Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

User talk:1990'sguy

2018-11-07T14:33:19Z

StrawberryLavender: /* Troll */

{{welcome}}

Thanks for adding your edits, hopefully you'll become a regular contributor. If I can help you out with anything let me know. [[User:Progressingamerica|Progressingamerica]] ([[User talk:Progressingamerica|talk]]) 19:45, 27 July 2016 (EDT)

:Thank you! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 19:49, 27 July 2016 (EDT)

Account promoted to skip the Captcha requirement. Thanks for your enlightening edits to [[Examples of Bias in Wikipedia]].

Congratulations!--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 19:37, 28 July 2016 (EDT)

:Thank you! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 19:45, 28 July 2016 (EDT)
::Congratulations and welcome. You should be aware that people who edit at both CP and WP with the same user name are sometimes harrassed at WP as a result. [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 00:11, 29 July 2016 (EDT)
:::Thank you for the welcome and thanks for the heads up! I've already received some heat on Wikipedia for taking some unpopular positions and opposing the bias there, so it will be nothing new for me. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:36, 29 July 2016 (EDT)

----
I saw your helpful addition to the article on Murder of Seth Rich, so I thought I would visit your talk page. How long have you lasted on the WickedPedia? I would be surprised that you would last long there, as I have found the WickedPedia incredibly intolerant and censorious, a pseudo-aristocracy with dominating bullies, biased enough for me to consider it a candidate for the Big T award (T in the Calvinist TULIP); i.e, total depravity! LOL I don't think you can do much on Wikipedia without being part of a group of old boys or buddies who work together. ([[User:Thunkful2|Thunkful2]] ([[User talk:Thunkful2|talk]]) 19:26, 23 August 2016 (EDT))

:Did you mean my Wikipedia talk page? I have been editing Wikipedia for almost three years already. A big reason why I've lasted so long there is because many of the topics I edit are not particularly controversial. However, you are completely right in your description of Wikipedia. I have seen firsthand the massive (and very visible) intolerance and bias Wikipedia has against conservatives, Christians, and anything that contradicts secular and humanistic (pseudo)"scientific knowledge". I could probably write a book about all my criticisms of Wikipedia. I have been able to do some good work (I was able to bring the article "Electoral history of Ronald Reagan" to official "Good Article" status, and I created a few articles), but on other articles, like the Murder of Seth Rich, we cannot have much confidence on the quality and neutrality of those articles. I do applaud you, Thunkful2, for your excellent work on "Murder of Seth Rich". It's awesome that at least one person can accurately present this story! :) --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:35, 23 August 2016 (EDT)

----
I meant right here, this talk page -- I visited it after seeing your good edit. No, I haven't gone to your talk page on the WickedPedia. Thanks for the complement. ([[User:Thunkful2|Thunkful2]] ([[User talk:Thunkful2|talk]]) 10:45, 24 August 2016 (EDT))

:OK, got it. And thanks for your complement. :) --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:50, 24 August 2016 (EDT)

== References from Wikipedia ==

While it's not really plagiarism to copy a reference from WP, it just want to point out that you probably shouldn't do so unless you have read that source, and believe that it supports what is being said. If you are reading the books you are referencing, that's fine--I just can't tell. --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 23:33, 8 September 2016 (EDT)
:Oh, that's a good point. I actually did not read those books, I just wanted to cite something so I wouldn't be adding unsourced info to the article. Should I remove those references anyway? --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:36, 8 September 2016 (EDT)

::It is a good idea to find references to support unsourced statements, but it is a little deceptive to cite something you haven't read. To be entirely beyond reproach, removal probably would be best. At this point though, I honestly don't know if I'd bother. In my opinion, it's up to you. No one else has said anything, so it might be okay to leave them, I'm just not sure. --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 23:51, 8 September 2016 (EDT)

:::OK. I will do my own research and find other sources that I can use instead. However, it's getting late, so I will deal with that tomorrow. Thanks for your help! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:58, 8 September 2016 (EDT)

== Account promoted ==

Your account has been promoted to include blocking and overnight editing capability. Congratulations!--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 00:30, 29 September 2016 (EDT)

:Congratulations! --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 00:57, 29 September 2016 (EDT)

::Well done! [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] ([[User talk:AlanE|talk]]) 01:06, 29 September 2016 (EDT)

:::Thanks all! I really appreciate it! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 10:21, 29 September 2016 (EDT)

::::Excellent! you did good keeping an eye on that vandal yesterday. [[User:Progressingamerica|Progressingamerica]] ([[User talk:Progressingamerica|talk]]) 14:52, 29 September 2016 (EDT)

:::::Thanks, Progressingamerica, I appreciate it! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 16:42, 29 September 2016 (EDT)

==Reading the WSJ==
Re: [[Christoph Blocher]]

Typically, when I want to read a WSJ article that requires subscriber sign in is to Google the headline and access the web page from a search engine instead of directly. Most of the time this requires a clean browser tab, sometimes it needs to be done in a different browser. Rarely, it requires a cookie clearing. Just thought that information may be of help. This even works with articles that are years old.

As a last resort, see if its in the internet archive.(though, most articles I don't want that bad to keep trying) But they're all good procedures to know. Sometimes works for other news sites too, besides WSJ. [[User:Progressingamerica|Progressingamerica]] ([[User talk:Progressingamerica|talk]]) 00:00, 10 October 2016 (EDT)

:Thanks for the tip! That's what I will do. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:32, 10 October 2016 (EDT)

== Account promoted ==

Your account has been promoted to include upload and rollback features. Congratulations!--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 17:26, 13 October 2016 (EDT)
:Thanks! I really appreciate it! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:36, 13 October 2016 (EDT)
::Congratulations! Keep it up! --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 19:31, 13 October 2016 (EDT)
:::Thanks David! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 19:43, 13 October 2016 (EDT)

== Move and unlock requests ==

You can post your move and unlock requests to [[User talk:Karajou]]. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 22:30, 13 October 2016 (EDT)
:Thanks for the tip! It's getting late, so I will do that tomorrow. I appreciate it! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:37, 13 October 2016 (EDT)
::You don't actually need any privileges to do a move. You can cut-and-paste from one lemma to another. For purposes of copyright law, the edit summaries must make it clear where the incoming material comes from. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 00:54, 14 October 2016 (EDT)

== Karajou blocked a user who expressed views supporting the Presidential candidate who is not a sexual preditor. ==

People should not be judged in race on alleged sexuality. A proper critique of Karajou would be asking him about blocking a user who expressed views supporting the Presidential candidate who is not a sexual preditor.--[[User:Rodgerr|Rodgerr]] ([[User talk:Rodgerr|talk]]) 19:04, 14 October 2016 (EDT)

:If you think you have been judged unfairly, you could have just emailed Karajou or webmaster@conservapedia.com (see [[Conservapedia:Guidelines#Member Accounts]]). However, more than once, you decided to take the low route, calling him filthy, immature words [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=User_talk:Karajou&diff=1283494&oldid=1283491]. See [[Conservapedia:Avoid personal remarks]]. And why in the world did you do this? [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Coal_burning&curid=140922&diff=1283484&oldid=1283423] (for someone who apparently abhors Trump for the tape, your words seem just as bad) That, honestly, is shameful. I will note that the "Bringreaganback" account clearly violated [[Conservapedia:90/10 rule]]. Considering all this, it's quite clear you deserved the block. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 19:12, 14 October 2016 (EDT)

== Mainpageleft ==

In response to your good question about entries on [[Template:Mainpageleft|Mainpageleft]], currently there are about 112 featured entries there, which are "reshuffled" periodically. Do you have any suggestions about how that "team" of entries be improved, with respect to insight, influence, popularity, interest level, educational value, etc.? It's a terrific mix of topics now but there is always room for improvement, particularly as the issues and interest in certain topics by the public inevitably shifts over time. Thanks much for any suggestions you may have.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 11:46, 18 October 2016 (EDT)

:An example: "[[Underrated Sports Stars]]" is a solid entry, but should probably be replaced on [[Template:Mainpageleft|Mainpageleft]]. Do you have any favored, influential, insightful, potentially or already popular entry that you like, which you would recommend to replace it?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 12:55, 18 October 2016 (EDT)

::I do have a few suggestions. [[Murder of Seth Rich]] is probably the best suggestion, as it is very detailed and well sourced. Also, the Wikipedia article of the murder has been the victim of leftist bias (two times, within a month, editors have tried to delete the article, and with that failing, the article appears to have been stripped of much detail) which our article covers well. Other suggestions that I have are the [[Ark Encounter]] (a popular and influential attraction, and one that has been the victim of atheist and evolutionary bias, which the article covers), and [[Larry McDonald]] (a true patriot who stayed true to his principles, and his article actually covers the theories on his possible survival). --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 20:22, 18 October 2016 (EDT)

== Account promoted again ==

Congratulations, your account has been promoted again, so that you can edit protected articles, and protect and unprotect articles. Very well done!--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 22:05, 10 November 2016 (EST)
:Wow! Thank you very much, Mr. Schlafly! I really appreciate it! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:19, 10 November 2016 (EST)
::Congratulations! I've had some problems with the "protect" privilege, but I hope it works for you! --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 01:35, 12 November 2016 (EST)
:::Thanks! I hope so too! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 11:15, 12 November 2016 (EST)
::::Congratulations on yet another promotion. [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 11:46, 12 November 2016 (EST)
:::::Thanks! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 11:46, 12 November 2016 (EST)

==Can't edit article==
Hi again, 1990'sguy, it's Ambassador. Is there any reason I can't edit the article on the [[Big Bang]]? To keep atheists from changing it, I suppose. If you have access to it, you might want to add the point about the Big Bang, due to planets and moons spinning backwards, contradicting the law of Conservation of angular momentum. Find out about it [http://www.creationwiki.org/Three_planets_and_several_moons_revolve_backwards_(Talk.Origins) here]. Thanks! [[User:Ambassador|Ambassador]] ([[User talk:Ambassador|talk]]) 19:56, 22 November 2016 (EST)
:Yes, the article is protected probably because of atheist/secularist/liberal vandalism. Unfortunately, I cannot edit it myself as I do not have full admin capabilities. I recommend asking an admin ([http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Special:ListUsers&username=&group=sysop&limit=100 list]) to unlock the article or add the information you want added. Or, you can go to [[Talk:Main Page|the main talk page]] and add your request there, where more people can see it. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 21:08, 22 November 2016 (EST)

== Thank you! ==

Hello there, and thank you for editing the article on [[Islam and Christianity]]. --[[User:SWAJCAHL&S|SWAJCAHL&S]] ([[User talk:SWAJCAHL&S|talk]]) 09:13, 23 November 2016 (EST)
:No problem, and thank you for creating it! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 09:14, 23 November 2016 (EST)

::And also thank you, for your help - and tips! - on [[Jared Kushner]]. I'll try to remember the ref's and cat's in the future. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] ([[User talk:Ed Poor|talk]]) 21:49, 23 November 2016 (EST)
:::Sounds great and you're welcome! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:05, 23 November 2016 (EST)

== Geocentric page ==

I added a bit on the talk page a while ago. [[User:PeterIceHockey|PeterIceHockey]] ([[User talk:PeterIceHockey|talk]]) 17:15, 3 December 2016 (EST)
:Do you mean on the section "Ptolemy's view of a stationary earth"? --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:13, 3 December 2016 (EST)
::Sorry for the late reply but yes. It doesn't seemed to have created a new heading so I will add that now. [[User:PeterIceHockey|PeterIceHockey]] ([[User talk:PeterIceHockey|talk]]) 17:11, 5 December 2016 (EST)
:::I removed it. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:21, 5 December 2016 (EST)

== This is a simple misunderstanding. Please be reasonable. ==

This is [[User:Amorrow]]. I had to dirty myself by creating a sockpuppet because you cut off every last channel of communication. The issues:
# SSN of dead people are release by the government of the USA. I made it clear that my father is dead. His name was William Knight Morrow. You can find his name and SSN, for instance, at [http://sortedbybirthdate.com/pages/19311104.html this page]. It is public, not private.
# You could have removed that link and let it go at that. I do not require notification of such actions. I do not care about that link very much. I put it there simply as a convenience.
Is the matter resolved? If so, then please unblock me or let me know here what remains unresolved.--[[User:Amorrow2|Amorrow2]] ([[User talk:Amorrow2|talk]]) 20:44, 3 December 2016 (EST)

:I am discussing the issue on [[User talk:DavidB4]]. You are welcome to join in. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 20:48, 3 December 2016 (EST)
::You are unblocked. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 21:46, 3 December 2016 (EST)

==Pitch hitting==

Thanks for the ref [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Donald_Trump&oldid=1293435]. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 13:34, 18 December 2016 (EST)
:You're welcome. Always happy to help! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 15:15, 18 December 2016 (EST)

==Trump==
You're not telling me it's just a coincidence, are you? [[User:JohnZ|JohnZ]] ([[User talk:JohnZ|talk]]) 18:44, 23 December 2016 (EST)

:Seriously? It is extremely unlikely that this passage, which is about the Second Coming of Christ, has anything to do with Donald Trump. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:46, 23 December 2016 (EST)
::Dang :( Thought I'd had my first ever conservative insight. Must be the morphine. [[User:JohnZ|JohnZ]] ([[User talk:JohnZ|talk]]) 18:56, 23 December 2016 (EST)
:::I think this has more to do with biblical [[hermeneutics]] than conservatism. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 19:00, 23 December 2016 (EST)

== Merry Christmas ==

[[Image:Merry Christmas.gif|cebter|260px]]
{{clear}}
Thank you for all your contributions to Conservaoedia as far your web article content.

Merry Christmas! And have a happy New Year's Day. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 16:37, 24 December 2016 (EST)

:Thank you very much, Conservative, and the same to you as well! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 20:43, 24 December 2016 (EST)

== [[St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre]] ==

I suggest doing the redirect in the opposite direction for two reasons. First, it preserves the history and visits to the pre-existing entry. Second, it leaves intact the "Saint" spelled out, which is a stronger and more effective title than the secularized abbreviation. I'd be happy to change the direction of the redirect, if you agree. Regardless, thanks for your efforts!--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 23:01, 27 December 2016 (EST)

:Yes please, Mr. Schlafly, that would be great if you would move it. Just as long as the article shows up as being created by me on the "New Pages" feed. I didn't know that this article already existed, but I worked hard on it and I think that my article is of higher quality by any objective measure. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 16:39, 28 December 2016 (EST)

==European immigration==
I was thinking of doing an article on the [[European immigration]] problem (don't want to call 'European immigration crisis', yet). Americans are woefully ignorant of what's happening in Europe, and we're looking at doing perhaps the biggest change in Immigration law since 1952. In Europe, whole new political parties have been spawned because of the establishment parties failure to deal with the problems. In 20 years, the German mi!itary may be majority Muslim which would impact the future of the NATO alliance. Better get started now in educating the American public on changing demographics and how this may affect America's role as a Superpower, assuming it still is by then.

Would you care to collaborate? [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|''#NeverHillary'']] 01:39, 29 December 2016 (EST)

:Of course, I'll be happy to help! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 12:39, 29 December 2016 (EST)
::Do you think we should add a subsection under UK about Brexit and to what extent that was motivated by immigration? Also, I'd like to include something about the Schengen Agreement. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|''#NeverHillary'']] 16:46, 29 December 2016 (EST)
:::Both of those are great ideas. The "freedom of movement" EU policy played a large part in the referendum and its aftermath. People are tired of unlimited immigration.
:::As for the Schengen area, people can go anywhere they want in Europe without worrying about border security (and before, it was quite tough crossing the border I've heard). The agreement is an essential part of the EU plan to reach full political unification. It really has nothing to do with economics. Also, criminals and terrorists can easily cross the border. The recent Berlin attacker was caught in Italy. He crossed at least two borders without being caught. Imagine if he tried doing that without the agreement. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 16:53, 29 December 2016 (EST)
:::::Same as most of suspects in 1200 reported sexual assault cases New Years Eve in Cologne. Something like only 7 or 22 arrests have ever been made, while most of the other identified suspects are reported to have fled the country.[[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|''#NeverHillary'']] 17:06, 29 December 2016 (EST)

== Father's SSN ==

I created [[Social Security Death Index]]. After I add some ref's, I hope that we can revisit the notion of me declaring what my father's SSN is.

