This, however, was bound to happen so that what is written in their Law may come true: 'They hated me for no reason at all.'

While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me. I protected them, and not one of them was lost, except the man who was bound to be lost---so that the scripture might come true.

The soldiers said to one another, "Let's not tear it; let's throw dice to see who will get it." This happened in order to make the scripture come true: "They divided my clothes among themselves and gambled for my robe." And this is what the soldiers did.

This was done to make the scripture come true: "Not one of his bones will be broken."

And there is another scripture that says, "People will look at him whom they pierced."

They crucified him and then divided his clothes among them by throwing dice.

For the people who live in Jerusalem and their leaders did not know that he is the Savior, nor did they understand the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Yet they made the prophets' words come true by condemning Jesus.

And after they had done everything that the Scriptures say about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb.

Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed to God and cried out to him for help.

You hypocrites! How right Isaiah was when he prophesied about you!

(SEE 8:27)

Philip ran over and heard him reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. He asked him, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

And Isaiah is even bolder when he says, "I was found by those who were not looking for me; I appeared to those who were not asking for me."

The people reply, "Who would have believed what we now report? Who could have seen the LORD's hand in this?

But not all have accepted the Good News. Isaiah himself said, "Lord, who believed our message?"

Your people did not conquer the land with their swords; they did not win it by their own power; it was by your power and your strength, by the assurance of your presence, which showed that you loved them.

The Sovereign LORD is coming to rule with power, bringing with him the people he has rescued.

He will take care of his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs together and carry them in his arms; he will gently lead their mothers.

I will come quickly and save them; the time of my victory is near. I myself will rule over the nations. Distant lands wait for me to come; they wait with hope for me to save them.

Wake up, LORD, and help us! Use your power and save us; use it as you did in ancient times. It was you that cut the sea monster Rahab to pieces.

but for those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, this message is Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

"Good for you, Simon son of John!" answered Jesus. "For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven.

Their minds, indeed, were closed; and to this very day their minds are covered with the same veil as they read the books of the old covenant. The veil is removed only when a person is joined to Christ.

But it can be removed, as the scripture says about Moses: "His veil was removed when he turned to the Lord."

All of us, then, reflect the glory of the Lord with uncovered faces; and that same glory, coming from the Lord, who is the Spirit, transforms us into his likeness in an ever greater degree of glory.

For if the gospel we preach is hidden, it is hidden only from those who are being lost.

For it is not ourselves that we preach; we preach Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

to reveal his Son to me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the Gentiles, I did not go to anyone for advice,

and ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you the Spirit, who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you will know him.

and how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength