We sailed slowly for several days and with great difficulty finally arrived off the town of Cnidus. The wind would not let us go any farther in that direction, so we sailed down the sheltered side of the island of Crete, passing by Cape Salmone.

The harbor was not a good one to spend the winter in; so almost everyone was in favor of putting out to sea and trying to reach Phoenix, if possible, in order to spend the winter there. Phoenix is a harbor in Crete that faces southwest and northwest.

I left you in Crete, so that you could put in order the things that still needed doing and appoint church elders in every town. Remember my instructions:

It was a Cretan himself, one of their own prophets, who spoke the truth when he said, "Cretans are always liars, wicked beasts, and lazy gluttons." For this reason you must rebuke them sharply, so that they may have a healthy faith

in addition to the taxes paid by merchants, the profits from trade, and tribute paid by the Arabian kings and the governors of the Israelite districts.

Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat a large amount of silver and other gifts, and some Arabs brought him 7,700 sheep and 7,700 goats.

God helped him defeat the Philistines, the Arabs living at Gurbaal, and the Meunites.

No one will ever live there again. No wandering Arab will ever pitch a tent there, and no shepherd will ever pasture a flock there.

This is a message about Arabia. People of Dedan, you whose caravans camp in the barren country of Arabia,

Look up at the hilltops. Is there any place where you have not acted like a prostitute? You waited for lovers along the roadside, as an Arab waits for victims in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution.

(SEE 25:19)

nor did I go to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me. Instead, I went at once to Arabia, and then I returned to Damascus.

Hagar, who stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia, is a figure of the present city of Jerusalem, in slavery with all its people.

" LORD, who among the gods is like you? Who is like you, wonderful in holiness? Who can work miracles and mighty acts like yours?

We cannot understand the great things he does, and to his miracles there is no end.

I sing a hymn of thanksgiving and tell of all your wonderful deeds.

You have done many things for us, O LORD our God; there is no one like you! You have made many wonderful plans for us. I could never speak of them all--- their number is so great!

You have taught me ever since I was young, and I still tell of your wonderful acts.

I will remember your great deeds, LORD; I will recall the wonders you did in the past.

We will not keep them from our children; we will tell the next generation about the LORD's power and his great deeds and the wonderful things he has done.

The heavens sing of the wonderful things you do; the holy ones sing of your faithfulness, LORD.

Proclaim his glory to the nations, his mighty deeds to all peoples.

They must thank the LORD for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them.

They must thank the LORD for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them.

They must thank the LORD for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them.

The LORD does not let us forget his wonderful actions; he is kind and merciful.

He alone performs great miracles; his love is eternal.

LORD, you are my God; I will honor you and praise your name. You have done amazing things; you have faithfully carried out the plans you made long ago.

All this wisdom comes from the LORD Almighty. The plans God makes are wise, and they always succeed.

Listen to my account of the wonders and miracles which the Supreme God has shown me.

"How great are the wonders God shows us! How powerful are the miracles he performs! God is king forever; he will rule for all time.

The Spirit gives one person the power to work miracles; to another, the gift of speaking God's message; and to yet another, the ability to tell the difference between gifts that come from the Spirit and those that do not. To one person he gives the ability to speak in strange tongues, and to another he gives the ability to explain what is said.

In the church God has put all in place: in the first place apostles, in the second place prophets, and in the third place teachers; then those who perform miracles, followed by those who are given the power to heal or to help others or to direct them or to speak in strange tongues.

At the same time God added his witness to theirs by performing all kinds of miracles and wonders and by distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his will.