Just to mention where I got this idea from, it is from the web site anusha.com . Sloan has lived an erratic and at times immoral life, but he is just below the level of genius in raw talent. I refer to him as an "accidental adventurer". Please see thermo4thermo.org/sam_sloan.html for some of his life-adventures.
I am not promoting his lifestyle, but he is my publisher for my upcoming book. His web site is a mess. It has about 3000 pages but just a mess of cross-references. The home page is very, very long. You can look at pages like www.anusha.com/pafc147.htm . He also has pages like www.anusha.com/uncles-p.htm . His memory is almost perfect. Near Total Recall. Anyway, I hope we can engage in dialog about my father's SSN.--[[User:Amorrow|Amorrow]] ([[User talk:Amorrow|talk]]) 22:11, 3 January 2017 (EST)
==Hate crime==
Dear 1990'sguy, I am not trying to get into an edit war with you, but I believe that you are misreading the hate crime laws. They do not address "hate speech," just violence or other criminal acts against target groups that receive a lot of hate. I suggest that you do further research, and I hope that you will come to the same conclusion. Thanks, [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 20:31, 7 January 2017 (EST)
:For clarification, are you telling me that hate crime laws do not cover "hate speech"? Regardless, I think we should mention that slowly (but steadily) speaking out for biblical Christian principles (opposition to homosexual marriage, saying Islam is a false religion, etc.) is being seen as "hate speech" and vulnerable to being criminalized. See this recent story[https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/simon-turpin/2016/01/08/northern-ireland-pastor-not-guilty-criticising-islam/] and please note the recent attempts to censor Christian sermons in Houston (I don't know if other cities did the same). Censorship of Christian and conservative opinions is growing, and I could a few (but probably unrelated to hate crimes) examples. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 21:09, 7 January 2017 (EST)
::Also, while you can keep you additions, would you please restore the [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Hate_crime&curid=3861&diff=1298155&oldid=1298153 material you deleted in this edit] (particularly those three completely deleted paragraphs)? --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 21:11, 7 January 2017 (EST)
:::Thank you for fixing the dead link and finding an additional source. You are exactly right. Hate crime and hate speech are completely different. All Conservatives disapprove of speech codes, "safe spaces policy" and political correctness. The First Amendment is clear that regulation of speech must be neutral as to the message. The person(s) who wrote the [[Hate crime]] article years ago got a bit tangled up. Liberals want hate speech codes, and Conservatives oppose them. Both Liberals and Conservatives have voted to enact true hate crime laws to protect religious freedom and to address hate violence on the basis of race. Some Conservatives argue that the list of hate targets in those laws should not include "sexual orientation," but that argument does not belong in a section discussing protecting religion.
:::I took out the two paragraphs because they were repetitive, out-of-place and not germaine. Why not add them to [[Hate speech]]? Thanks, [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 21:39, 7 January 2017 (EST)
::::Thank you for clarifying and for moving the content. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:00, 7 January 2017 (EST)
:::::You are welcome. Our discussion here was a bit time delayed. [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 22:02, 7 January 2017 (EST)
If you want to include the legislative history, it should explain which bill that was finally adopted that is being discussed and how the bill that was adopted differs from the earlier bills. The people that worked on this article years ago were obviously opposed to a series of bills and were making arguments on why a bill would be bad. Their narative is out of date. We have a number of state and federal hate crime laws on the books and we need to describe what exists, give facts and statistics about how the laws work, and include some commentary on whether the law has been applied fairly. If you want to expand the history section beyond the two sentences that I have explaining how the federal law expanded the role of the FBI, please do so. But the fact that certain people sponsored bills that did not pass before a bill did pass is not helpful unless you explain what changes were made or how the early efforts illumniates our understanding of the bill that passed. [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 00:50, 13 January 2017 (EST)
:If these proposed bills became law, we should definitely include this (even if we word it differently). We should do this in order to inform the public about leftist laws and to show that they didn't always exist. Unfortunately, I am quite busy right now, so I cannot do anything about this at the moment. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 21:49, 13 January 2017 (EST)
:::1990sguy, these bills did '''not''' become law. A similar bill later became law. [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 01:10, 14 January 2017 (EST)
::Not to sidetrack your guys discussion, but let me point out (cause the media hasn't) we have just witnessed something very rare and unusual in the US. Traditionally, because of state sovereignty, the states prosecute murder cases and federal government's role is restricted, for most of our history, to capital cases in the US military. In the 20th century federal crimes like murdering the president, or terrorism on federal property causing death ([[Timothy McVeigh]]), were added. This guy, [http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/12/us/dylann-roof-death-penalty-explainer/ Dylann Roof], has just been sentenced to death for violating peoples civil rights with a hate crime enhancement, and ''not for murder''. The federal government does not have the legal authority to try this as a murder case. In fact, Roof probably never will be tried for murder cause the State of South Carolina isn't gonna spend the time and money to do it after the feds are done. In my lifetime, I think this is only the fourth case like this I ever heard of, tho I'm sure there's been a few others. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Make Exxon Great Again]] 22:37, 13 January 2017 (EST)
:::Rob, this happened a lot in the 1960s. Civil rights workers would go South and were murdered and either the murder was not prosecuted or a local jury would acquit the accused. The FBI would then investigate and the US DOJ would successfully prosecute for civil rights violations in Federal Court. The question is whether there is enough of a commerce clause basis to allow for the passage of such federal crimes, and the courts have upheld them on the grounds that if the federal government did not prevent such intimidation, people would not feel safe crossing state lines. Also, many states have suspended or abolished the death penalty, while it remains available in federal court. State "sovereignty" is very limited and not ''actual'' sovereignty in the legal sense. To me, this is a more interesting aspect of the Hate crime article than whether or not the definition should be expanded to include "gender identity." [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 01:08, 14 January 2017 (EST)
::::I'm not sure it happened "a lot". There was the 'Mississippi Burning' case, where the local cops and others were charged with civil rights violations, but no one served more than a six year sentence. This is why "hate crime" legislation was added later, cause sentences were too light for a "civil rights violation resulting in death". The problem in those days were all-white juries exonerating murder cases, so the feds invented a way they could prosecute killers. One guy was convicted in a state trial [http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/price&bowers/killen.htm 40 years later in 2005 of manslaughter,] but he wasn't the trigger man. No one has ever been charged with the actual killings.
::::Then there was Salt Lake City case of a civil rights violation resulting in death in 1978, but Utah was never part of the Confederacy, was not put under federal scrutiny in the Voting Rights Act, nor has a history of all-white jurries exonersting whites accused of murdering blacks.

::::In the 1990s, Brian Beckwith was convicted of violating Medgar Evers civil rights by killing him in the 1970s.

::::In the 90s Timothy McVeigh was the first person executed by the federal government since, like 1956. But this was a terrorism charge resulting in death, not a civil rights violation, AFAIK. ([https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3azq6b/eli5how_timothy_mcveigh_only_got_convicted_of_8/ McVeigh was only charged with 8 counts of murder, although 168 were killed]). Since McVeigh, there's been maybe one or two other cases of people executed by the federal government.
::::Bottomline, the federal hate crime enhancement was added cause, while the feds proved they could get a conviction where the state failed to act, the penalty was too low. Since its inception, it's hard to find a single case that the law was used for what it was designed for. There is no evidence whatsoever that South Carolina would not prosecute Dylann Roos, or an all-white jury would have exonerated him if the feds failed to intrude. South Carolina has lost its right to govern itself, its sovereignty. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Make Exxon Great Again]] 06:32, 14 January 2017 (EST)
:::::If this is true, then it definitely should be added. It would give yet another ignored example of massive governmental expansion and movement towards socialism. JDano, if the 2009 proposal did not become law, then what did the actual law consist of? If the bill that was listed on the article did not become law, then there is no point in including it. However, a legislative history of successful bills would be good. However, I am still quite busy, so I will not attempt to do anything about this at the moment. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 21:49, 14 January 2017 (EST)

==Contest==
I will provide the details you seek when i get some time. You were in the top 5. --Jpatt 10:19, 16 January 2017 (EST)
:Thank you for the reply Jpatt! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 14:40, 16 January 2017 (EST)

== discuession ==

I am continuing the discussion on my talk page.--[[User:Amorrow|Amorrow]] ([[User talk:Amorrow|talk]]) 10:39, 22 January 2017 (EST)

==Question==
What would be the best word to describe Eurosceptic's opponents? Eurocentric? Pan European? Some other? I don't like globalist in this context. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Make Exxon Great Again]] 12:42, 28 January 2017 (EST)
:I would say either "Europeanists," "Europhiles," or "Euro-Federalists" are the best. They either seem to be the most used terms. Of those three, I would personally opt for the first. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 13:00, 28 January 2017 (EST)

== Ban editing ==

Hi, I've noticed you sometimes change blocks by other admins to increase the time or make in infinite. I appreciate your intentions, but just thought I would point out a couple things. Firstly, the blocking admin generally has the final say over the block they have imposed. For example, if a person want to dispute the ban, they are to go to the blocking admin, and that admin decides whether to revoke the ban or not (as can be seen [[Conservapedia:Quick_reference#If_you_get_blocked|here]]). Since you are not revoking a block, it's probably not as big of an issue, but it still seems to be proper etiquette. Of course, full admins have authority over assistants such as you and I, so they have the right to direct revise of revoke blocks we make. 
Secondly, While it makes good sense to block those people forever, it doesn't really work that way. A ban applies to the username, and the IP from which they edited if the option is selected--nothing more. Vandals almost always use servers to redirect their connection, however, so that their true IP is never seen by CP. This means that when we block those users, we are really just blocking the server they were using. This is a good thing too, but the problem is that these servers are usually assigned new IPs periodically, so the block no longer applies--now the blocked IP is unassigned. Since most people in the western world still use IPv4, there are not that many spare IP addresses, so the IP is soon assigned to someone else. Now some innocent person is using an IP which for all eternity has been blocked on CP. They probably will never even know, but if we set infinite blocks enough, the chances of that happening regularly increase continuously. I know some people here do use infinite block regularly, but in my opinion its a logistical problem. This is why I almost always set a time limit, or block only the username infinitely, and leave the IP unblocked (which I prefer not to do).
Thanks for your ongoing efforts! --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 22:05, 31 January 2017 (EST)
:Yikes, I should have thought of that. The thought of indefinitely blocking innocent people from CP certainly is not a good thing. If you haven't reverted by block change, feel free to undo it. I'm too busy right now to do it myself. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:11, 31 January 2017 (EST)

::The chances of that happening from a couple blocks are pretty low, but it can add up. Anyway, no harm done. I just thought I'd mention it. Thanks! --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 22:24, 31 January 2017 (EST)

== expand ==

[[Gainful employment]]. Yes. I dare you to.--[[User:Amorrow|Amorrow]] ([[User talk:Amorrow|talk]]) 08:32, 4 February 2017 (EST)
:Why? What's the purpose of you messaging me? --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 12:25, 4 February 2017 (EST)

==[[Abortion]] article==
It's open for you to make your suggested additions. As to the Leif Ericson image, what needs to happen is a new image uploaded in its place. I'll try to find one later. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] ([[User talk:Karajou|talk]]) 13:18, 6 February 2017 (EST)
:New Leif image uploaded and added to article. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] ([[User talk:Karajou|talk]]) 12:56, 7 February 2017 (EST)
::Thank you. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 16:02, 7 February 2017 (EST)

== Addiction article and TAR ==

Hello again, Regarding the [[Addiction]] article and specifically its categories, I agree with JDano. Let me attempt to explain: 

"TAR" is short for [[User:TheAmericanRedoubt|TheAmericanRedoubt]] a former user and assistant SysOp here at Conservapedia. People have differing opinions of him, but mine is that he did offer some valuable contributions, but also did not understand and did not learn the rules of CP. Among some other issues, he tended to add many "See also" links to articles which were not sufficiently relevant and did the same with categories. Thus, when editors refer to "TAR" they are usually talking about this debris, which should not exist. TheAmericanRedoubt (TAR) has since stopped editing here, and his account has been deleted. However, some of the links and categories he inserted still exists, and make things look messy. For this reason, a number of editors (including myself) try to clean up these issues and restore a little more order. The guide page [[Conservapedia:How to create and maintain high-quality articles]] was the direct result of TAR's methods. 
Regarding the categories specifically, it's best to maintain a "tree" structure. A page should not connect to categories which also contain subcategories it links to. Also, it should link only to categories which contain it, not categories which the page topic can contain. In other words, a page "drug" should be in the category "medicines" but not in a category "antibiotics". 
I hope this clarifies a bit. --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 00:42, 13 February 2017 (EST)

:Please allow me to apologize for my impatience with the "addiction" article. You accidentally stepped into the remains of a hornets' nest. TAR added lots of utterly irrelevant see-also's and categories, in what can only be described as an attempt to turn this wiki into survivalist-pedia, or perhaps James-Wesley-Rawles-pedia. He offended a huge number of people with his implications that we were all supposed to stockpile bullets, batteries, and other survivalist stuff (I could look it up but it's too nauseating) and move to a "redoubt" in Idaho or similar place while we wait for the apocalypse. We were also all supposed to be into some kind of crackpot Indian alternative medicine. (I think it was called "ayurvedic" or something like that; once again too nauseating.) The whole wiki was in an enormous uproar for a few months. (And Cons, who really doesn't subscribe to that stuff, nevertheless stirred up the pot by pretending to be in email contact with the guy.)
:So if you see suspicious see-also's or categories, especially with codewords like "nanny state" or "gun-grabbing", be aware this might be detritus from TAR. I support the second amendment, but I don't support putting all this survivalist garbage into an article on fire hydrants.
:[[User:SamHB|SamHB]] ([[User talk:SamHB|talk]]) 01:36, 13 February 2017 (EST)
::It has taken a huge amount of work to undo TAR's damage. I suppose that you think that there is a bias against any change he had made, and there is probably some truth to that. He did not understand that our categories have a tree structure. Instead, he thought of categories as a word association test. Putting in excess categories and excessive red links makes Conservapedia less appealing to users and lowers our google search engine rankings. In theory, every article could be in every category, because there is some plausible connection between any two subjects. If we had a separate article on "Drug Addiction" then it could have categories like [[:Category:Illegal Drugs]] or [[:Category:Drugs]]. The problem is that [[:Category:Illegal Drugs]] is a subcategory of [[:Category:Drugs]] ''breaking up the category tree with an infinite loop.'' Here the Addiction article is on a much higher level that discusses video games, etc. So, it is not useful to a high school student looking for information about illegal drugs, in my opinion. [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 05:46, 13 February 2017 (EST)

:::Thank you all for your explanations. Considering these things, I will try not to get in the way next time this clean up occurs. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:13, 13 February 2017 (EST)
== Thanks! ==

You helped make [http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/conservapedia.com THIS] happen.

I have never seen a non-profit website go from below 100,000 rank to nearly a 50,000 Alexa ranking in about a year. And Andy payed zero dollars for internet marketing services during this period.

And there is no sign of a nearing web traffic plateau. My guess is that Trump supporters/Trump era and the resulting political waves significantly explains the boost in traffic.

Trump supporters seem very loyal so the traffic boost could be long lasting. It also seems like there is a reawakening of right-wing politics/nationalism that will be long lasting. And right-wing populism and "[[best of the public]]" go together like peanut butter and jelly. :) [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 17:30, 13 February 2017 (EST)

:You're welcome, and thank ''you'' for all your edits! I'm happy to help improve the quality of Conservapedia. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:56, 13 February 2017 (EST)
==Quick project==
Dear Guy:
Our state articles list the members of Congress from each state, but they have not be updated for 2016. If five editors could update 10 states each, we would be done quickly. Could you please take a look at [[Conservapedia:Community Portal#Political directory]]? Thanks in advance, [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 16:13, 15 February 2017 (EST)

Thank you for your help with the project and with People's Party. [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 23:02, 21 February 2017 (EST)

== Tip ==

Thanks for your terrific work. One tip: the licensing information should be expressly included in the uploads. I added it here: [[File:EU_member_states.png]]. Thanks again for your edits and uploads.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 23:27, 7 March 2017 (EST)
:Thank you for the tip. I will remember to add the information next time. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:34, 7 March 2017 (EST)

==[[Template:Book]]==
Try working on it now. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] ([[User talk:Karajou|talk]]) 10:48, 11 March 2017 (EST)

== Questions ==

A few months ago, you told me to ask you any questions I had, so here goes:
*When recategorizing the massive and messy [Category:Authors] by nationality, I found two authors, [[Theo Hobson]] and [[Carl Sagan]], whom I could not recategorize as [Category:American Authors]. Could you change them for me?
*When fixing the [[Francois Rabelais]] cedilla mess, I set up a redirect. Has anyone ever made a loop out of redirects? If so, what happened? I'm scared to try it.
*Lastly, where is my attention now best sent - expanding the author articles, improving our coverage of science and mathematics, or maybe tackling another recat job, like [Category:Music]?

:1) Concerning [[Theo Hobson]] and [[Carl Sagan]], those articles are protected, and as an assistant sysop, I do not have the ability to edit them. I recommend asking someone like [[User:Karajou]] or CP's owner, [[User:Aschlafly]] to either unlock the articles to allow you to fix the category or to have them change the cat themselves. I've made many similar requests to them and they will be happy to help.

:2) I have not heard of someone doing that before. I personally don't think anything bad would happen if someone did try it, as you can still access the actual redirect page to remove the loop.

:3) Honestly, all three choices are great. If I were you, I would probably choose to expand the articles already created so that the average reader would find them more interesting and worthwhile, rather than just seeing a stub. After that, I would personally move on to work on another category, so that CP is better-organized. Then after that, I would do math and science, which is (as far as I can tell) on a different theme than your other work. This is my personal preference, but if you would prefer doing it in a different order feel free! You have been very helpful to CP, and I appreciate your work. Keep it up! :) --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:20, 14 March 2017 (EDT)

::Hi, just a quick note: A redirect loop shouldn't be a problem. I think the user is only redirected once, so after that they see the second redirect page. Redirect loops, double redirects, and dead redirects should all be avoided when possible. Thanks for your contributions! --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 20:23, 14 March 2017 (EDT)

:::You are entirely correct, DavidB4; I just tried a loop with soda and pop (and removed it). Typing one would give you the page for the other, and an option to redirect. I'll proceed to expand the author pages now. Feel free to removed this section to abridge the talk page.--[[User:Abcqwe|Abcqwe]] ([[User talk:Abcqwe|talk]]) 15:58, 15 March 2017 (EDT)

== Could you please write this article? ==

Could you please write this important article: [[Atheism and ethics]]?

I may ask another writer or tow to contribute to it also. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 08:07, 18 March 2017 (EDT)

:Yes, I think I will be able to find some time to do it. Unfortunately, I have other things on my to-do list (even for CP), but this article is important, and I will try to find time to help. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 10:10, 18 March 2017 (EDT)

::OK. Thanks. I think [[User:Pokeria1]] will be assisting you. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 10:55, 18 March 2017 (EDT)

=== Sources to help you write an article ===

*[https://www.spectator.co.uk/2014/04/ethics-for-atheists/# Would human life be sacred in an atheist world?]

