Bible Verses About Religious Zeal

redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,

and on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,

for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

But that ye also may know my affairs, how I do, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:

Now I would have you know, brethren, that the thingswhich happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the progress of the gospel;

so that my bonds became manifest in Christ throughout the whole prætorian guard, and to all the rest;

and that most of the brethren in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

the one do it of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel;

but the other proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds.

What then? only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and therein I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing shall I be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.

But if to live in the flesh,—if this shall bring fruit from my work, then what I shall choose I know not.

But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very far better:

yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for your sake.

And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, yea, and abide with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith;

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the gospel;

and in nothing affrighted by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God;

that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world,

holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain.