The LORD has told the foreign nations to come like wild animals and devour his people.

He says, "All the leaders, who are supposed to warn my people, are blind! They know nothing. They are like watch dogs that don't bark---they only lie around and dream. How they love to sleep!

On your walls, Jerusalem, I have placed sentries; They must never be silent day or night. They must remind the LORD of his promises And never let him forget them.

Then the LORD appointed sentries to listen for the trumpet's warning. But they said, "We will not listen."

"Mortal man," he said, "I am making you a lookout for the nation of Israel. You will pass on to them the warnings I give you.

"Mortal man," he said, "tell your people what happens when I bring war to a land. The people of that country choose one of their number to be a lookout.

"Now, mortal man, I am making you a lookout for the nation of Israel. You must pass on to them the warnings I give you.

It will be like a man who goes away from home on a trip and leaves his servants in charge, after giving to each one his own work to do and after telling the doorkeeper to keep watch.

What I say to you, then, I say to all: Watch!"

How happy are those servants whose master finds them awake and ready when he returns! I tell you, he will take off his coat, have them sit down, and will wait on them.

The time will come when some men from your own group will tell lies to lead the believers away after them.

Watch, then, and remember that with many tears, day and night, I taught every one of you for three years.

So then, we should not be sleeping like the others; we should be awake and sober.

Obey your leaders and follow their orders. They watch over your souls without resting, since they must give to God an account of their service. If you obey them, they will do their work gladly; if not, they will do it with sadness, and that would be of no help to you.

So wake up, and strengthen what you still have before it dies completely. For I find that what you have done is not yet perfect in the sight of my God.

Do not be ashamed, then, of witnessing for our Lord; neither be ashamed of me, a prisoner for Christ's sake. Instead, take your part in suffering for the Good News, as God gives you the strength for it.

Take your part in suffering, as a loyal soldier of Christ Jesus.

and so I endure everything for the sake of God's chosen people, in order that they too may obtain the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus and brings eternal glory.

But you have followed my teaching, my conduct, and my purpose in life; you have observed my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance,

Everyone who wants to live a godly life in union with Christ Jesus will be persecuted;

On the following day we left and arrived in Caesarea. There we stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen as helpers in Jerusalem.

It was he who "gave gifts to people"; he appointed some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and teachers.

Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith, and purity.

Practice these things and devote yourself to them, in order that your progress may be seen by all.

by the power of miracles and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. And so, in traveling all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum, I have proclaimed fully the Good News about Christ.

And I have been made a servant of the church by God, who gave me this task to perform for your good. It is the task of fully proclaiming his message,

And tell Archippus, "Be sure to finish the task you were given in the Lord's service."