*[http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/atheists_more_immoral.html Atheism Doesn't Lead to Immoral Behavior - Or Does It?]

*[http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/atheism_determinism_morality.html Does Atheism (Determinism) Negatively Impact Morality?]

*[http://apologetics-notes.comereason.org/2015/03/atheism-ethics-and-immorality.html Atheism, Ethics, and Immorality]

*[https://www.thinkingchristian.net/posts/2016/01/good-nothing-make-atheist-ethics-better-christian/ Being Good “For Nothing” — Does That Make Atheist Ethics Better Than Christian?]

*[http://www.reasonablefaith.org/questions-on-atheism-ethics-and-marital-conflict Questions on Atheism, Ethics, and Marital Conflict]

*[http://creation.com/atheism#atheism-and-ethics Atheism and ethics]

Secular sources:

*[http://www.iep.utm.edu/n-atheis/#H5 Secular Morality]

*[http://www.iep.utm.edu/n-atheis/#H4 The Moral Evaluation of Religion]

Additional sources:

*[http://www.paulcopan.com/articles/pdf/God-naturalism-morality.pdf God, Naturalism, and the Foundations of Morality] by Paul Copan
*[http://www.equip.org/articles/atheists-and-the-quest-for-objective-morality/ Atheists and the Quest for Objective Morality] by Chad Meister
*[http://themelios.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-amorality-of-atheism The amorality of atheim] by Rob Smith
*[http://www.reasonablefaith.org/can-we-be-good-without-godCan Can we be good without God?] by William Lane Craig]
*[http://creation.com/atheism#atheism-and-ethics Atheism and ethics and morality] by Ken Ammi
*[http://www.doesgodexist.org/NovDec06/AtheisticExplanations.html Atheist explanations of morality and common sense]
*[http://whatswrongwiththeworld.net/2015/09/does_being_an_atheist_interfer.html Does being an atheist interfere with being moral?] by Lydia McGrew
*[http://americanvision.org/2742/nietzsche-slaps-down-dawkins-on-the-illusion-of-atheist-morality/ Nietzsche slaps down Dawkins on the illusion of atheist morality] by Dr. Joel McDurmon

== quick note ==

Would you be interested in email communication with me? My email is userconservative135@gmail.com

Please let me know if you are interested. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 20:54, 18 March 2017 (EDT)

:Yes, that would be great! I've been thinking for some time of setting up a CP email address account, and I'll do that within the next couple of days. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:29, 18 March 2017 (EDT)
::OK. That sounds good. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 00:02, 19 March 2017 (EDT)
:::Here it is: 1990sguysdg@gmail.com --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 21:46, 21 March 2017 (EDT)
I just sent you an email. Let me know if you got it. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 22:10, 21 March 2017 (EDT)
::I wrote another response to your email. Please check your email box. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 05:05, 22 March 2017 (EDT)
:::I got your latest email and responded to it. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 15:41, 22 March 2017 (EDT)

== If you are interested, another article that needs to be created ==

If you are interested, another article that needs to be created: [[Secular ethics]]

Sources about this topic:

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_ethics Secular ethics]

*[http://www.iep.utm.edu/n-atheis/#H5 Secular Morality]

*[http://www.iep.utm.edu/n-atheis/#H4 The Moral Evaluation of Religion]

Thanks. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 17:11, 20 March 2017 (EDT)

=== A couple more article suggestions related to atheism and morality ===

Also, here are a few more articles that need to be written about atheism and morality:

*[[Evolutionary ethics]], Wikipedia has an article on it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_ethics

*[[Ethical naturalism]], Wikipedia has an article on it at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethical_naturalism

*[[Ethical subjectivism]], Wikipedia has an article on this subject at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethical_subjectivism

Thanks for your assistance on the [[Atheism and ethics]] article. It was much appreciated. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 17:21, 22 March 2017 (EDT)

== The Project I invited you to participate in plus ==

Here is the project I invited you to participate in:

*[[Conservapedia:Atheism Project]]

It should be easy to find relevant online material in order to create some of the articles. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 17:19, 22 March 2017 (EDT)
:Thank you, Conservative, for your suggestions. I will begin on some of these soon. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:53, 22 March 2017 (EDT)
::I sent you an email. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 08:57, 24 March 2017 (EDT)

== Blocking user "reformed" ==

Well, I've got to say that vandalizing the user page of someone with block authority is '''really''' stupid.

But I take issue with your claim that he was an "obvious sock". As one who has been blocked a number of times on completely bogus socking charges, I take that stuff seriously. (The blocking was generally done by someone (now deceased) who had "checkuser" privileges and therefore had good tools for detecting socks, but did not understand how internet addresses work.)

It is not at all obvious to me, as one who has a lot of experience at CP, that he was a sock. He was a vandal, and you should block him for that.

Oh, dear. Now I see that there's a big storm of this stuff going on. And, yes, these guys, or at least some of them, are probably socks of each other. And at least one of them is using the name "obvioussock", just to taunt you. And one says he used to be a washing machine in his previous life.

My goodness! I think you are being trolled! :-) :-) And no, I had nothing to do with this. Just block them. It will blow over soon.

[[User:SamHB|SamHB]] ([[User talk:SamHB|talk]]) 12:54, 25 March 2017 (EDT)

:Thank you for your message. :) Due to the fact that "reformed" was created right after I blocked two users and vandalized my user page, I assumed that it was a clear sock of one or both of them. However, as it was not clear to you and possibly others, I changed the block settings to just include vandalism. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 13:06, 25 March 2017 (EDT)

==Screw up==
Sorry, I'm working with a tablet, and it's a piece of garbage. I didn't intentionally remove your comments. Sorry. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|''CIA v Trump updated score'':CIA 3, Trump 2]] 15:31, 25 March 2017 (EDT)
:Assuming you're referring to those at [[Talk:Main Page]], apology accepted. It can happen to the best of us. They were other user's edits, however. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 15:33, 25 March 2017 (EDT)

== Thank you ==

For your reverts yesterday on my userpage, saw the sock puppet master was not finished with his trolling. [[User:YortKeldher|YortKeldher]] ([[User talk:YortKeldher|talk]]) 07:37, 26 March 2017 (EDT)
:You're welcome. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 11:54, 26 March 2017 (EDT)

== Examples of Bias in Wikipedia: Vaccination ==

Thank you for your improvements to [[Examples of Bias in Wikipedia: Vaccination]]. [[User:Desmonduk|Desmonduk]] ([[User talk:Desmonduk|talk]]) 16:13, 29 March 2017 (EDT)
:You're welcome. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 16:30, 29 March 2017 (EDT)

== small request ==

I sent you a message at the last place we communicated. Can you please read that message? [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 08:59, 6 April 2017 (EDT)
:I sent you the information I promised. It is located at the place we last communicated. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 12:36, 6 April 2017 (EDT)
::Sent you message. Please check place we last communicated. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]])
:::I sent you a quick note to the place we last communicated. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 11:51, 18 April 2017 (EDT)
::::Could you please go to the place we last communicated? It is regarding another matter. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]])

==Photo size==
With a large photo, there is much more word wrap in the table of contents, which makes it even longer. We need a wide table of contents. Thanks, [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 19:08, 10 April 2017 (EDT)
:I've checked and double-checked, and I see no way how the larger-sized photo does anything to the table of contents. And I'm using a standard Google Chrome, 100% zoom screen. Could it be your search engine/zoom? I don't see any reason why the larger image is a problem in any way. I think it looks better, regardless. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:06, 10 April 2017 (EDT)
:::On Firefox the TOC is longer due to word wrap. You can get other pictures to help fill the space, but the space will be shorter if the TOC is wider. Thanks, [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 23:19, 10 April 2017 (EDT)
I am getting a lot of 500 errors. I will wait for you to finish, and then I will go back and apply my changes. Thanks, [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 11:07, 11 April 2017 (EDT)
:I have done my changes. But please, when making those changes, please do ''not'' revert changes I have made, particularly changes that I have already reverted you multiple times. I'm tired of these disputes. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 11:09, 11 April 2017 (EDT)

== IRC ==

Hello, 
After some discussion (on [[User_talk:DavidB4#Conservapedia_IRC_channel|my talk page]] and [[User_talk:Aschlafly#IRC|Andy's]]) it has been decided that I start an [[Internet Relay Chat]] channel for Conservapedia, since our old one has been dead since 2009. It is now registered and somewhat set up. I don't know if you use IRC or are interested in doing so, but anyone with block privileges on Conservapedia can also get block privileges on the new IRC channel. Unfortunately, IRC accounts are deleted after 30 days of being unused, so unless you plan on using the IRC at least once a month, there is probably not much point in registering. In any case, feel free to try it out--if you account gets deleted, we can always make another one later. If you are interested, please let me know! 
The IRC channel is: #conservapedia @irc.accessIRC.net 
Let me know if you have any questions or need anything else, also! --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 15:33, 11 April 2017 (EDT)

:Thank you for your response. I have never used or really even heard of IRC prior before now (or, more accurately, before you and Andy started talking about it). What is the purpose of IRC? --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 15:47, 11 April 2017 (EDT)

::It is perhaps the oldest form of instant messaging. It is basically a chat room, where people can join and idle or actively chat. Visitors can ask members questions, and members can collaborate. There is even file sharing, if that would be useful. I'm going to be writing a how-to-use guide to explain the actual usage better. 
::Most people use software clients, which they install (or run portably, which a whole different story), but web clients are also available, such as [https://kiwiirc.com/client?settings=7c7240c62a5d4861a8ad0ba697929f39 this one]. With the web client, you can just pick a name and connect, without installing anything. Also, since IRC has been around so long, software for it is compatible with almost anything. All desktop and most mobile operating systems support it. --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 15:55, 11 April 2017 (EDT)

:::Thanks for the info! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 16:24, 11 April 2017 (EDT)

== Re: Vandal ==

Already took care of that and left a note for [[User talk:Teapublican|Teapublican]] on his talk page. [[User:Northwest|Northwest]] ([[User talk:Northwest|talk]]) 00:09, 20 April 2017 (EDT)
:Thank you. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 09:08, 20 April 2017 (EDT)

== Recent item on maintalk -- congratulations! ==

Sorry, I just couldn't resist making fun of you there. I immediately recognized the Breitbart article, as one that I had seen shortly before. And then I saw that it was you. No hard feelings, I hope. [[User:SamHB|SamHB]] ([[User talk:SamHB|talk]]) 23:22, 24 April 2017 (EDT)
:None at all. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:37, 24 April 2017 (EDT)

::Congratulations! The [[March for Science]] article is a ''really good article''. And you made it so. (Well, with a little prodding from me.) It sets out, straightforwardly, what was going on, and it doesn't descend into namecalling. I realize that you probably have very strong disagreements with what most of those people were doing, but you kept it professional.

::Really good articles, especially on potential "hot button" issues of politics, aren't all that common. Now maybe I will make another attempt to return the [[Pussy Riot]] article to the good state it was in back when I expanded it in 2014, before it got messed up with the implication that anyone who opposes murderous thug tyrant Vladimir Putin must be a "leftist", "elitist", or "social justice warrior". For which I was blocked, in blatant violation of the rules of this site. [[User:SamHB|SamHB]] ([[User talk:SamHB|talk]]) 14:25, 26 April 2017 (EDT)

:::Thank you for the compliment! Unfortunately, the router I'm using blocked the "Pussy Riot" article because of the first word in the title, so I cannot comment on that at all. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 16:00, 26 April 2017 (EDT)

::::How sad. I have created the redirect [[Nadezhda Tolokonnikova]] in case that helps. But it probably won't. You had no trouble typing the "P" word above, so I guess it's a problem of your router not going to a page with that word in the title. Maybe I should have named the page with its Cyrillc letters: "Пусси Райот". Well, you're not missing anything of cosmic importance. [[User:SamHB|SamHB]] ([[User talk:SamHB|talk]]) 16:42, 26 April 2017 (EDT)

:::::The redirect actually did work. Thanks! The article does not appear to have a high quality (at least in the aesthetic sense), so changes would probably be beneficial, but if you're going to make changes, I would like to remind you to be cautious and not to contradict CP's POV. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:17, 26 April 2017 (EDT)

:::In case you forgot, Sam <s>(and how fast it appears that happens with you)</s>, it was ''you'' who violated the rules of this site by putting a liberal POV into that article (among others, [http://www.conservapedia.com/Special:Contributions/SamHB per your history]) in the first place, then insistently readding it after your edit was reverted and you were warned about violating CP policy and about starting fights with other editors. You really should take the advice you're being given here and not continue violating CP policy. [[User:Northwest|Northwest]] ([[User talk:Northwest|talk]]) 21:59, 26 April 2017 (EDT)

A few things:
*Today is my 9th anniversary at Conservapedia!
*I can assure everyone that I am very familiar with, and well versed in, the rules, commandments, guidelines, customs, and habits of CP. I am also familiar with the many, many, many discussions of these points that have taken place over the years.
*@Northwest: this is the expected response.
*@1990's guy: this is ''not'' the response I expected. I'm chagrined that you think the article is of low quality. Especially since you know how to write high quality articles.
I'm serious. I was proud of that article as originally written/expanded by me. I thought it laid out the facts accurately, and avoided name-calling and such. Exactly like the March for Science article. Please look at the article (preferably the [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Pussy_Riot&oldid=1328015] version, before name-calling got put in) and fix it up as you see fit. The name-calling consisted, among other things, of saying that those people around the world who took an interest in the case were "elitists" and "social justice warriors on the left". The latter term is straight out of Huffington Post and their ilk. It is a term of bleeding hearts in America, and not used widely elsewhere. In any case, one doesn't need to be an SJW to oppose murderous thug tyrant Vladimir Putin. In fact, given the recent falling out between President Trump and Putin, the accepted orthodoxy here at CP might be swinging away from support for the murderous thug. I hope so.

Please improve the article.

[[User:SamHB|SamHB]] ([[User talk:SamHB|talk]]) 11:28, 28 April 2017 (EDT)

:My problem is not with content; it is with organization, layout, aesthetics, etc. There are no subsections, which at least show the reader how the article is organized; it is just many paragraphs. Such articles do not appeal to the reader. IMO, it feels like reading a textbook. If it is just a few paragraphs, it is fine, but thus article has ten paragraphs. Adding a few headers and possibly an image would be beneficial (and I realized just as I wrote this that the March for Science article is approaching that length as well, so I probably either should just keep my mouth shut or add headers there as well). I did not mean to insult or degrade your work, and I apologize for giving that impression. BTW, happy 9th anniversary! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 11:46, 28 April 2017 (EDT)

:Sam - by your response, you're only proving what I said about your tactics and your history here right. You claim to be "very familiar with, and well versed in, the rules, commandments, guidelines, customs, and habits of CP", but you only pay lip service to them here while your actions on CP over the years (and even now) are showing that you simply choose to disregard them for the sake of pushing liberal POV on this site and to start fights with those who don't share your viewpoint. [[User:Northwest|Northwest]] ([[User talk:Northwest|talk]]) 18:08, 28 April 2017 (EDT)

== Bill Nye ==

Could you please contact me by email at sam4557@gmail.com? I think we can make a really good article out of this. I have a number of criticisms of his behavior--my opinion of him has gone down a whole lot over the last few weeks, and I think I have some insights about this that I'd like to bounce off of you. I know that you and I disagree totally about evolution and creationism, but we can put together a good article stating the facts. We can stay away from the name-calling that so many articles contain, and avoid things like "so-and-so falsely believes that ..."

This is ''not'' about Pussy Riot, ''not'' about Conservapedia politics, and ''not'' about you-know-who. I just want to bounce some ideas off of you about Bill Nye and see if we can put together a really nice article.

[[User:SamHB|SamHB]] ([[User talk:SamHB|talk]]) 01:00, 4 May 2017 (EDT)

== Expanded article, footnote did not support genocide/racist abortions adequately ==

I greatly expanded this article [[Abortion and eugenics]]. The footnote in the liberal article was not supporting or at the very least inadequately supporting racist/genocidal abortion policies of [[Margaret Sanger]], etc.

Specifically, I skimmed the article as far as the footnoted article and it did not appear to strongly support such a big claim like abortion/genocide, etc. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 01:26, 9 May 2017 (EDT)

==Something isn't right here==
... Ohhh I know what it is. ''Margaret Thatcher'' is on the list of liberals. ''Margaret. Thatcher.'' The bastion of conservatism. A favourite of Reagan. How in the ''world'' did she make the liberal list? [[User:Koidevelopment|Vive]] [[User talk:Koidevelopment|Liberté!]] 09:14, 9 May 2017 (EDT)
:Wasn't me who added her. She was not as conservative as people think she is, as she did vote in favor of legalizing abortion and homosexuality. But, that said, it would probably be better without mentioning her, to avoid people focusing on her mention in the article. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 09:24, 9 May 2017 (EDT)

::She might not have been a perfect conservative, but I still think she probably doesn't belong on that list. Of course, if you go back 80 years and read writings and speeches from liberals of the day, they sound downright conservative now. Still, she did defend liberty and much of conservatism. --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 13:18, 9 May 2017 (EDT)
:::Lady Thatcher's criticism of Simon Callow's performance in ''Amadeaus'' made her homophobic, I thought. Being homophobic wouldn't preclude one from being liberal however, [[Bill Moyers]] and Louis Black for example. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|''The coup plotters won, for now'']] 15:31, 9 May 2017 (EDT)
I assume that adding the liberalism template to the [[Episcopal Church]] article was improper? I would like to know what the proper usage of this template is for future reference. TEC is one of, if not the most liberal Christian denomination in the US these days, sadly. I do apologize for this improper usage, as I am a new editor. --[[User:Anglican|Anglican]] ([[User talk:Anglican|talk]]) 15:00, 9 May 2017 (EDT)
:Hello Anglican! I removed the template because I thought the article was outside the scope of the "liberal" template. What I mean is that the template links to liberal traits, but not necessarily to liberal organizations. I think the category is good for the article, but not template. I hope this helps! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 15:11, 9 May 2017 (EDT)
::That makes sense. Thank you for your patience. It's sad what has happened to the Episcopal Church in recent years. --[[User:Anglican|Anglican]] ([[User talk:Anglican|talk]]) 15:14, 9 May 2017 (EDT)
:::You're welcome, and I agree. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 15:18, 9 May 2017 (EDT)

== User: Karajou sent me and others an email saying he didn't like CP's article on liberalism. So... ==

User: Karajou sent me and others an email saying he didn't like CP's article on [[liberalism]].

