Bible in a Year.

On day 325, Acts 4 shows us the apostles' boldness in preaching the Word even under persecution. Romans 6-7 explains the struggle against sin and new life in Christ. Proverbs 27:4-6 teaches us that true friendship can include honest rebuke and that sincere love does not shy away from necessary correction.

1. And as they were speaking to the people, the priests, and the officer of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

2. Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead:

3. And they laid hands upon them, and put them in hold till the next day; for it was now evening.

4. But many of them who had heard the word, believed; and the number of the men was made five thousand.

5. And it came to pass on the morrow, that their princes, and ancients, and scribes, were gathered together in Jerusalem;

6. And Annas the high priest, and Caiphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest.

7. And setting them in the midst, they asked: By what power, or by what name, have you done this?

8. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them: Ye princes of the people, and ancients, hear:

9. If we this day are examined concerning the good deed done to the infirm man, by what means he hath been made whole:

10. Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the dead, even by him this man standeth here before you whole.

11. This is the stone which was rejected by you the builders, which is become the head of the corner.

12. Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved.

13. Now seeing the constancy of Peter and of John, understanding that they were illiterate and ignorant men, they wondered; and they knew them that they had been with Jesus.

14. Seeing the man also who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

15. But they commanded them to go aside out of the council; and they conferred among themselves,

16. Saying: What shall we do to these men? for indeed a known miracle hath been done by them, to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: it is manifest, and we cannot deny it.

17. But that it may be no farther spread among the people, let us threaten them that they speak no more in this name to any man.

18. And calling them, they charged them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19. But Peter and John answering, said to them: If it be just in the sight of God, to hear you rather than God, judge ye.

20. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

21. But they threatening, sent them away, not finding how they might punish them, because of the people; for all men glorified what had been done, in that which had come to pass.

22. For the man was above forty years old, in whom that miraculous cure had been wrought.

23. And being let go, they came to their own company, and related all that the chief priests and ancients had said to them.

24. Who having heard it, with one accord lifted up their voice to God, and said: Lord, thou art he that didst make heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that are in them.

25. Who, by the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of our father David, thy servant, hast said: Why did the Gentiles rage, and the people meditate vain things?

26. The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes assembled together against the Lord and his Christ.

27. For of a truth there assembled together in this city against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel,

28. To do what thy hand and thy counsel decreed to be done.

29. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants, that with all confidence they may speak thy word,

30. By stretching forth thy hand to cures, and signs, and wonders to be done by the name of thy holy Son Jesus.

31. And when they had prayed, the place was moved wherein they were assembled; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with confidence.

32. And the multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul: neither did any one say that aught of the things which he possessed, was his own; but all things were common unto them.

33. And with great power did the apostles give testimony of the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord; and great grace was in them all.

34. For neither was there any one needy among them. For as many as were owners of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the price of the things they sold,

35. And laid it down before the feet of the apostles. And distribution was made to every one, according as he had need.

36. And Joseph, who, by the apostles, was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, by interpretation, The son of consolation,) a Levite, a Cyprian born,

37. Having land, sold it, and brought the price, and laid it at the feet of the apostles.

Chapter 6

1. What shall we say, then? shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

2. God forbid. For we that are dead to sin, how shall we live any longer therein?

3. Know you not that all we, who are baptized in Christ Jesus, are baptized in his death?

4. For we are buried together with him by baptism into death; that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life.

5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin may be destroyed, to the end that we may serve sin no longer.

7. For he that is dead is justified from sin.

8. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall live also together with Christ:

9. Knowing that Christ rising again from the dead, dieth now no more, death shall no more have dominion over him.

10. For in that he died to sin, he died once; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God:

11. So do you also reckon, that you are dead to sin, but alive unto God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

12. Let no sin therefore reign in your mortal body, so as to obey the lusts thereof.

13. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of iniquity unto sin; but present yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of justice unto God.

14. For sin shall not have dominion over you; for you are not under the law, but under grace.

15. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

16. Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are whom you obey, whether it be of sin unto death, or of obedience unto justice.

17. But thanks be to God, that you were the servants of sin, but have obeyed from the heart, unto that form of doctrine, into which you have been delivered.

18. Being then freed from sin, we have been made servants of justice.

19. I speak an human thing, because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity, unto iniquity; so now yield your members to serve justice, unto sanctification.

20. For when you were the servants of sin, you were free men to justice.

21. What fruit therefore had you then in those things, of which you are now ashamed? For the end of them is death.

22. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end life everlasting.

23. For the wages of sin is death. But the grace of God, life everlasting, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Chapter 7

1. Know you not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) that the law hath dominion over a man, as long as it liveth?

2. For the woman that hath an husband, whilst her husband liveth is bound to the law. But if her husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

3. Therefore, whilst her husband liveth, she shall be called an adulteress, if she be with another man: but if her husband be dead, she is delivered from the law of her husband; so that she is not an adulteress, if she be with another man.

4. Therefore, my brethren, you also are become dead to the law, by the body of Christ; that you may belong to another, who is risen again from the dead, that we may bring forth fruit to God.

5. For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death.

6. But now we are loosed from the law of death, wherein we were detained; so that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

7. What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? God forbid. But I do not know sin, but by the law; for I had not known concupiscence, if the law did not say: Thou shalt not covet.

8. But sin taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

9. And I lived some time without the law. But when the commandment came, sin revived,

10. And I died. And the commandment that was ordained to life, the same was found to be unto death to me.

11. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, seduced me, and by it killed me.

12. Wherefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

13. Was that then which is good, made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it may appear sin, by that which is good, wrought death in me; that sin, by the commandment, might become sinful above measure.

14. For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin.

15. For that which I work, I understand not. For I do not that good which I will; but the evil which I hate, that I do.

16. If then I do that which I will not, I consent to the law, that it is good.

17. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

18. For I know that there dwelleth not in me, that is to say, in my flesh, that which is good. For to will, is present with me; but to accomplish that which is good, I find not.

19. For the good which I will, I do not; but the evil which I will not, that I do.

20. Now if I do that which I will not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21. I find then a law, that when I have a will to do good, evil is present with me.

22. For I am delighted with the law of God, according to the inward man:

23. But I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my mind, and captivating me in the law of sin, that is in my members.

24. Unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25. The grace of God, by Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, I myself, with the mind serve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin.

4. Anger hath no mercy, nor fury when it breaketh forth: and who can bear the violence of one provoked?

5. Open rebuke is better than hidden love.

6. Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.