus’ sermon on the mount

.. and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen…

‘Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.’

And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Acts of the Apostles 7:58-60 excerpt KJV

Next: Introduction to the letters of Peter

Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
October 6, 2025
Letters to the saints of the First Century Church
An Introduction to the Epistles

TalkofJESUS.com would like to introduce you to an overview of some of the letters of the New Testament.
- We have recently finished a SERIES from 1 Corinthians and will soon study three more epistles.
What’s an Epistle?
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Here's a general sense of it from Scripture: 
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So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:

Acts of the Apostles 15:20 KJV

[Soldiers] Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle [from the chief captain of the centurions] to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

Acts 23:26 KJV

ἐπιστολή –

epistolḗ, ep-is-tol-ay’; from G1989; a written message:—”epistle,” letter.
- to send one a message, command
- to write a letter
- to enjoin by letter, to write instructions
BlueLetterBible.org

Historical Context in the Early Church

During the first century AD, written communication held a central role in connecting communities separated by great distances. It was common for Christian leaders to address the fledgling groups of believers through written correspondence, ensuring consistent teaching and doctrinal guidance. These epistles were often circulated among multiple churches (see Colossians 4:16) and copied for preservation and further dissemination.

The Greco-Roman practice of public reading of letters provided an effective way to convey instructions and encourage unity. Such letters were seen as authoritative instructions from established leaders, which enabled early Christians to remain steadfast in their beliefs and practices.

BibleHub.com

The New Testament generally indexes Epistles by the place of its recipients, i.e. Philippians, but occasionally by the name of the letter writer, i.e. James.

Older translations like the King James Version use Epistle or Letter from the same Greek word most translations simply title, ‘Letter.’

How do WE respond after hearing a letter from an Apostle of Jesus Christ to our Church?

Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel

PAUL and Twelve Apostles had been sent into all the world by the risen Lord Jesus Christ to preach the Gospel.

~ A.D. 30 – Beginning with the Twelve Disciples responding to the command of the risen Lord Jesus:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts of the Apostles 1:8 ESV

A diaspora of the Gospel (Good News) of the risen Christ began with more than five-hundred witnesses of Jesus after the crucifixion of Israel’s Messiah.

See: 1 Corinthians 15:6 [context 1 Cor 15:3-8]

It began, as Jesus commanded, in Jerusalem — Simon Peter and John as Christ’s first vocal witnesses in the Temple — the Gospel then spreading throughout Judea and Galilee, and with Philip in Samaria, Gaza and Caesarea.

Followers of The Way of Jesus Christ establish many churches in person and later write to church leaders (elders) to build up the saints of these churches during difficult times of several decades of the first century.

Acts of the Apostles (including some letter writing)

Acts is an account of FIRST-HAND WITNESS written for saints of every era — AS SCRIPTURE AND TRUTH of the GOSPEL of our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST.

When did the Apostles write their LETTERS?
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ALL dates approximate
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- AD 49 – James (half-brother of Jesus) writes a letter sent to several churches
- Paul writes a letter to the near-by churches in Galatia (during his first missionary journey)
- AD 50 – During his second missionary journey, Paul writes a letter to the church in Thessalonica (which he had established), then later a second letter.
- AD 55 – Paul writes a letter to the Corinthians (where the Apostle had established this church during his previous mission) and then will write a second letter to these saints a year later.
A contemporary analogy
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Need a context to our Common Era? 

Taking that the Lord Jesus Christ had been crucified, buried and rose from the grave before ascending into heaven some 25 years ago, WE would be witnessing this HISTORY as if it had occured in about 2000 CE. 

(And much has happened with the church since then..) 
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First Corinthians Featured Series
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TALK OF JESUS .COM LINKS to each Chapter of Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians
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What did Paul write in Second Corinthians?
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a year later...
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Although we will not include 2 Corinthians in our current series of Second (or 3rd) Epistles, TAKE A LOOK at the focus of Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians written in ~ A.D. 56. 
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Key Themes [partial] Endurance through difficulty and Christlike behavior are made possible by the grace of God and are modeled by Paul himself.

The Spirit transforms believers into the image of God, which is seen in Christ.

Christ, as Savior, is also the universal Judge.

ESV Global Study Bible
INTRODUCTION TO
2 CORINTHIANS

Theme: Strength in Christ

But He said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
—
2 Corinthians 12:9
BibleHub .com 2 Corinthians