The article needs major improvements.

I am not going to work on it due to time restraints. I spent a lot of time improving the [[liberal]] article.

I would use the same approach used with the liberal article. Clearly delineate liberalism from socialism/fascism because they are very substantially different (for example, Sweden vs. Communist China vs. Nazi Germany). But mention how the gap between the ideologies has narrowed in the United States. I don't keep up with European politics to know the situation there as far as the gap other than knowing that China has become more capitalistic. European countries commonly have more major political parties in a country so the situation is more difficult to keep tabs on. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 16:33, 9 May 2017 (EDT)

:I posted the below information on RobS' talk page and thought I would share it with you also. You can go to RobS' talk page to see his response to me.

::I would work on the liberalism article. But also create 2-3 sub-articles: [[American liberalism]] and [[Western liberalism]] and [[European liberalism]]. The [[American liberalism]] article is just a one sentence stub article.

::I suggest a [[Western liberalism]] article due to the Canadians, Australia, NZ, and South Africa. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 18:09, 9 May 2017 (EDT)
:::Since the Brits and Canadians have the most influence in the Anglosphere on the USA, you might want to create a [[British liberalism]] article and a [[Canadian liberalism]] article too.

:::Its too bad all this wasn't done before given that CP is a political website. I was largely focused on [[atheism]] which is a dying ideology. This had an indirect relation to liberalism given the prominence of the [[secular left]] on liberal/leftist politics. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 18:17, 9 May 2017 (EDT)

== Re: American liberalism ==

I copied and pasted some of the [[liberal]] article into the [[American liberalism]] article.

Generally speaking, ideally you want the material in the section for main article linking to a sub-article to have substantially different content. In this case, you want the [[American liberalism]] article to have different content than the "American liberalism" section of the [[liberal]] article.

So if you want to reword and/or add material to the [[American liberalism]] article the would be excellent. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 19:17, 9 May 2017 (EDT)

== Opinion on renaming an article ==

I wanted your opinion on an idea of mines to rename one of our articles on Conservapedia before taking it to an admin or someone with the ability to actually change the name of a page.

The current page [[Exodus of Israel]], I think, should be renamed to [[The Exodus]], where [[Exodus of Israel]] should simply be a redirect to that page. Not many users would think of typing 'Exodus of Israel' to get to a page on 'The Exodus', and 'The Exodus' is just much simpler. As it is, [[The Exodus]] is currently a redirect to [[Exodus of Israel]]. I think it should be the other way around. Your thoughts?[[User:Korvex|Korvex]] ([[User talk:Korvex|talk]]) 13:34, 10 May 2017 (EDT)
:No, I think it is better the way it is. My main reason is that having titles along the lines of "The...." does not sound encyclopedic. The current name, I believe, is more high quality for that reason. Now, it is true that many users might not think of typing "Exodus of Israel," but if they type "[[Exodus]]," they'll run into the disambiguation page and find the actual article. Also, I'm not sure that many people would think of typing "The Exodus." To sum it up, I think the current title is better and give the article a more encyclopedic feel, but you're welcome to ask another editor what they think. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 14:59, 10 May 2017 (EDT)
Thanks for the thoughts. Wikipedia currently uses 'The Exodus', and I find that it simply looks better, as a title, then 'Exodus of Israel'. Secondly, I also consider it more likely for someone to type in 'The Exodus' then 'Exodus of Israel'.[[User:Korvex|Korvex]] ([[User talk:Korvex|talk]]) 15:59, 10 May 2017 (EDT)
:Once again, if you want to ask another editor for their opinion, like DavidB4, feel free to do so. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 16:20, 10 May 2017 (EDT)
Thanks for your opinion. One thing though, do you know who can get this template locked?

At this point, all relevant pages have been created, and therefore this template no longer will ever need any more editing as it is complete. So the best thing to do is to get it locked to avoid any vandalism problems in the future. Just to note, before I came on, it was already locked, even though it still had many problems. Now that the template is fixed, the best thing to do is to get it locked. [[User:Korvex|Korvex]] ([[User talk:Korvex|talk]]) 20:57, 12 May 2017 (EDT)
:I recommend asking [[User:Aschlafly]] or [[User:Karajou]]. They have protection powers. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 21:15, 12 May 2017 (EDT)
==Block length==
Thanks for your alert blocks. But one year is a long time for a block. IP addresses often change in a shorter period. You might consider 3 months as a better block duration in many cases.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 22:25, 17 May 2017 (EDT)
:OK. I'll see to that. Should I change the blocks I just did? --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:26, 17 May 2017 (EDT)
::I just went ahead and changed them. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:41, 17 May 2017 (EDT)

== Congratulations on Donald Trump accomplishments ==

Hey, I just checked Google. While that movie award comes up first when "Donald Trump achievements," is Googled, and you are the first result after, you get nice results with certain other phrases:
*Donald Trump accomplishments - third link, no box
*Trump achievements - first link, no box
*Trump accomplishments - fourth link, no box
*Donald Trump achievements and failures - fourth link, no box
While Conservative's essays come up first when their exact titles are Googled, bear in mind that these phrases are Googled more frequently.
Congratulations on the publicity, 1990sguy!--[[User:Abcqwe|Nathan]] ([[User talk:Abcqwe|talk]]) 08:07, 25 May 2017 (EST)

:Great job, it is well deserved! - -[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]])
::Thanks, Nathan and DavidB, I appreciate it! It seems I chose the right article to create, in terms of gaining page views. For a while, when one searched the exact title of my article, that silly award was not at the top of the article, and in its place was a box with a picture of Trump linking to my article. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 12:24, 25 May 2017 (EDT)
== Can you chat briefly? ==

Can we chat briefly? Can you please go to place I sent you messages before? [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 11:16, 3 June 2017 (EDT)
== Here is the the article ==

*[[Liberal vs. libertarian]]

Thanks. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 11:54, 3 June 2017 (EDT)

== It's been great ==

You've been helpful since I you first welcomed me here - me, someone who had never used wikitext or HTML in his life and never believed in a young Earth. You've really made me consider that viewpoint, and you've done it with a brilliant personal appeal, far better than User:Conservative ever has.--[[User:Abcqwe|Nathan]] ([[User talk:Abcqwe|talk]]) 16:34, 4 June 2017 (EDT)

==Europe's childless leaders==
Where do you think [http://dcwhispers.com/rather-odd-troubling-fact-european-leaders/ we can squeeze this in] [[European migrant crisis]]? In the Intro or elsewhere? [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|''Deep Six the Deep State!'']] 02:13, 9 June 2017 (EDT)
:I think that would be a good idea. We could also, possibly, add it to the [[European Union]] article, and maybe [[Globalism]] or [[Liberal]], as these leaders advocate for left-wing globalist policies. Are you able to find other sources that note this fact? --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 12:53, 9 June 2017 (EDT)
::I think this also illustrates liberal European values. They support mass immigration of peoples who do not share their culture while they themselves have no children. They are committing national/cultural suicide. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 13:15, 9 June 2017 (EDT)

== The reason I removed Ted Nugent from Notable Texans ==

Because Ted Nugent is actually from Michigan. Sorry that I forgot to add an explanation. ([[User:King Conservative|King Conservative]] ([[User talk:King Conservative|talk]]) 13:37, 17 June 2017 (EDT)King Conservative)
:I removed him from the list. Thanks. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 14:16, 17 June 2017 (EDT)

==Template tweak==

Hi, guy! Thanks for the {{tl|See also}} in [[Neil Gorsuch]]. That template works better. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 08:53, 28 June 2017 (EDT)
:You're welcome, always happy to help! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 08:58, 28 June 2017 (EDT)
==Nasty edit summaries==
Dear 1990sguy: Please stop writing inflammatory edit summaries. There is no need to make false personal attacks on other editors. As for Breitbart, each reference is evaluated individually on its own merits. If it is news reporting, I welcome it. However, some references are clearly opinion-editorial pieces that criticize other news stories instead of offering any independent news gathering. Some authors there are editorial-opinion writers rather than news reporters. Also, when I check a source and see photos of immodestly dressed women with "wardrobe malfunction" captions or women wearing tight T-shirts imprinted with "no silicone", I am less inclined to use those sources, given our family-friendly approach. Thanks, [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 15:31, 28 June 2017 (EDT)
:Conservapedia has no requirement that only news reporter sources can be used for mews sources. For example, many excellent conservative editorial pieces link to a news story or quote a news story while providing excellent commentary.

:The mainstream press. which is very liberal, have a lot more reporters and they still have some foreign bureaus if I am not mistaken. Then you have Fox which only has a fraction of the combined viewership of ABC, CBS, and NBC.

:To be overly reliant on news sources merely from websites who have reporters is not a good policy.

:Yes, there are conservative news organizations such as CNS News. But I don't think we should limit ourselves to merely using conservative news organizations as far as news sources.[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 18:54, 28 June 2017 (EDT)

::I agree with Conservative on this. We can use conservative news sources, even if the articles appear to be editorializing. This is a conservative encyclopedia, after all. Why should we adopt editing policies that give liberal MSM sources an unfair advantage? How then can we differentiate ourselves from Wikipedia? I am not opposed to citing MSM sources (I do it myself), but we should give precedence to conservative sources, which do not have leftist bias. Yes, Breitbart has silly ads, but I care more about the content of the article than the ads. There are many Breitbart writers who support conservative, Christian pro-family policies. Are there any at CNN or the NYT?

::JDano, yes, my edit summaries were inflammatory. I probably should have acted cooler when dealing with you, and for that, I apologize. Your behavior, constantly reverting and adding changes that I genuinely believe to contain leftist bias without going to the talk page until you've been reverted several times, is not constructive. I do believe your changes are undermining our status as a conservative alternative to Wikipedia. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 02:50, 29 June 2017 (EDT)

== re: JDano and you getting "horse throwing" mad ==

In the recent edit changes, I saw you use all caps in your description of your edit. It was for the [[Travel ban]] article.

This tells me that you are starting to get "horse throwing" mad.

If it becomes necessary, you can impose a [[Conservapedia:Topic bans|Conservapedia:Topic ban]] to JDano since you have blocking rights. You can make it applicable to certain articles or certain article categories. Probably a certain article would be best as a shot across his bow.

If JDano also has blocking rights, you can get Karajou/Aschlafly to impose such a ban. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 18:29, 28 June 2017 (EDT)
:P.S. I don't know if you are correct in this matter. And I don't have time to mediate. I am just offering you a suggestion since I have experienced JDano being unreasonable at times. Also, the majority of Conservapedians/Republicans/conservatives are more fans of Trump than Lindsey Graham. JDano appears to be in the Graham camp. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 18:37, 28 June 2017 (EDT)
::Please see my comment in the section immediately above. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 02:51, 29 June 2017 (EDT)

== JDano has a topical ban imposed on him for the "travel ban" article. ==

I just posted this message to JDano's talk page:

"You are not allowed to edit the [[travel ban]] article anymore. I am imposing a [[Conservapedia:Topic bans|Conservapedia:Topic ban]] on you for this article.

By the way, Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in terms of its Muslim population. The travel ban of the Trump administration does not include Indonesia."[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 19:13, 28 June 2017 (EDT)

== JDano has a topical ban imposed on him for the fake news article ==

I posted this on JDano's talk page:

"The [[fake news]] article was locked/protected. It seems as if the root cause of the page being locked was an edit war involving yourself.

You are no longer allowed to edit the fake news article. I am imposing a Conservapedia topic ban on you for this article. See: [[Conservapedia:Topic bans|Conservapedia:Topic ban]]

I hope additional topic bans are not imposed on you by people with block rights." [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 20:23, 28 June 2017 (EDT)

== Socks of JamesWilson ==

Socks of this clown should receive five year bans. He is a malicious provocateur, and he singlehandedly destroyed another website as well as leading dozens of people off this site. Show this schlemiel no mercy. --[[User:RonaldB|RonaldB]] ([[User talk:RonaldB|talk]]) 14:16, 3 July 2017 (EDT)
:I don't see why we should be giving long blocks to this guy. He's clearly using multiple ip addresses. These addresses will probably get passed to one or more people who have no intention of vandalizing CP. DavidB4 explained by long blocks are not a good idea on my talk page: [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=User_talk:1990%27sguy&diff=1304184&oldid=1303142] However, I will not challenge your lengthening of that block or any other. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 14:20, 3 July 2017 (EDT)
::Maybe you do have a point because he has created a few different accounts in the past day or so. All I'm saying is that lightening up on him isn't going to work. My late friend George let this guy off easy, and he destroyed an entire community. I've had plenty of experience with this guy in the past to know his MO, and he's fanatically obsessed with Taylor Swift and "avenging" others because they "ruined" his articles. --[[User:RonaldB|RonaldB]] ([[User talk:RonaldB|talk]]) 14:28, 3 July 2017 (EDT)
:::That's fair. This guy is clearly bad news. Regardless of what block lengths we give him (and I can see some sense in making them longer), we should try not to accidently prevent innocent people from viewing CP. Thanks for your help! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 14:30, 3 July 2017 (EDT)
::::How do we know that this editor is a "sock" of JamesWilson? Has anyone checked the IP user logs? The Taylor Swift connection could be a false-flag operation. If George and James got into an edit-war on a different website, that would not be relevant here. Let's judge each editor separately until they can be linked by evidence. Are all of the problem users created in the past few days created from the same or very similar IP addresses? Thanks, [[User:JDano|JDano]] ([[User talk:JDano|talk]]) 15:27, 3 July 2017 (EDT)
:::::He put "Sad case!- James Wilson" in the edit summary of all of his vandalism, and it was the same stuff he's always done. If he says it's him, I'm just gonna assume it's him. Dont give this guy the benefit of the doubt. He's had plenty enough breaks here and elsewhere. --[[User:RonaldB|RonaldB]] ([[User talk:RonaldB|talk]]) 16:03, 3 July 2017 (EDT)
:::::@JDano: Yes, I think it clearly is JamesWilson. His vandalism is very repetitive -- he even vandalizes the user pages of the same users. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 12:52, 4 July 2017 (EDT)
*FYI, even if an account is blocked indefinitely, the autoblock on the IPs is only for twenty-four hours. If the IP block was for as long as the account's block, checkusers wouldn't have to put separate blocks on persistent vandals' IP addresses. [[User:DMorris|DMorris]] ([[User talk:DMorris|talk]]) 18:26, 3 July 2017 (EDT)
==Articles==
Since I've written a few articles on Christianity, please feel free to edit them to conform to the views of Conservapedia if necessary. Admittedly, writing about Christianity as a Jew can be a bit difficult at times. --[[User:RonaldB|Ronald]] ([[User talk:RonaldB|talk]]) 14:35, 5 July 2017 (EDT)
:I have not seen any factual problems with the articles you created. However, I do recommend that you add categories of the religion you are writing about to those articles. For example, that you add "Category:Christianity" to [[Secular Christianity]] and "Category:Judaism" to [[Secular Judaism]]. The people who practice these are not Jews (religiously speaking) or Christians, but the articles are relevant to those religions.

:Also, I recommend that you add at least one source to the articles you create. Adding sources to articles is Commandment #2 in [[Conservapedia:Commandments]], and it makes the articles better for readers. They know where you are getting your information from, and they can read further if they are interested. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 10:51, 6 July 2017 (EDT)

== Changing my username ==

I don't know if Andy saw my request on his talk page. Did he skip it or didn't see it? --[[User:KommissarReb|KommissarReb]] ([[User talk:KommissarReb|talk]]) 9:18, 10 July 2017 (EDT)
:I don't know. Sometimes he does that, but when I message him again he usually replies. I recommend commenting again, letting him know how much you want your username changed, and asking him to respond. I think we will do it, but only if you absolutely want it. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 09:49, 10 July 2017 (EDT)
::I read [[User_talk:Aschlafly#Inquiry|the back and forth]] with the guy you probably were referring to on Andy's page. Andy seemed pretty reluctant to change the RonaldB's name for most of the discussion.. Is the process of changing someone's username complex or difficult to do, or did he just want to make sure that the guy wasn't being wishy-washy about the change? I was a little sheepish about asking him again because I don't want to seem annoying. --[[User:KommissarReb|KommissarReb]] ([[User talk:KommissarReb|talk]]) 5:07, 11 July 2017 (EDT)
:::I think CP admins generally prefer simply creating a new account. The user who made the other request was not the original person using the account. The original person let him take over the account. I can see why Andy wanted him to create a new account. I recommend you politely letting him know how much you want your username changed, and why, and asking him to respond, regardless of his answer. I think that would be a good move on your part. It would show how serious you are with this request. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 20:06, 11 July 2017 (EDT)

== Re: Trump ==

I think Donald Trump is going to get stuck with the blame for the economic bubble created by the Obama administration and the Federal Reserve.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHwtkIpgAnA]

In addition, TrumpCare probably will not work because it is keeping the "precondition clause" of ObamaCare due to its popularity. People will often not buy health insurance until they are sick. So the health care system will not be viable. Car insurance companies could not be profitable if people could buy their car insurance after their car accident in order to replace their car. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 22:00, 11 July 2017 (EDT)

:You are probably right on both of those things. The first point would be the fault of the Obama Administration, and the second by the establishment GOP Congress. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:05, 11 July 2017 (EDT)

Got it, thanks for letting me know. --[[User:OneTrueConservative|OneTrueConservative]] ([[User talk:OneTrueConservative|talk]]) 00:12, 12 July 2017 (EDT)
:You're welcome. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 00:21, 12 July 2017 (EDT)
== Expansion of right-wing material on the internet ==

*[https://www.axios.com/the-partisan-explosion-of-digital-news-2279022772.html The recent explosion of right-wing news sites]

*[https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3dy7vb/why-the-right-is-dominating-youtube Why the Right Is Dominating YouTube] - Vice News

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HndA5MoxK08 Why the Right is Dominating YouTube (A Response to Vice)]

*[https://www.nctv.nl/binaries/psychological-effects-of-right-wing-and-islamic-extremist-internet-videos_tcm31-30177.pdf Psychological effects of right-wing and Islamic extremist videos] - Netherlands and German report

I know Twitter bans and shadow bans right-wingers.

