6.18 Aftercare, Filling, Discipleship, Renewal, and Staying Free

⁴³ When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.

⁴⁴ Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ On its return, it finds the house vacant, swept clean, and put in order.

⁴⁵ Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that man is worse than the first. So will it be with this wicked generation.”

²⁴ When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’

²⁵ On its return, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.

²⁶ Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that man is worse than the first.”

³¹ So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.

³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

³³ “We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”

³⁴ Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

³⁵ A slave does not remain in the house forever, but a son remains forever.

³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

¹ “I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard.

² He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.

³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

⁴ Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.

⁵ I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.

⁶ If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.

⁷ If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

⁸ This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.

⁹ As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love.

¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.

¹¹ I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

³⁹ This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.”

⁴¹ Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

¹⁹ Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord,

²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.

⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

¹ Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

⁵ Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.

⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.

⁷ When you lived among them, you also used to walk in these ways.

⁸ But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices,

¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

¹¹ Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.

¹² Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

¹³ Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.

¹⁶ Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

³ His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

⁴ Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;

⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;

⁷ and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

⁸ For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁹ But whoever lacks these traits is nearsighted to the point of blindness, having forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

¹⁰ Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble,

¹¹ and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

⁸ Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

⁹ Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.

¹⁰ And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you.