MORE of the TIMELINE of the Apostolic Epistles

First Century YEARS of continuous Letters (Epistles) to the Church
- AD 57 Paul writes to the Romans
- AD 60-62 While in Rome, writes three Epistles to the churches
  - in Ephesus in Asia,
  - Philippi in Macedonia and
  - Colossae near Laodecia east of Ephesus
  - and a personal plea to Philemon, leader of a house church in or near Colossae concerning his fellow escaped slave Onesimus.
- AD 62-64 After his release from prison in Rome, Paul writes his First pastoral epistle to Timothy, the Apostle’s protege and successor as pastor to the church in Ephesus.
- AD 62-64 The Apostle Paul writes a pastoral Epistle to Titus, between his first and second Roman imprisonments, from either Corinth or Nicopolis.
- AD 64 The Apostle Peter writes his First Epistle to ‘the strangers [or pilgrims] scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, from Rome at the time Nero burns it, referring to it as ‘Babylon.’
- AD 66 – Christians flee Jerusalem rather than join a Jewish revolt against Rome.
  - Some historians estimate the dates of these Epistles and martyrdoms of Peter & Paul earlier around A.D. 64
- AD 66-67 SECOND PASTORAL LETTER OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY
  - (SOON: part of our NEXT Featured SERIES)
- AD 67-68 SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER
  - (SOON: part of our NEXT Featured SERIES)
- AD 60’s Epistle to the Hebrews
AD 70 Rome destroys Jerusalem

Burning of Jerusalem AD70
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Do you need a contemporary compasspoint again? 

It's now been 40 years since AD 30, our pivotal point in HISTORY. 
Think back now forty contempory years to AD 1985. How has YOUR church changed?
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- AD 70’s Epistle of Jude (the younger half-brother of Jesus.)
- AD 85-95 The Apostle John writes his Gospel and THREE EPISTLES
  - (2 John & 3 John included in our NEXT Featured SERIES)
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne,

Epistles for a Common Era church

Once again – a paradigm shift ahead to 2025 of the Common Era.

Our pivotal HISTORY of ACTS of the Apostles and the Gospel began back in the AD 30’s

and the Apostle John writes to the churches in the AD 90’s.

Sixty-some years ago — in the years of our Lord the 1960’s.

Once again, I will ask YOU, my fellow saints of the Lord Jesus Christ:

How do WE respond after hearing a letter from an Apostle of Jesus Christ to our Church?

Even in these last days of the Common Era let us proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world with a remnant of souls yet to be saved from the wrath to come.

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
October 1, 2025
First Corinthians Synopsis- Do everything in love
Love — exceeds wisdom, but does not exclude it.

Would you say that this pretty much sums up Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church?

You desire wisdom (and some of you have it), but seek the love of God available to us through our Lord Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 16:
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I recommend that you read 1 Cor 16 here [in the link above], since I will not detail much of this closing chapter (into which of course Paul's letters were not divided) in this brief synopsis. 
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Paul closes his epistle to the Corinthian saints first by asking for their charity to help the struggling and persecuted church in Jerusalem. (Their regimen should be like what the Apostle set in place for the Galatian churches.

Part of the collection of gifts and delivery of other epistles (letters) always depends upon who may be available at the time.

Paul is not in person, which is why he writes, and neither is Apollos.

The Apostle closes his letter with several detailed instructions, explanations of where and why they travel with the Gospel, and specific mention of several individuals (to whom we will get after looking back at Paul’s entire epistle to the Corinthians).

Basically, this is his personal closing like any of us would end a personal letter to loved ones.

Corrective Behavior – Guided by Love

Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love [agapē] — but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 Christian Standard Bible
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We addressed this central theme of agape love in 1 Corinthians 13. 
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To have and to hold Christian Love

John MacArthur introduces Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians:

Although the major thrust of this epistle is corrective of behavior rather than of doctrine, Paul gives seminal teaching on many doctrines that directly relate to the matters of sin and righteousness.

In one way or another, wrong living always stems from wrong belief.

John MacArthur :: Bible Introductions – 1 Corinthians

Another introduction to Paul’s first epistle put’s it this way:

Summary: 1 Corinthians addresses issues within the Corinthian church, emphasizing unity, moral integrity, and spiritual gifts.

Paul advises on matters like divisions, immorality, and worship practices, highlighting love as the greatest virtue.

He confirms the resurrection of Christ and its implications for believers.

1 Corinthians Overview – Theme: Christian Living
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We might note Paul's caution in the verses preceding our opening verse here. 

Many of you know this and understand that it has little to do with age and more to application of Christ's love in your mortal life. 
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When I was a child,

I spoke like a child,

I thought like a child,

I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I put aside childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:11 CSB

The Apostle’s entire letter to worshipping saints of the church in Corinth sought to correct childish morals with the firm and gentle love of God.

megas agapē – the Greatest Love

In addition to Paul, advice on LOVE also proceeds from the words of Jesus.

“Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold.

Gospel of Matthew 24:12 CSB

Christ is prophesying signs of the end of the age.

Let the Common Era reader understand.

Like the Apostles Paul, John and others, Jesus also addresses His followers (any disciples) as “little children.”

“Little children, I am with you a little while longer…

.. you are also to love one another.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Gospel of John 13:33a,34c-35 CSB

Paul’s great dilemma in ‘fathering’ the Corinthians was to correct some of these disobedient children in the faith with the love Christ commands for each of us who claim Jesus as Lord.

The Wisdom of Mature Love in Christ

What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

1 Corinthians 4:21 CSB

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up...