I haven't looked at the latter two items, but right-wingers gaining momentum on the internet is an interesting development. With nationalism gaining ground in Europe and 21st century [[desecularization]] occurring, the trend is bound to continue. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]])

===Scriptural Geology===
Scriptural Geologists published in the USA as well. CRSQ published my review of David Lord "Geognosy" (that has other citations as well). [my magazines are in
storage but the year was 2000-2004.] Another recent CRSQ review was Gordon's 1878 book that mentioned USA Scriptural Geologist Martyn Payne.
:Thanks, Snoopy2, for your addition! I noted this fact, briefly in the article, in "The scriptural geologists" section. I knew that most of the Scriptural Geologists were British, and I did not have the time or knowledge of them to go into much more detail. Thanks for your help! Please remember to sign your posts in the future. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:06, 31 July 2017 (EDT)

== important message for you ==

I sent you an important message to the last place we communicated.

I also have some good news for you. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 17:10, 13 July 2017 (EDT)

== BLOCK THIS GUY!!!!!!!! ==

BLOCK THIS GUY!!!!!!!!

== Block duration ==

Thanks for your great blocks but they should generally not exceed 6 months in duration. By then the IP address is typically being used by someone else.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 22:27, 27 July 2017 (EDT)
:OK. I will keep that in mind. I will change this vandal's block. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:46, 27 July 2017 (EDT)

== "Denkmal der Schande" ==

Björn Höcke nannte das Holocaust-Mahnmal ein "Denkmal der Schande". Zudem sprach er von einer "dämlichen Bewältigungspolitik" und forderte eine "erinnerungspolitische Wende um 180 Grad". Hinterher behauptete Höcke, er hätte den Holocaust als Schande bezeichnet. Wenn man sich nun seine Rede genau anschaut, kann er nur das Denkmal als Schande bezeichnet haben. Höcke hat offen NS-Gedankengut offenbart und dies auch gewollt. Er ist ein Agent des BRD-Systems, die zum Ziel haben, die AfD unwählbar zu machen. Dasselbe haben sie schon mit der NPD gemacht (in den 90er Jahren). Ich find's ja auch schade, dass die AfD unterwandert wurde und nicht mehr wählbar ist. Auch ich habe große Hoffnungen in sie gesetzt. Aber spätestens seit dem letzten Parteitag ist sie unwählbar, die Neo-Nazis gewannen die Oberhand, Gauland wurde Spitzenkandidat. Solange Petry keine neue Partei gründet, müssen Rechtschaffene bei der Bundestagswahl das geringste Übel wählen (z.B. die Freien Wähler oder die BüSo). Aber die AfD ist klar von NS-Agenten unterwandert und ich schrieb noch mehr in den Artikel, also lassen Sie mich zumindest Höckes Rede einfügen, dann kann sich jeder selber ein Bild machen. MfG --[[User:Elessar|Elessar]] ([[User talk:Elessar|talk]]) 10:16, 1 August 2017 (EDT)
:Grüetzi Elessar, CP ist ein Englisher website, so es ist besser wann wir in English schreiben. Ich denke dass die meisten leute heir sprechen kein Deutsch. Danke. Wass ich sage ist sehr kontrovers in Deutschland, aber, Ich probiere ein klares und gutes antwort zum geben:

:First off, many political parties have their crazy members. I know that UKIP explicitly disavows racism, but it has had some members who have said some silly things. I definitely do ''not'' believe the GOP in the U.S. is racist, but David Duke considers himself a Republican (and every other Republican disavows him). Even the Swiss People's Party in my country (I am also a U.S. citizen) has some members who have said racist things. Just because parties have members like this does not necessarily mean that the entire party is racist or whatever. In the case of Höcke's speech, Petry (the party leader, as you know) condemned what he said, or at least criticized him.

:Second, I know the mindset that the German have today. They are still ashamed for what they did during World War II, and they are still focused on trying to make restitution. Personally, I think it is good that they have repented, but they miss the fact that there are two extremes: one extreme is what the Nazis did, the other is being so ashamed bad things one did that they essentially hate their country. We see this with liberals in the United States. I think the German mindset is too far in the second extreme -- and no, I am anywhere close to being a racist or Nazi. Patriotism and nationalism can be very good things, as long as they are handled correctly and are not an excuse to persecute others. The German people, I think, are trying to extinguish them, and they have accused people, even those in the middle of those two extremes, as being Nazis.

:Let me also make clear that I have not read much about Björn Höcke's speech, other than what you provided and what his English Wikipedia article states, so I cannot comment on his entire speech and his entire character. He may very well be what you say he is. However, what I read about his speech and about him actually seems reasonable. Many peoples all over the world have done many evil things -- slavery in the U.S. and the other European colonies, the Islamic slave trade, religious persecution in Rome and the communist nations, the several genocides in history, etc. However, it is not constructive for cultures to focus on these events. It is good to remember them and repent of them, but not to obsess about them. There is much more to German history than World War II, just as there is more to U.S. history than slavery. Why can't we build monuments celebrating the positive things about our cultures and our people? It is cultural suicide not to do so. While we should not forget the bad events, we should focus on the good events and remain proud as a people in order to remain strong. This seems to me what Höcke is getting at. Am I wrong?

:Reading his Wikipedia article, I came accross this quote: "Die Syrer, die zu uns kommen, haben immer noch Syrien. Wenn wir – durch die Syrer – unser Deutschland verloren haben, dann haben wir keine Heimat mehr." I can see how in Germany this is very controversial, but I think in most other countries, this is quite reasonable. It may not be a bad thing if Syrians come, but it would mean that the German people would be in danger of disappearing, at least in a cultural sense. If someone values this (as most people of all ethnicies and nationalities do -- just ask the Poles or Hungarians), they will strongly oppose immigration.

:Am I wrong in what I am saying? Am I misrepresenting Höcke? I would appreciate some dialogue. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 13:18, 1 August 2017 (EDT)

::No, you aren't wrong and I too was never questioning that the "eternal fault" (electing Hitler/WW2) which is propagated by German liberals is bullshit. I only mean that Höcke was not only saying that, but he also clearly favorized the Holocaust by calling for an "erinnerungspolitische Wende um 180 Grad" and calling the Holocaust monument a "Denkmal der Schande". This speech was much criticized by Jewish organizations in Germany and Höcke was forbidden to visit Concentration Camp Memorials. He's not a single exemption, but there are unfortunately already lots of neo-Nazis or neo-Nazi sympathizers in the AfD who are all defending Höcke's speech, including Spitzenkandidat Alexander Gauland. Party leader Petry was forced by them not to participate. These (real) neo-Nazis are system agents who are overrunning the AfD like they did decades ago with the NPD in order to make these parties uneligible by conservative voters. But of course many liberals call all ''real'' conservatives "neo-Nazis" which there is nonsense. But Höcke is really a neo-Nazi and anti-semite and should be excluded together with his inner-party defenders. --[[User:Elessar|Elessar]] ([[User talk:Elessar|talk]]) 14:05, 1 August 2017 (EDT)

:::I don't understand how the "erinnerungspolitische Wende um 180 Grad" shows that Höcke is a neo-Nazi. It seems to be saying that German policy on these matters needs to change, which I also think is reasonable. The culture of shame in Germany must end -- when will Egypt build a monument mourning the Islamic slave trade, and when will Turkey build a monument mourning the Armenian Genocide? That's what I think he is saying. Am I wrong? Please explain.

:::While I am a strong supporter of Israel, I do think that many Jewish organizations in Europe and the United States are politically left-wing -- unlike the current Israeli government. The fact that they opposed Höcke's speech is unsurprising, even if he is not a neo-Nazi. Most European/American Jews support the ruling establishment's views on who is extreme and who is "moderate." And besides, Jewish organizations have their own interests. It's reasonable for them to defend monuments mourning a genocide of their own people, regardless of whether having such a monument, or at least the mindset behind it, is a good thing or not.

:::It seems to me that you are making a jump from noting what Höcke is saying to calling him a neo-Nazi. A lot of what he is saying seems reasonable, even if it is better that he watches what he says more closely, and I don't see how these comments make them neo-Nazis (I do see, however, how such comments are far outside the current German mainstream, and that they make such parties less attractive to moderate Germans). It seems to me that Höcke is a nationalist who is angry at the culture of shame in his country, which is probably the reason why it is being flooded with immigrants and weakened by the EU. Many conservatives said silly things (that sounded extremely racist) about Obama when he was U.S. President, even though those people would have voted for conservative blacks (Ben Carson, Allen West, Herman Cain) or Hispanics (Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz) in a heartbeat. Could it be that this is what Höcke is doing?

:::My last thing I want to say in this comment is not related to the above. I would like to remind you that CP is a family-friendly encyclopedia, and I think this policy also applies to talk pages. I request that you thus refrain from spelling out cuss words when making comments. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 14:35, 1 August 2017 (EDT)

::::Sorry about the term "b***" but I'm as angry as you about the "eternal fault" dogma. And you are completely right with most (including the Jews being too liberal in Europe), but in my opinion the quote "erinnerungspolitische Wende um 180 Grad" is like he wanted to say "The Holocaust was nothing bad" or "not so bad" or so. Like it would be Holocaust relativation. Maybe Höcke really didn't mean anything bad in his speech but then he's simply uncaring of what he says because he damages his party with such unclear statements. --[[User:Elessar|Elessar]] ([[User talk:Elessar|talk]]) 16:34, 1 August 2017 (EDT)

:::::As we disagree on his speech (even though I do think your last comment was very reasonable), I chose to move the info to another place in the article and re-word it. If you have any problems with how I re-worded it, we can discuss that as well. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:05, 1 August 2017 (EDT)

::::::Björn Höcke said in whole this: "Wir Deutschen – und ich rede jetzt nicht von euch Patrioten, die sich hier heute versammelt haben – wir Deutschen, also unser Volk, sind das einzige Volk der Welt, das sich ein Denkmal der Schande in das Herz seiner Hauptstadt gepflanzt hat." This means, not German patriots but the other Germans (liberals e.g.) have founded the Holocaust monument which he calls a Denkmal der Schande. Which means, according to him true German patriots wouldn't have built the Holocaust monument, which can be interpreted as he's pro-Holocaust. The same interpretation is open in his other quote "Wir brauchen eine erinnerungspolitische Wende um 180 Grad". Maybe he didn't want to relativate the Holocaust but he should watch out what he says, especially if his party wants to enter a coalition. A coalition with establishment parties wouldn't be bad as long as the AfD maintains its goals and gets many of them into a government program. --[[User:Elessar|Elessar]] ([[User talk:Elessar|talk]]) 01:37, 2 August 2017 (EDT)

:::::::I can see now how people think the speech was sympathizing with Nazis -- the Holocaust and WWII is a touchy topic, especially for Germans. However, I still see how what he is saying is reasonable. Turkey, for example, is not going to build a monument for the Armenian Genocide anytime soon, Russia is not going to build a monument for the many Baltic peoples they killed during WWII, and Japan is not going to build any monument for the millions of people they killed, including concentration camp prisoners.

:::::::I do know that there are two AfD factions: one that has a goal of becoming a coalition party, and the other that wants to remain an anti-establishment party. Höcke is clearly part of the latter, while Petry is in the former. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 11:31, 2 August 2017 (EDT)

::::::::The AfD can remain an anti-establishment party and anyway be part of a government coalition, like the Austrian [[FPÖ]] which also seeks being part in coalitions (and already is in two states) and remains loyal to all of its positions. --[[User:Elessar|Elessar]] ([[User talk:Elessar|talk]]) 14:09, 2 August 2017 (EDT)

:::::::::Fair enough, but you get the point: there are two factions in the party on the best way foreward for the party. One of them support coalition agreements and the other side is less pragmatic in this regard. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 16:23, 2 August 2017 (EDT)

==Brexit==
Hi - not sure why you changed my edits on the BREXIT page - I tried to provide an accurate account of what is happening and what is being reported by many news outlets --unsigned comment by HORSEMAN
:Hello "HORSEMAN", I removed the info about the potential referendums because this was just speculation that died down. I also thought that some of your wording (such as the "full complexity and impacts of BREXIT become apparent" and by removing the mention of the EU being obstructionist) seemed to insert a left-of-center bias into the article. CP is a conservative encyclopedia, and we align firmly with Brexit and Euroskepticism. However, I will see if I can re-add some of your wording. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:31, 10 August 2017 (EDT)
::Another problem is that for the part about the proposed payments and EU citizen rights, you did not provide sources. The existing info already had a source, and you changed the info while keeping the source. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:35, 10 August 2017 (EDT)
:::Hi Again, would this link suffice http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-17-2001_en.htm It is the definitive statement from the EU negotiating team and sets out the negotiating agenda. Thanks Horseman
::::You can definitely cite the source, but do you also have third party sources as well? I see nothing in the EU source about the monetary amount of the settlement. We prefer sources with conservative editorial stances. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:57, 10 August 2017 (EDT)
:::::Is this syitable, I don't pay for Telegraph articles so only have this link. Thanks Horseman
::::::The Telegraph is one of numerous conservative news organizations. Besides, their non-commentary articles are free for viewing. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:13, 10 August 2017 (EDT)

==[[Margaret Sanger]] revision that you undid==
Hi 1990'sguy,

Is there a way to reword what I wrote in such a way that it could be considered "encyclopedic"?

Thanks,
[[User:Bluedogdemocrat|Bluedogdemocrat]] ([[User talk:Bluedogdemocrat|talk]]) 22:59, 18 August 2017 (EDT)
:You could write "Planned Parenthood eventually expanded to support the form of murder known as abortion." Something like that. We should keep the wording encyclopedic, as this is not a blog or anything like that. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:05, 18 August 2017 (EDT)

== Re: Block of TimJim ==

Sorry about that, I wasn't aware you had already blocked TimJim when I blocked him, so I reset the block length back to that of your original block. [[User:Northwest|Northwest]] ([[User talk:Northwest|talk]]) 22:45, 19 August 2017 (EDT)

== Article move request ==

Hi I'd be happy to move those articles you are requesting, but as you know, I cannot avoid the creation of redirects. Let me know if you want this, but hopefully you can get it done the right way. It's also probably easier to ask for a move than a delete. --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 17:43, 21 August 2017 (EDT)
:I appreciate your offer, David, but I think it would be better if I keep it simple for Andy, rather than explain that the articles were moved and that he only has to delete the redirect -- having one person do it is more simple. Thanks anyway! :) --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:46, 21 August 2017 (EDT)
::Agreed...okay. I didn't want to cut in and disrupt things, but just thought I'd offer. Cheers! --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 17:49, 21 August 2017 (EDT)
:::I do appreciate your offer, David. Thanks! It looks like Andy just moved the articles. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:50, 21 August 2017 (EDT)

==Contact==
You can email me at wirepaladin36@gmail.com [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|''Deep Six the Deep State!'']] 11:22, 26 August 2017 (EDT)

==snoopy2==
1990s guy, I just want to verify u could read the Theistic ev. entry and 1994 film clip on my user talk. any comments?
:I could watch it, but would you please explain what it's about in a little more detail? --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 14:55, 11 December 2017 (EST)

== Maybe I was too pessimistic. Good news ==

'''Why [[Democrats]] Should Be''' Losing Sleep Over Generation Z.[https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2017/08/11/why-democrats-should-be-losing-sleep-over-generation-z/]

Bye for now. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 23:47, 5 September 2017 (EDT)
:Thanks for the article. Bye for now. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:48, 5 September 2017 (EDT)

== File comparison tool ==

Did Cons ever get back to you with the comparison tool? I'm curious about it, and whether it does a good job of checking for copied content. The problems that it appears to solve are different from the problems of comparison tools used in software development. I'm curious about whether it uses line hashing, sentence hashing, word group hashing, and things like that. I'd like to try it out, and not just at CP. In fact, probably not at all for CP; I'm not interested in who plagiarizes what at CP, though, when I am, I use other techniques to catch people. I'm just curious as to whether those other techniques have been automated.

It's puzzling that Cons deleted the screenshot, as though he ''wants'' people to believe he's a liar, though I don't think he is.

[[User:SamHB|SamHB]] ([[User talk:SamHB|talk]]) 14:57, 12 September 2017 (EDT)
:I can assure you that the tool exists. I have not tried it yet and thus cannot answer your question. I have no reason to try it as JDano's essays were deleted, so I recommend that you ask Conservative directly these things. Maybe he will share it with you. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 16:23, 12 September 2017 (EDT)

::Great!! I'm still very much interested in it. Is it a "cloud app"? Is it a downloadable app that I can run locally on my own computer? Can you send me a URL?
::By the way, the standard wiki comparison of your last edit to the [[Guy Verhofstadt]] article, just as a random example, shows how bad text comparers can be. [[User:SamHB|SamHB]] ([[User talk:SamHB|talk]]) 17:40, 13 September 2017 (EDT)
:::You are going to have to ask Conservative for the details of the tool -- he told me not to give it away to anyone, and while I personally have no problem with sharing it with you, I shouldn't go against what he said. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:43, 13 September 2017 (EDT)
::::Well, this is really weird. Cons seems to be trying to censor the internet itself, hiding the location of this tool. And he seems to think that only you can be trusted with it. He said "I will share this tool with 1990sguy [...] so he can evaluate your [JDano's] efforts in an objective way." I of course took this as a challenge. A Google search for "similar page checker tool" gets a number of hits. Ignoring the ones that cost a lot of money, and those that attempt to check a given page against the entire internet, narrowed it down to a few. This one: [https://www.duplichecker.com/similar-page-checker.php] seems to be the right thing. It's a "cloud app" rather than an installable program, but I can put up with that. It has the same appearance—color and layout—as the screenshot that Cons posted and removed. I ran it on the versions of this page before and after your recent reply to me, and it said they were 100% the same. I'm not particularly happy about that, but the additional text was only about 0.3 percent of the total, so I suppose I can accept that. Then I ran it on versions that differ in length by 10% (the 100K version and the 110K version.) It said they were 98% similar. Not good. But I still might find it to be a useful tool. There are pages not relating to JDano that could benefit from such an analysis.

::::I will probably check in with Cons on this, once he stays away from CP for 10 days.

::::[[User:SamHB|SamHB]] ([[User talk:SamHB|talk]]) 23:39, 13 September 2017 (EDT)

==Getting help==
I am trying to fix the stuff on the Corporate bullies page. Am still learning my way around on how to use things. Think I am starting to get it though. The Georgia 2016 stuff has a lot of info and I am in the process of editing it, though it's going to take a while (at least 20 or more minutes. I'm trying though. (BTW, if I wasn't supposed to edit here, sorry. I don't know how to reply to your remark otherwise.) [[User:PatriotMongoose|PatriotMongoose]] ([[User talk:PatriotMongoose|talk]]) 22:31, 15 September 2017 (EDT)
:It's OK to edit here. I recommend that you read CP's guidelines, and probably more importantly, that you read [[Help:How to edit a website like Conservapedia]]. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:34, 15 September 2017 (EDT)

==Fabulous block and reverts==

Fabulous block and reverts this afternoon!!!! Well done!!!--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 18:51, 21 September 2017 (EDT)
:Thanks, Andy! :) --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:52, 21 September 2017 (EDT)

== re: JohnZ ==

User: JohnZ fails to recognize that my interest to be a referee to protect a marginal online sparring partner (whose greatest achievement was his dogged stubbornness to ignore facts/evidence) was largely protected by his edits to main space articles and my desire for an online sparring partner.

His rudeness to other editors and his desire to barely skate by with his main space edits certainly did not help matters. In addition, given the [[decline of the atheist movement]] and it now being a hopeless cause destined to ever increasing irrelevance, my desire for an atheist online sparring partner is non-existent at this point given my current/future priorities.

If he wants to create two quality, well-sourced original articles of at least 2,00 words on these topics [[Anti-religious Soviet Union propaganda]] and [[Christian persecution in communist China]] to restore his other editing privileges, that is what is required.

He would also have to pledge to refrain from hurling insults to other editors (idiot, etc.). [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 22:01, 3 November 2017 (EDT)

:Hopefully he'll do it. We've given him these opportunities before and he rejected them. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:18, 3 November 2017 (EDT)
::I made a minor adjustment to his requirements for fully restoring his editing privileges in case someone creates articles on those subjects.

::Secondly, ardent secular leftists generally always double down regardless of any contrary facts/evidence presented to them. Of course, you never know what is going to happen. The Apostle Paul went from being one of Christianity's chief opponents to being its greatest champion. He will just need to be open minded.

::It is very widely recognized that there is and has been religious persecution in communist China and that there was anti-religious propaganda in the former Soviet Union. So I am giving him ample opportunity to show that he is not a close-minded individual given to hurling insults. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 22:31, 3 November 2017 (EDT)

I would say no to this for a couple reasons. The first is his blatant disrespect of everyone here, and he has shown that multiple times. The gist of it is a pretense of superiority over us, as if it is mandatory that we listen to him; he stated a short time ago that some of us are idiots for not engaging him in conversation. Which I might add is his kind of conversation.

The second reason is that he's a leftist brand of liberal from Great Britain, which means we cannot change his way of thinking whatsoever. Unfortunately for someone who is that close-minded he is going to go into lock-step with every other like-minded individual in his country, which would mean the loss of the United Kingdom as a political entity within a few years time. In his case, he is more concerned with picking a fight with the users of a small American conservative website then he is with what he and his kind are allowing to happen in Britain, namely the Islamic takeover. As a leftist, he probably feels he can get along with them in the name of diversity and multiculturalism, but when all is said and done he will either be forced on his hands and knees with his butt high in the air, or he'll have his head chopped off.

Unfortunately, some people think they're so better than others that they've blinded themselves to what they're actually doing. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] ([[User talk:Karajou|talk]]) 04:35, 4 November 2017 (EDT)
:Karajou, if you look at my comment to his talk page, you will see that I am giving him an opportunity to show that he can be open-minded and reasonable by writing on two topics related to atheistic communism persecution of Christians/religious (namely [[Christian persecution in communist China]] and [[Anti-religious propaganda in the Soviet Union]]) via two quality articles of at least 2,000 words.[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 05:38, 4 November 2017 (EDT)

== Anti-Christian bias in Wikipedia ==

Hello 1990'sguy. Am I being hypersensitive or is Wikipedia's anti-Christian bias increasing? For example, the recent dispute about content at Answers in Genesis.[https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk%3AAnswers_in_Genesis&type=revision&diff=810473662&oldid=810471171] I see also that User:Synthetic Woolly Mammoth[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Synthetic_Woolly_Mammoth] has just been blocked, allegedly for being a sockpuppet of Biscuittin, but more likely because he has been speaking up in support of some Christian editors. [[User:Desmonduk|Desmonduk]] ([[User talk:Desmonduk|talk]]) 05:27, 20 November 2017 (EST)
:I know another editor who has extensively edited topics related to Christianity and atheism on WP, and he told me that the ati-Christian bias on the site was much worse back around 2012. The militant atheists don't have as much power as they did back then. However, the anti-Christian bias obviously is still very bad, especially on YEC topics, which I have been dealing with for years already. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 09:20, 20 November 2017 (EST)

== Block length ==

Thanks for your alert block of new user "CPishilarious", but I'm going to change the block duration from 2 years to 1 month. Long blocks are disfavored on wikis because they block the IP address as well as the user. The IP address could be a library or other general access IP address, or the user could move or be a college student, or the user could have a change of heart. But thanks again for your quick action.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 22:11, 20 November 2017 (EST)
:OK, and you're welcome. I have seen blocked vandals come back with their same accounts after their blocks expire, so I wanted to protect against that. But I will shorten blocks like these in the future. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 08:54, 21 November 2017 (EST)
::Thanks so much for your alert block this morning, but again the block duration is too long. Another user could be trying to use that same IP address within a few months, or the user himself could have a change of heart. I'll shorten it to 4 months. Thanks!--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 11:25, 4 December 2017 (EST)
:::Andy, it feels like I'm the only editor you're messaging about block length, ''even though my blocks are much shorter than most other editors.'' For example, just yesterday, I blocked two accounts for six months for having a silly username and for (relatively) non-serious vandalism, but shortly later, DMorris reset the blocks for 5 years. See here: [http://www.conservapedia.com/Special:Contributions/Bernieman][http://www.conservapedia.com/Special:Contributions/Hillary_clinton] If you're going (for good reason) to message me for my blocks, please do the same for the other editors who prefer even longer blocks. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 13:33, 4 December 2017 (EST)
:::But yes, I will still shorten my blocks. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 13:36, 4 December 2017 (EST)

== Suggested article ==

Here is an article suggestion:

*[[Donald Trump and evangelicals]]

I think there would be public interest in such an article. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 16:20, 9 December 2017 (EST)
:Thanks. If I get time, I will start this article. I will add it to my list of articles to create. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:16, 9 December 2017 (EST)

== Two things ==

For one, why do you not have email enabled? Secondly, consider longer blocks for these obviously malicious accounts. You can block an account for infinity and the autoblock on the IP still only lasts 24 hours. There is no reason for these sleeper accounts to come back to life three months later. [[User:DMorris|DMorris]] ([[User talk:DMorris|talk]]) 16:19, 13 December 2017 (EST)

:In his defense, he was doing longer blocks until [[User_talk:1990'sguy#Block_length|Andy started asking him not too]], then [[User_talk:1990'sguy#Block_length_2|reminded him again]]. --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 16:25, 13 December 2017 (EST)

::Yes, for crying out loud, why am I the only one being criticized for my block lengths? If I make my block lengths long, Andy posts on my talk page, and if I make my block lengths shorter, DMorris posts on my talk page.

::DMorris, please talk to Andy about this. I will continue making my blocks on the shorter side until your differing opinions are sorted out.

::About my email, I have my email address posted on my user page. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 16:46, 13 December 2017 (EST)

== Articles of the year: 2017 - your article is being featured on the main page (left side) ==

*[[Donald Trump achievements]]

*[[European migrant crisis]]

*[[Atheists and genetic mutations]]

Keep up the good work.[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]])
:Thanks! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:12, 24 December 2017 (EST)

== Nationalism v Globalism ==

I went ahead and added a link to the Gardner article on the Nationalism v Globalism article for you. I figured since we were referencing it, it would be good to see the original article too.--[[User:Whizkid|Whizkid]] ([[User talk:Whizkid|talk]]) 23:52, 7 January 2018 (EST)
:Thanks! I already saw and added it to other articles where I mentioned Gardner. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:53, 7 January 2018 (EST)

==Homeschooling==
I deleted the paragraph on Texas requirements (which I originally added) since it was duplicative of the information I added from HSLDA (which covers all 50 states) regarding state requirements. I left the New Hampshire one since it involved a court imposing its will on a family in violation of state law.

I'm glad you liked my original work, but after finding something better and covering more than just one state, I amended my original work. Though after your comments, I revised it to explain that another state court (Texas) made homeschooling far easier than before. [[User:Quidam65|Quidam65]] ([[User talk:Quidam65|talk]]) 17:22, 29 January 2018 (EST)

:Thanks. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:27, 29 January 2018 (EST)

==Deep State==
I will agree with your removal of the word "theory", but I did add the phrase "(or are believed to control)" because there are many conservative Christians who are not totally convinced that the deep state really exists. I believe my edits will be a happy medium between those who hold to the deep state view and those who do not. [[User:Quidam65|Quidam65]] ([[User talk:Quidam65|talk]]) 15:11, 30 January 2018 (EST)
:I kept most of your "is believed/considered" wording (except for the first sentence, which is unnecessary as the first sentence already makes clear that "deep state" is a term and not necessarily reality. I found most of your other changes to be too wordy and unnecessary, so I reverted some of it. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 20:04, 30 January 2018 (EST)
::I looked at your revisions and all you did was revert to your original article, with a few minor edits to try to convince me that you really took my suggestions into consideration. Basically what you did to the article is like putting wood filler and new paint on a house with termite rot. I've dealt with folks like you over on "the other site", who think that once they write an article, it's perfect and can't accept any changes to it. I'm not going to waste time with this one any more; clearly you're trying to espouse tinfoil hat conspiracy theory under the guise of "Christian conservatism". [[User:Quidam65|Quidam65]] ([[User talk:Quidam65|talk]]) 09:22, 31 January 2018 (EST)
:::Much of your changes involved inserting parenthetical notes, which I think made the article more bloated than it had to be. The "or are believed to control" phrase in the first sentence was simply unnecessary and overemphasized your disbelief in the deep state. The part about Wall Street was cited to a good research article, so I don't think we need the "is believed" language for that. But I will still see if I can incorporate more of your edits.
:::About the existence of the deep state, it and the drive for one-world government are things that should be common and uncontroversial knowledge -- but people (both supporters and detractors) "conspiracize" these things and that's how accusations of me wearing a tinfoil hat come about. Look at the evidence -- most of our society (except theologically conservative Christians, most of them probably being premillennialist) accept the Idea of Progress, adopted during the Enlightenment Era. They believe that humanity is progressing for the better, and that this will lead to a one-world utopia with world peace and freedom for humanity (read Kant, for example). Thus, they believe that national identity, subsidiarity, and national sovereignty are growing useless and antiquated and actually are impediments to this utopia. This flows into their policies -- advancing international organizations, taking away national sovereignty, etc. As for the deep state, just look at the whole DOJ/FBI stuff going on right now, or the fact that Republicans and Democrats hire administration personnel from the same group of organizations -- CFR, Trilateral, etc.
:::The garbage that there is some secret conspiracy by liberals to take over the world, that their motives are malevolent, that they want to do evil, that this is a short-term project, and that the Illuminati is involved with all this -- this is all garbage perfectly fit for "the other site". In reality, the drive for a one-world utopia is one of the fundamental philosophical views in our culture, and liberals openly see it as natural/normal/benign (and they're in it for the long haul). --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 10:04, 31 January 2018 (EST)

== Suggested Name Change for [[Christmas and Easter Catholic]] ==
I propose changing this to "Christmas and Easter Christian", since the phenomenon of persons attending church on those days is by no means limited to Catholics. [[User:Quidam65|Quidam65]] ([[User talk:Quidam65|talk]]) 16:17, 30 January 2018 (EST)
:I disagree. I recommend that a separate article entitled "Christmas and Easter Christian" be created -- C&E Catholicism is a notable concept on its own right, enough to have its own article. I think an article on C&E Christianity in general would be a good addition. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 20:07, 30 January 2018 (EST)
::What's the difference? Both are the same phenomenon -- "so-called" Christian believers who attend only during those two holidays (or weddings and funerals). The current article is fine, it just needs to be revised to not pick on one branch of Christianity. [[User:Quidam65|Quidam65]] ([[User talk:Quidam65|talk]]) 09:17, 31 January 2018 (EST)
:::I've heard Roman Catholics specifically mentioned much more than other Christians when hearing about this "phenomenon." But I will ask another editor of his opinion on this. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 09:32, 31 January 2018 (EST)

==Campaign promises==
Hello,

The thought occurred to me that Wikipedia does not normally catalog campaign promises.(It never has, that I have seen) Elections there follow a formula of "what did they actually do after getting elected" and election results - which is both boring and completely useless, because we have a big problem with people running for office one way and then governing another way. This leaves a glaring hole of accountability with all of our politicians and it also offers us an opportunity to distinguish ourselves from Wikipedia. What do you think about this? I made a few changes [[Bruce Rauner|here]] as an example start. [[User:Progressingamerica|Progressingamerica]] ([[User talk:Progressingamerica|talk]]) 15:00, 4 February 2018 (EST)
:I think your suggestion is a great idea -- we have too many politicians who make really great promises during election campaigns, but they later act like they never even made those promises. When Rauner and his GOP primary opponent (Jeanne Ives) sat down with the ''Chicago Tribune'' editorial board a few days ago, Rauner said that he never promised he would veto a major pro-abortion bill that he ultimately signed (he actually explicitly promised he would multiple times).[http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/01/30/jeanne-ives-crushes-gop-gov-bruce-rauner-illinois-candidates-meet-first-time/][http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/01/31/conservative-jeanne-ives-rips-il-gov-bruce-rauner-abortion-flip-flop/]
:I can also think of Sen. Thom Tillis of NC who campaigned against amnesty in 2014 and is now advocating for a "conservative" amnesty bill (though it's inferior to the Goodlatte bill).
:I support your suggestion. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 15:11, 4 February 2018 (EST)

== FPÖ ==

Hi, I just wanted to ask you why you have removed [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Freedom_Party_of_Austria&diff=1403167&oldid=1403166 my entry] on the article of the Freedom Party of Austria. The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kreisky%E2%80%93Peter%E2%80%93Wiesenthal_affair Kreisky–Peter–Wiesenthal affair] is an important event in the history of this party that should not be discreeted.--[[User:JoeyJ|JoeyJ]] ([[User talk:JoeyJ|talk]]) 09:41, 7 February 2018 (EST)
:First off, the info was inserted right in the middle of a paragraph discussing the FPO's ideological development and alliance with the SPO. Your info was out of place.
:Second, the info was unduly wordy. I am sick of seeing the media and leftists do everything in their power to tie right-wing conservative parties like the FPO to Nazi Germany, such as by unduly emphasizing those aspects of the parties and calling them "far-right", "extreme right", "ultra-right", etc. By American conservative standards, these parties are actually quite moderate, and for those of us who realize that Nazism is a vastly overrated threat (placed alongside climate change by the Left), such parties have clearly moved away from their pasts.
:I don't want our articles to accept the left-wing narratives of these right-wing populist parties. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 09:50, 7 February 2018 (EST)
::Well, all the informations I have put in the article were confirmed with trustworthy sources. [[Simon Wiesenthal]] who accused the FPÖ leader Friedrich Peter of being part in a unit which committed massacres against jews, was himself a Conservative. Wiesenthal supported the (at that time very conservative) Austrian People's Party. So it is not easy to label his accusations as "left-wing narratives". I am also pretty sure that the Conservative government of Israel does not spread "left-wing propaganda" if they criticize the party for its charged history. Instead of simply removing facts from the article, you might emphasize how the FPÖ moved away from its past.--[[User:JoeyJ|JoeyJ]] ([[User talk:JoeyJ|talk]]) 10:01, 7 February 2018 (EST)
:::Israel is a Jewish state, so issues related to the Holocaust are sensitive to them. But as much as I support Israel and its right-wing government, Israel's position toward the FPO is irrational, and they are unduly obsessed with Nazism like Western Europe is. Israel's opinion on the FPO means very little because of the context -- it's easy to offend Israel on matters like this.
:::About Wiesenthal, I don't know anything about him, but him supporting the OVP does not mean much to me. If the party were "very conservative", why did it support the EU, Maastricht Treaty, Schengen Agreement, etc.
:::And yes, these are the narratives promoted by the Left, the establishment, and the media. These are the same people who were comparing Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler during the election campaign and who tried to smear Breitbart News as anti-Semite (despite loads of evidence to the contrary), among many other cases. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 10:17, 7 February 2018 (EST)
::::Just because these "narratives" are promoted by the Left it does not mean that they are wrong. I can ensure you that Simon Wiesenthal was never a supporter of left-wing policies. As I already told you it would be better to emphasize the current measures by Strache to reappraise the controversial history of this party instead of denying it.--[[User:JoeyJ|JoeyJ]] ([[User talk:JoeyJ|talk]]) 11:20, 8 February 2018 (EST)
:::::They're wrong -- they overemphasize every small and petty incident related to parties like the FPO that allude to Nazi Germany. Their point in doing so is to make it seem like that if we elect these people/parties into power (including Donald Trump), we'll be repeating 1933 all over again and will usher in the end of freedom in Europe -- never mind that Germany is still enforcing the Nazi ban on homeschooling, or that many Western European countries have free speech restrictions even on topics like Islam and homosexuality, or etc. Conservapedia will not go along with the media -- we acknowledge that parties like the FPO are conservative and/or right-wing (not "far-right" or "neo-Nazi") and the best choice in order to protect/expand freedom and protect European culture/patriotism. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 11:58, 8 February 2018 (EST)

== request ==

Can you create this article: [[Donald Trump's major achievements]]? [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 12:39, 9 February 2018 (EST)
:This seems like a good idea, and I will do it. I won't do it immediately, since I have a lot of other things to do, but I will create it soon. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 12:54, 9 February 2018 (EST)
::OK. Thanks. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 13:18, 9 February 2018 (EST)

I'm very sorry about the article. If it make you feel like a advertisement. However, everything that is state is true. Thank you for your understanding. Pleased assist by make any corrections. That you think is necessary. When your time is most convenient.