But if anyone loves God, he is known by him.

1 Corinthians 8:1,3 CSB

Speaking of human wisdom, Paul compares it by saying that ‘knowledge makes arrogant’ [KJV] gnōsis physioō;

while agapē Love edifies [KJV].

Idols – Stumbling in Christian Liberty – 1 Corinthians 8
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Grow-up from the wisdom of an arrogant child, beloved believer, into the love and faith in Christ Jesus who loved us so much as to have died for us. 
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And we all know and many can quote some translation of Paul’s famous ‘love chapter’ 13 highlighted above.

If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal…

13-1 CSB
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How many clanging christians in our Common Evangelicalism claim Jesus without love? 
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Love – ἀγάπη -agapē

suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up…

13:4 NKJV

Synopsis of 1 Corinthians

The opening and closing of Paul’s epistle both appeal to the individual love [agapē] of the Corinthians the Apostle knew and loved so well.

He contrasted the morals and behaviors of those who challenged their faith in Christ Jesus to the childish ways of the wisdom of the world worshipping SELF — even with the crowds in Corinth’s temples of worship of myths and wisdom of the logic of mythological man-created gods and goddesses.

Wisdom of the Cross *a few points
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* from ROAD MAPS for the PAULINE EPISTLES - Kress Biblical Resources
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- The church must deal with unrepentant sin. (5)
- The church must deal with disputes among its members. (6)
- Stay focuses on serving Christ whether married or single. (7)
- The right practice and purpose of the Lord’s Supper (11)
- Spiritual gifts should unify and build up the church (12)
- Spiritual gifts should prioritize the proclamation of the truth to others in an orderly manner — not pacification of self. (14)
Our Imperishable Resurrection Body Raised in Glory and Power
- The RESURRECTION is certain
- The RESURRECTION is supernatural
- The RESURRECTION is our sure hope and motivation
HOW IS YOUR CHURCH DOING WITH THESE?

Paul loved the Corinthian saints as Christ has loved us.

The Apostle closes his epistle with these important points:
- Plans and communication are important for and effective gospel ministry.
- Personal relationships and communication are important for and effective gospel ministry.
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In closing, let's look at what the Apostle writes to the leaders and saints of Corinth — and to the pastors and Sunday sheep of our Common Era christian flocks. 

After all, when you write to someone you love, don't you want to leave them with a final thought about you and what you write to them? 
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Final Exhortation

16:13

γρηγορέω – Be alert

“Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.[in which the Son of Man is coming.]

Gospel of Matthew 25:13

Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, [NASB]

στήκω – stand firm in πίστις – the faith

Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith? ”

And they were terrified[filled with awe] and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him! ”

Gospel of Mark 4:40-41 CSB

ἀνδρίζομαι – act like a man [be courageous]

andrizomai – Middle voice from ἀνήρ (G435) – man, husband, sir, fellow (not a boy or woman)

κραταιόω – be strong.

The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on him.

Gospel of Luke 2:40 CSB

6:14

Let all that you do be done in love.
1 CORINTHIANS 16:14 ESV – Paul’s closing appeal to the CHURCH

Paul’s talking AGAPE here.

Other translations read:
- Let all your things be done with charity. – KJV
- And do everything with love. – NLT
- All that you do must be done in love. – NASB20
One FINAL WARNING

Whoever does not love our Lord Yeshua The Messiah,

let him be damned. our Lord has come.

1 Corinthians 16:22 – Aramaic Bible in Plain English

Quite a CONVICTING affirmation!

Other translations use simply Lord, or ‘the Lord Jesus Christ’ but the Person of their intent is the same Lord and God NONE dare oppose!

1 Corinthians 16:22 Translations
- let him be Anathema
  - accursed
- that person is cursed
- let that person be cursed!
  - tis & eimi (here) are not specific to males
- a curse be on him.
- Let anyone who has no love for the Lord be accursed.
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Don't get to hung up on the specific words — or English parts of speech. 
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The seriousness of the Apostle’s line-in-the-sand for Christians cannot be missed.

The term “curse” translates from the Greek “anathema,” meaning something devoted to destruction.

In the Jewish context, it referred to things set apart for God, often through destruction, as seen in Joshua 6:17 with the fall of Jericho.

Paul uses strong language to stress the seriousness of rejecting Christ,

aligning with Galatians 1:8-9, where he condemns any gospel contrary to the one he preached. This reflects the early church’s struggle against false teachings and the necessity of maintaining doctrinal purity.

Biblehub.com Study Bible – 1 Corinthians 16:22

a FINAL word

Unfamiliar to MOST Common Era christians, Paul uses the words: μαράνα θά — marana tha – [English: “Maranatha“]

Most English translations substitute its meaning — an invitation worthy of our most serious consideration.

Of Aramaic origin (meaning our Lord has come).

The Apostle concludes his epistle to the Corinthian church:

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.

My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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And thus do I conclude our study of Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians, joining the Apostle in His love for all of you. 
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Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
May 31, 2025