Your brother in Christ,
Luke
:Thanks for your message, but the article I deleted is not acceptable for Conservapedia. There is nothing I can do to change that, unless you receive coverage from good sources (Breitbart, Fox, etc.). I'm keeping the other article for now, since it's one I can imagine keeping, but I'm discussing it with other editors to see what to ultimately do about it. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 11:00, 21 February 2018 (EST)

Could you add some categories to my page please? [[User:Willow Smith|Willow Smith]] ([[User talk:Willow Smith|talk]]) 11:26, 22 February 2018 (EST)

==Response to your complaints==
From what appears EVERY time someone creates a new page or edits an existing one:

"Please note that all contributions to Conservapedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here."

If the real rule is "any contributions by Conservapedia administrators -- no matter how good, bad, or ugly they may be -- are fixed for all time and never to be altered", then make that the rule. But don't invite someone to improve things, then complain because they do. [[User:Quidam65|Quidam65]] ([[User talk:Quidam65|talk]]) 10:26, 6 March 2018 (EST)
:Your bolding does not improve things. Also, nobody reverted your turning pages into redirects -- it's just a good idea to let people know before making major unilateral changes. If your complaint is that I'm messaging you about these things, then you have no real complaint at all. If you make edits here, you (like I was, and still am to an extent) are bound to be messaged about these things, which other editors do with the intention of improving others' editing. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 10:37, 6 March 2018 (EST)

::Additionally, administrators and editors alike must watch the activity of others, especially newer editors. A few people have the hobby of trying to vandalize CP in any way possible, so excuse us if we sound cynical or obstinate, but some "new users" are actually just the same vandals as always. Since we don't really know you yet, we do our best to assume good intent, but can't afford to ignore what seems to be odd behavior.
::I'm sure you'll do fine, if you just listen to the recommendations of others and keep improving content. Thank you for your efforts, and for understanding! --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 17:16, 6 March 2018 (EST)

==Thank you for the intro==
Just wanted to say thank you for the welcome! PS--Do you know what an eagle does when a storm approaches? [[User:Bcarlin|Bcarlin]] ([[User talk:Bcarlin|talk]]) 20:34, 21 March 2018 (EDT)

== Double standard article is now unprotected ==
1990sguy, I unprotected the [[Double standard]] article.[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 04:16, 3 April 2018 (EDT)
:Thanks! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 11:43, 3 April 2018 (EDT)

== Regarding the Whale article ==

Hello,
I would like to know what caused you to revert my edits to the Whale article, and what I could do in the future to avoid this.--[[User:Cetacean|Cetacean]] ([[User talk:Cetacean|talk]]) 23:23, 23 April 2018 (EDT)
:First off, I did not revert everything -- not even close. I reverted what appeared to be unnecessary wordiness on your part, along with your insertion of evolutionist-favored terms ("evolutionary biologists" instead of "evolutionists"--believe it or not, but people who believe in a young Earth can be evolutionary biologists too). If you keep your wording as concise as possible and if you choose your wording while keeping in mind that this is a conservative-Christian encyclopedia (thus, using terms favored by conservatives and Christians), then you won't be reverted. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:10, 23 April 2018 (EDT)
::OK, thanks for letting me know. I'll keep that in mind. I think I was correct about Darwin's views, though - could I reinstate that part?--[[User:Cetacean|Cetacean]] ([[User talk:Cetacean|talk]]) 23:23, 23 April 2018 (EDT)
:::Fine, but only if you change that part. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:27, 23 April 2018 (EDT)
::::Done. Thank you!--[[User:Cetacean|Cetacean]] ([[User talk:Cetacean|talk]]) 23:40, 23 April 2018 (EDT)
== Thanks for your edits ==

Thanks for cleaning up the edits to [[Biblical scientific foreknowledge]]. I was planning to do likewise.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] ([[User talk:Aschlafly|talk]]) 23:13, 24 April 2018 (EDT)
:You're welcome, happy to help! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:15, 24 April 2018 (EDT)

== Ummm... how? ==

Ok... if not supernatural then how is evolution a folklore genre? I don't understand... Do you go to your doctor... Do you believe in evidence based medicine? If so, are you aware that many medicines and treatment methods are derived from experiment on animals... In your viewpoint why? If animals are COMPLETELY unrelated to us IN ANY WAY... then what is the point of experimenting and more importantly, why do those experiments help us develop pills and treatment of diseases? Why do the animals most close to us suffer from related diseases? Why do chimps suffer from HIV and not cockroaches? Just coincidence that our nearest relative is the one who suffers from problems more close to us? --[[User:Kingdamian1|Kingdamian1]] ([[User talk:Kingdamian1|talk]]) 00:01, 25 April 2018 (EDT)

== Things for you to note ==

Ok... thanks... I feel like there are a couple of things you have to know about potholer54... First, he DOES NOT discuss the political regulations on climate change (https://youtu.be/MTJQPyTVtNA?t=10) in other words, he maintains that political part of the debate (whether conservative or not) is NOT his business. Also, he has criticized leftists for blowing up the effects of climate change (he has frequently said that science does not support earth being destroyed by climate change since in history there have been higher CO2 levels)... these are the reasons why I felt that my wording was correct, but I will not start arguing. Do as you wish. I only ask that if you modify my article please try expanding it (there are enough stubs and short articles here), and cite sources. Even if the sources would not be considered legitimate (by other's standards), citing the sources makes the article look good. I see too many articles, where the writer goes on and on without citing a single source.

About evolution. I do NOT agree with everything here. But I understand your mission. And I understand that people here feel differently and it is NOT my mission to undermine your work. I simply add and create pages which I think Conservapedia lacks, and I try to write from neutral point of view (more experienced people can edit it to sound more conservative, I do not want to seem like a troll).

I did as you commanded. I know the wiki that shall not be named is not welcome here, but I wanted people to have another way to contact me. Anyways, it is removed
--[[User:Kingdamian1|Kingdamian1]] ([[User talk:Kingdamian1|talk]]) 19:09, 26 April 2018 (EDT)
:Responded on your talk page. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 20:26, 26 April 2018 (EDT)

1)Yes... there are several instances of him trying to take the politics out of it... I'll send them later

2)When you say he "criticizes skepticism" as opposed to "denialism" the reader may have the impression that potholer is against being skeptical when in fact he is against what he considers to be denialsim... He is pro free speech, he welcomes questions, I have even spoken with him at length months ago. That is why I wrote what I wrote.

3)That's ok. While my interests change very unpredictably and rapidly, recently I am more interested in history, pseudohistory and archaeology, pseudoarchaeology articles.

4)I understand... I will obey. But just for curiosity, can I know where does that rule originate from? I have read the Guidelines and the Commandments and I did not see any mention of the site which calls itself that which it thinks Conservapedia is not? I do obey, and I respect, but just for interest, where is that rule documented and what is the purpose (since you seem to tolerate other anti-Conservapedia wikis like Lieberapedia) --[[User:Kingdamian1|Kingdamian1]] ([[User talk:Kingdamian1|talk]]) 20:48, 26 April 2018 (EDT)

:Responded again on your talk page. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 21:31, 26 April 2018 (EDT)

::OK... Is there a way for me to add images (illustrations) to my articles? How do I do that and what is CP policy on that? Are google images, wiki images ok? --[[User:Kingdamian1|Kingdamian1]] ([[User talk:Kingdamian1|talk]]) 21:43, 26 April 2018 (EDT)
:::You can post requests at [[Conservapedia:Image upload requests]]. User:DavidB4 usually uploads the requests. If the image has a license that allows us to use it, we can upload it. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 21:53, 26 April 2018 (EDT)

== Blocked me ==

Hey...
1)I thought that the ban meant that I was actually banned, meaning the site would prevent me from editing, so when I saw that I could edit, I thought it was ok... I did not know that you meant I should stay away from those topics. I simply thought the article used to many words, so I made it simple and more encyclopedic.

2)Your addition to my article is also written, don't get me wrong, a little too simply. I understand that editors here do not accept the scientific consensus on evolution, but at least you can write it more encyclopedically, like you state that scientists say that humans turned from dumb to intelligent and turned to farmers... That sounds like something a 12 year old would write... Can't you make it sound more scientific. I mean, disagree with it, but at least a)represent it correctly b)write it in a grown-up manner...

3)Why did you delete my "Gay Nazis" article... From what I understand, that is pseudo historical and Hitler hated gays and persecuted them?

By the way, thanks for a reasonable block time... I thought I might be blocked for another two years without a chance to explain myself --[[User:Kingdamian1|Kingdamian1]] ([[User talk:Kingdamian1|talk]]) 18:26, 27 April 2018 (EDT)
:1) Topic bans mean you're not allowed to edit a topic, not that you don't have the ability to do so. Besides, regardless of your apparent misunderstanding, you removed content that you disagreed with, something I told you repeatedly not to do.
:2) Disapproving of my wording isn't a good reason to remove the entire thing, especially considering that it is one of the few examples in the article that secularists hate. Besides, we're supposed to give reasonably simple explanations when writing (see [[Conservapedia:Guidelines#Style]]). My explanation is what the "scientific/historical consensus" essentially holds, and if that's the case, there's no reason to make it read like it was copied out of a prestigious journal. But regardless, I will see if there's any wording that I could change.
:3) It cited two explicitly left-wing sources that use this example to advocate for social-leftist policies and to criticize modern American conservatives. Surely there must be more apolitical sources out there about this? Also, regardless, it's good not to confuse Adolf Hitler's opposition to homosexuality (and the policies that came out of that) with homosexuality's presence in the Nazi Party. What I mean is that some high-ranking people in the Nazi Party, who helped found and build up the party (most notably Ernst Röhm), were homosexuals, and it's more complicated than "Nazis hated homosexuals."
:4) You're welcome. But also a warning: if you don't improve (and I hope you do improve), I will progressively increase the block lengths. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:55, 27 April 2018 (EDT)

::Ok, fine... But out of curiosity, does everyone on this site share your views on evolution, black holes, relativity, atheists etc? Is this site representative of Conservative (and/or Christian) values in general or a very specific type of sense? Do mainstream conservatives reference this site as an authority? And also, is there a rule (formal) where this has to be YEC or strictly Christian? Or is it an unspoken rule? Or does it depend on editors? I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes, I am genuinely interested. One more thing, you told me that I could NOT become an admin/sysop because there were very few, yet you clearly have more authority than me. You block and unblock me at will... How can I get that authority? Thanks! --[[User:Kingdamian1|Kingdamian1]] ([[User talk:Kingdamian1|talk]]) 23:39, 27 April 2018 (EDT)
:::No, not everyone shares CP's views on these issues -- in fact, we've had some liberals and atheists edit CP on relatively good terms. However, most editors here (including myself, though I'm agnostic on the relativity info and opposed to the CBP) share the vast majority of CP's stated views. As the owner of CP, Andy obviously has the right to choose what it says.
:::CP is representative of, for lack of a better term, what I would call "full conservatism", rather than cafeteria conservatism, where people pick and choose what parts of conservatism they support and what they don't. There are many people (especially in Europe, but also here) who say they are conservative but share many views and even many underlying presuppositions of the globalist Left. CP is pretty consistent with our support for limited/small government and staying true to the values of the founding fathers.
:::It really depends on who you mean when you say "mainstream conservative" -- that's a slippery term that can mean different things.
:::I'm not an admin -- I'm technically an assistant admin, since I have many but not all sysop rights. Even getting those took a while, and it's all at Andy's discretion. If you become a good editor who respects CP's perspective and does not challenge them in any way, you'll probably get some rights eventually. But you were just blocked twice, and you're still having problems learning how to edit CP without undermining its perspective -- I don't think you should count on being promoted anytime soon -- focus on other things here for now. CP has a significantly stricter sysop policy than "the other website", and for good reason -- we're the target of parodists and other people who regularly seek to vandalize and undermine us, and we want to ensure that we don't have to deal with a parodist sysop or anything like that. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 00:09, 28 April 2018 (EDT)

== Sorry ==

Sorry, you'll have to explain that more... What do I not do? --[[User:Kingdamian1|Kingdamian1]] ([[User talk:Kingdamian1|talk]]) 15:58, 28 April 2018 (EDT)

== Left Wing Sources ==

Hi... I do not usually look at the political leanings... I cite sources which I am SURE state something that is verifiable... Though, SPLC might be left leaning, I am SURE they can get Richard Spencer's birth date right... So I cited as a source for his birth date... The RWW, was a YOUTUBE video, that is the one I found first, I don't cite them to support left leaning politics, just facts that are verifiable by ANY honest person... I repeat SPLC might be left, but I am sure they can get a BIRTH DATE correctly! So that is what I cited, but do as you please! --[[User:Kingdamian1|Kingdamian1]] ([[User talk:Kingdamian1|talk]]) 16:22, 28 April 2018 (EDT)
:Surely, there are better sources that give Spencer's birthdate than SPLC. Also, those sources are not merely "left-leaning" (that designation more properly belongs to something like "The Atlantic") -- they are far-left partisan interest groups. They have no business being here. As a conservative encyclopedia, it makes sense to predominantly rely on conservative sources (or, at least, apolitical sources). --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 16:27, 28 April 2018 (EDT)

== Arguing With You ==

Lol.. You are trying to get me to argue about evolution... but the problem is that if I do that I (and ONLY I, ie NOT both of us) will get blocked... It's kinda dirty that you on one hand basically provoke me to argument and if I do respond to your arguments you have the authority to block me... Assuming, this time you really were interested and WILL NOT block me for simply RESPONDING TO WHAT YOU TOLD ME... It is my humble opinion, based on what you have said here, you do not understand what The Theory of Evolution actually is... You seem to think that evolution says that monkeys turned human and that macro evolution means that a new organism appears over time, although macro evolution is THE SAME as micro evolution only on a larger time scale (yes as simple as that)... You have made it clear NOT to correct these errors (ERRORS) so I respect conservapedia rules... I respect what you told me and I keep away from stuff that we disagree on and keep contributing what I can in good faith...

Last time we got into this argument, I pointed out a really good and simple thing... I told you how we can see the familial pattern and the animals closer to us suffer more ailments like us... I also pointed out that experiments on animals closer to us help us find treatment, this was a good point to think about... Instead you chose to ignore it... So I did NOT want to get blocked, so I simply let it go (again, respecting your opinions)... Yet you show NONE of this respect calling 200 years of research "junk science" simply because you have been unable to process this information... @Karajou is YEC too and he thinks that evolution is fake, but he does not push it, and he is not calling me out on "believing" (or understanding, as I prefer) evolution... He simply keeps what he believes to himself... I can respect that!

I am ready to respond if you have questions... But only if I am guaranteed not to get blocked like last time (after I RESPONDED to QUESTIONS addressed to me FOR 2 years)! --[[User:Kingdamian1|Kingdamian1]] ([[User talk:Kingdamian1|talk]]) 20:40, 30 April 2018 (EDT)

:On a side note, I happen to know of a CP user who openly created a RW account. They were immediately interrogated on evolution as well.
:To the main issue, though, microevolution is not the same as macroevolution. You should really do some research on the subject. There is a significant difference between a change in fur length, and a change in species. That and other issues I disagree with you aside, I don't think you will or should get blocked simply for stating your opinion. As long as you continue to respect our polices regarding mainspace articles, you should be safe. (I don't know the details of the block, but I suspect there was more going on than just an angry response to your opposing opinion.)
:Anyway, I'm cutting in on this conversation, and I should really just let 1990'sguy speak for himself. --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 22:00, 30 April 2018 (EDT)

::@Kingdamian1: I am '''not''' trying to argue with you about evolution. First off, I explicitly tried to end the discussion on Andy's talk page because I didn't want to use it arguing about political positions. Also, I was more focused on your political positions. We all know what you believe on evolution. I was tempted to ask clarifying questions about your ''political'' views, but I thought it wasn't worth it.
::Also, I actually don't care whether you believe in evolution. What I care about is the fact that you are apparently unable to put away your bias when editing CP. Your edits on the [[Potholer54]], [[Pseudohistory]], and [[Macroevolution]] inserted pro-evolution bias into CP (and keep in mind that your first edit after joining was creating a debate page on evolution where the first sentence insulted CP). As I noted elsewhere, you inserted bias on other topics in your edits. I don't care about your personal views on any of this (there are several CP users who believe in evolution) -- the fact that you are struggling to make your editing compatible with CP's point of view is a problem. Hopefully, you're learning.
::Claiming that I'm "''unable to process this information''" on evolution shows how little you actually know about me, and it's not a good strategy for staying on this site. I've thought a lot about this issue, and its strengthened my belief that the Bible is authoritative in all it says and that science affirms it as true (rather than Ephesians 6:14).
::DavidB4's comment above is correct, and to clarify to him, Kingdamian1 was blocked (by Karajou and me) for more than simply giving an opposing opinion. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:18, 30 April 2018 (EDT)
I CLEARLY have it on my page that I am a LIBERTARIAN... according to Conservapedia, that is what you would consider conservative, you keep telling me I admitted I was NOT conservative, where Conservapedia COUNTS Libertarianism as conservative... About evolution, I do NOT think you do not think about the subject, I think you look at it FROM A SINGLE point of view. I suspect that your view about evolution comes from strictly YEC... The first of your many mistakes, is saying that evolution=atheism, when in fact, OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of religious people agree with evolution. If you really are honest and interest in BOTH sides and NOT JUST ONE... there are MANY videos you can watch...

I have these 2 videos I usually recommend as they are NOT boring and fun and also explain things in easy to understand terms...
If you are truly interested in BOTH sides, try to seat through these two videos. Watch them in order (1st and then 2nd) as one is kind of answering the rebuttal that followed (the rebuttal you may have in mind when watching the first one)... If you can sit through both of them calmly without getting agitated (They are NOT boring and easy to understand, filled with humor), please, get back to me and tell me (after watching BOTH completely) how has your view changed about what evolution actually is!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RnygS7opCA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-ilMYc5xdQ

--[[User:Kingdamian1|Kingdamian1]] ([[User talk:Kingdamian1|talk]]) 23:59, 30 April 2018 (EDT)
:KingDamian, you are bringing back an argument that has been refuted again and again and again. I've seen the videos you posted, and all it does is once more post an assumption that we must accept evolution as true based upon the word of a scientist who said so. So I'm going to ask you once, and I expect a straight up or down YES or NO answer, and it's based on the horse line at the end of video 2: DID YOU PHYSICALLY SEE THE ''EOHIPPUS'' CHANGE INTO THE ''EQUUS''? Keep in mind that I will not accept as an answer anyone pointing to the fossils themselves and saying we must assume a change took place. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] ([[User talk:Karajou|talk]]) 00:21, 1 May 2018 (EDT)

::Hi... No I have not seen it... But do you realize that if I had that would be THE SINGLE MOST POTENT evidence against evolution? Do you realize that? If I had actually observed the change that would be the single best evidence against evolution NOT for it... AGAINST IT! Do I make myself clear? --[[User:Kingdamian1|Kingdamian1]] ([[User talk:Kingdamian1|talk]]) 00:26, 1 May 2018 (EDT)
:::And there you go. You haven't seen it happen. And neither has every single scientist who ever lived; they didn't see it happen either. And we have to sit here and take their word - and your's, I might add - that evolution did take place because they eyeballed a bunch of fossils and ''said'' a change took place? We have to ''assume'' the change happened because these guys put these fossils in a nice little line-up? This website will not accept evolution based on hearsay evidence; we will call evolution what it actually is - JUNK SCIENCE; and we will post direct evidence that contradicts what these supporters say about it. Do I make myself clear? [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] ([[User talk:Karajou|talk]]) 00:49, 1 May 2018 (EDT)

I am not here to argue... I like CP... I think you are worthy of a response, so please don't block me, Brian. Evolution has not been observed? Did you watch it from beginning to end? Evolution Has been observed... What you asked me was if we had observed a SPECIFIC species change over millions of years with my eyes... no I have not. But I have not observed ancient English evolve into modern english either, i have not observed Latin change into Italian either... and you have not observed George Washington s life... so according to your logic, all of this must be junk science too Kingdamian1 (talk) 02:30, 1 May 2018 (EDT)
:No, evolution has not been observed; you are arguing, and you have been arguing since day one, when you know full well where we stand on the subject. It's stopping now. And I'm not going to stand for someone who demands we look at pretty pictures just to get us to believe in an assumption; we might as well assume a monkey evolved from a living room wall because Little Billy drew one on it with his crayons. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] ([[User talk:Karajou|talk]]) 07:18, 1 May 2018 (EDT)
::I agree with Karajou and DavidB4 (on his own talk page). Kingdamian1, your comments show you think I'm some "low-information" person who lives in a bubble who will immediately change my mind once I'm "enlightened" (emphasis on the scare quotes) -- your assumption is complete BS (it shows you have no clue who I am). I tried to end a discussion on Andy's talk page and you brought it up again on my talk page (and I didn't even have to be present for it to heat up). --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 13:32, 1 May 2018 (EDT)
:::Also, I just saw [http://www.psypost.org/2018/04/scientific-reasoning-ability-not-predict-acceptance-evolution-among-religious-individuals-study-finds-51082 this study published in a scientific journal] (by evolutionists, with an evolutionist perspective) that admits that there's no correlation between one's level of education or intelligence and their acceptance of evolution. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 22:21, 1 May 2018 (EDT)
::::Here's a link to an article responding to the "You don't understand real evolution" argument: [https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2015/09/24/do-we-have-misconceptions-about-evolution/] AiG Also has many articles on the many "proofs" of Evolution that have been used ad Nauseum to attack creationism, such as this one about bacteria: [https://answersingenesis.org/natural-selection/antibiotic-resistance/is-antibiotic-resistance-proof-of-evolution/] Here's and article explaining why the changes that are actually observed are not even really "evolution": [https://answersingenesis.org/natural-selection/is-natural-selection-the-same-thing-as-evolution/] And here's a comprehensive list of some of the most common attacks against Creationist assertions: [http://creationwiki.org/Index_to_Creationist_Claims_(Talk.Origins)]

::::The thing is, Creationists are very well aware of the weapons used against them by Evolutionists and one of the biggest mistakes evolutionists make is assuming that Evolutionists know some critical piece of information that is a "knockout punch" to Creationism, when in reality, Creationists are very well aware of these assertions and have written many articles responding to them. [[User:Shobson20|Shobson20]] ([[User talk:Shobson20|talk]]) 23:55, 20 May 2018 (EDT)

One more thing. As Frank Turek, one of the foremost Christian apologists, says "Science doesn't say anything, scientists do." Whenever anyone says "Science says that..." what it should really be is "based on their interpretations of certain observations, scientists conclude..." When people say "Science says..." they are committing the fallacy of reification. A detailed explanation can be found here: [https://answersingenesis.org/logic/the-fallacy-of-reification/] Despite KingDamian1's claims that he is "not trolling" he has carried a rather rude and condescending tone typical of those who attack Creationism. [[User:Shobson20|Shobson20]] ([[User talk:Shobson20|talk]]) 13:16, 21 May 2018 (EDT)

:As User:Kingdamian1 is a new user, I feel like he/she should given another chance, rather than indeffed. After all, he/she seems really interested in improving Conservapedia and creating articles here, as evidenced from his/her multiple comments even on Wikipedia, requesting his unblock and his/her desire to change. Would there be any objections to me unblocking him/her, with him/her understanding that he/she is topic-banned from any science-related articles (since this seems to be the reason other editors are upset with him/her)? I hope this helps. With regards, [[User:Anupam|Anupam]][[User talk:Anupam|Talk]] 04:07, 23 May 2018 (EDT)
::We gave him a chance, and he had more than NPOV problems (which were in and of themselves annoying, since it was my role to check his articles). I was really annoyed at his expectation that he could be instantly promoted to adminship status (and his apparent desperation at it, since he messaged several editors several times about it), when it is very hard and takes a long time even to become an assistant admin. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 12:35, 23 May 2018 (EDT)

== Question ==

How do you ping someone? (i responded to you on my talk page) [[User:Qw23|Qw23]] ([[User talk:Qw23|talk]]) 17:21, 8 May 2018 (EDT)
:I don't think CP has a ping option. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:23, 8 May 2018 (EDT)

== Hi ==

I'm new to this project and I do need help with this sentence:
{{Quote|[[Mike Pompeo]] and the Trump administration helped secure the release of Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim from North Korea.{{cite news|author=Andrew O'Reilly|coauthors=Elizabeth Llorente|title=Trump administration finds success in bringing home detained Americans|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/05/09/trump-administration-finds-success-in-bringing-home-detained-americans.html|work=[[Associated Press (AP)|Associated Press]]|publisher=[[Fox News Channel|Fox News]]|date=9 May 2018}} The three men described their “deep appreciation” for the Trump administration for help freeing them.{{Cite news|last=Dorell|first=Oren|title='God Bless America': Freed American prisoners thankful after being released from North Korea|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/05/09/north-korea-kim-jong-un-free-3-american-citizens/582094002/|publisher=[[USA Today]]|date=9 May 2018|accessdate=10 May 2018|quote=We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return}}</ref>}}

I believe it should go under [[Donald Trump achievements: Foreign policy]] but for 2018, which section do you believe it fits best under? Also, how do sources work here? --[[User:MaddieJ|MaddieJ]] ([[User talk:MaddieJ|talk]]) 15:14, 11 May 2018 (EDT)
:I already added this to the article, but I will look through your sources to see if more can be added. References could be surrounded by ref tags, like this : <code><nowiki><ref>[citation]</ref></nowiki></code> --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 21:29, 11 May 2018 (EDT)
::Hi [[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] I just want to let you know I'm glad I'm learning how to edit here. I just recently added the ISIS statements on [[Justin Trudeau]] and also mentioned [[Maxime Waters]] on this edit [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=2017_left-wing_violence&diff=prev&oldid=1422057]. I will allow you to monitor me if any edit I do is good or bad, and I will message you if I need anything. Regards.
--[[User:MaddieJ|MaddieJ]] ([[User talk:MaddieJ|talk]]) 10:03, 15 May 2018 (EDT)
:OK, thanks. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 11:01, 15 May 2018 (EDT)

== A Message for that British Troll ==

Just in case (s)he makes another sock account, (s)he should know that campaign finance laws are unfair and D'Souza was directly targeted because of his unpopular opinions. Also, in the case of Roy Moore, there is only accusations and hearsay. That troll must also ignore the things that Leftist politicians did:

Bill Clinton: raped, molested and abused several women.

Hillary Clinton: Deflected responsibility for Bengazi, kept emails on her own private servers illegally, and covered up her husband's illicit affairs.

And I'm sure you could name more. [[User:Shobson20|Shobson20]] ([[User talk:Shobson20|talk]]) 09:21, 24 June 2018 (EDT)

== Conservapedia's Opinion on Joseph McCarthy ==

Hello,
I noticed that you reverted my edit to the Joseph McCarthy page. I made the edit to align with the views expressed in a news story I saw in the main page that described McCarthy as "two of a kind" with Robert Mueller. I feel that Conservapedia should be consistent, so I would appreciate it if the news story was removed/replaced, or the McCarthy article was changed.--[[User:Cetacean|Cetacean]] ([[User talk:Cetacean|talk]]) 18:35, 16 May 2018 (EDT)
:I added sources from a reliable conservative source backing up the article. Besides, the sentence as it is now is more neutrally-worded than your wording (I think even the person who posted the news blurb could agree with it). Bottom line: the article is fine, but it's not worth fighting what is a good analogy (considering that we have many leftist readers who hate McCarthy) on the news feed. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:48, 16 May 2018 (EDT)

== About draft ==

I just replied to your email. Its for here, not for Wikipedia. --MaddieJ 14:45, 18 May 2018 (EDT)

== [[Brian and Ed Krassenstein]] ==

I created the article [[Brian and Ed Krassenstein]]. If you would like to do improvements and better grammar to it, feel free to do so. --[[User:MaddieJ|MaddieJ]] ([[User talk:MaddieJ|talk]]) 14:38, 20 May 2018 (EDT)

== Barack Obama's achievements ==

See: [[Essay: President Barack Obama's achievements]]

It required a lot less work than your article [[Donald Trump achievements]]. :)[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 22:59, 29 May 2018 (EDT)

:Ha! And the little that Obama actually did is being wiped away by President Trump right as we speak! :) --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:22, 29 May 2018 (EDT)

==Finland==
I didnt find a way to send a message here so i assume, once its a wiki, that im supposed to edit this page when i want to contact you. Im not sure if i comment on the articles talk page, would it inform you?
I wanted to ask you about your edits of Finland's article, noticed few grammar mistakes that you corrected but didnt get why the day of independence cant be on the page? Then wanted to mention hat the the Lapps is a same name as Sami, so its like mention the same ethnic group twice.
Then i wondered why the population of the capital city shouldnt be mentioned?
The name of party Perussuomalaiset is in english "the Finns Party" not "True Finns".
There is also few smaller issues i will come back to them later. So would be nice to have a talk about these. Thanks. -Karjalainen

:First off, thank you for editing, and for messaging me here! The problem with the date of independence is that the infobox does not have a parameter (at least that I'm aware of) for the date of independence. This means that if you add the date of independence like what you did, the infobox will not actually show it to whoever is reading.

:I was not aware that the Lapps and Sami are the same. I will fix this. I will also fix the part about the Finns Party, since you're also right on this.

:I just didn't think it was necessary to list the population of Helsinki, especially since the population keeps changing and few editors are available to change it. But, if you want to add the population on the [[Helsinki]] article, you are free to do so.

:I noticed that you updated the economic information using Euros, rather than dollars. The reason why I changed it back is that most Conservapedia readers live in the United States, and the dollar is obviously what they use (and they probably don't know the exchange rate). We can mention the numbers in Euros, but we should also use dollars. Since I don't know the exchange rate, I did not add both.

:I hope all this helps! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 20:05, 22 July 2018 (EDT)

Thanks for answering.
I dont know if this info can be found but is CP based on the MediaWiki platfom? If yes, is it being updated when never versions come out?
Scrolling around some tutorial pages i found a template of countries where i took that "established" tag from, why does it exist if it doesnt show?
How do you edit the sources? I wanted to add but i dont see the other sources listed there?
Is there any plans to add to CP also other languages?
Is there a way to add both mi2/km2 or $/€ ? Would be nice to attrack also non-american readers and make this website even bigger and popular, maybe one day to replace wikipedia as the biggest.
I will write the issues concerning Finland on the talk page of Finland, please refer to there. -Karjalainen
:Sorry for the belated response. CP is based on the MediaWiki platform, but we use a different infobox than Wikipedia -- we didn't just copy and paste their infobox. We do update it, but I don't know how often.
:You can add sources by putting them in in between a tag like this <code><nowiki><ref>[source]</ref></nowiki></code>
:There are no plans to make CP in a different language that I am aware of, but I recommend asking Andy Schlafly, the site's owner here: [[User talk:Aschlafly]].
:Unfortunately, I do not know how to add both mi2/km2 or $/€ to the infobox.
:I will take a look at your message on the Finland talk page. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 12:23, 26 July 2018 (EDT)

== Five solas ==

Hearty thanks, 1990'sguy, for your assist with [[Five Solas]]! --[[User:Dataclarifier|Dataclarifier]] ([[User talk:Dataclarifier|talk]]) 14:44, 29 July 2018 (EDT)
:You're welcome! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:24, 29 July 2018 (EDT)
== requested article: Trumponomics ==

Article request: [[Trumponomics]]. It would be a nice complementary article to our [[Obamunism]] article. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 18:40, 5 August 2018 (EDT)
:I'll see what I can do. The [[Donald Trump achievements: Economic policy and labor]] (along with the trade sub-article) give a pretty good overview of his economic policies and the effects of those policies. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:48, 5 August 2018 (EDT)

==Contact==
I don't have yours, either. Use this: nobs315@gmail.com [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|''Deep Six the Deep State!'']] 23:07, 15 August 2018 (EDT)
:Mine is on my user page. You can verify there. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:18, 15 August 2018 (EDT)
==Capital Punishment==
By quoting Genesis 9:5 you are confusing what God is permitted to do versus what man may do and how man is to conduct himself in relation to his fellow man. It is also inaccurate to write that Jesus had nothing to say on the subject of capital punishment when he directly called into question the teaching of "eye for an eye."[[User:Tulip Festival|Tulip Festival]] ([[User talk:Tulip Festival|talk]]) 19:02, 17 August 2018 (EDT)
:No, Genesis 9:5-6 clearly says that the just punishment for taking a human life is that one's own life be taken. The proportionate and just punishment for murder is not jail time, nor community service. You're confusing what the Bible says regarding personal conduct and governmental policy, which is not personal. I recommend you read these two links: [https://www.gotquestions.org/death-penalty.html][https://answersingenesis.org/culture/the-death-penalty-wdjb-not-wwjd/] --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 19:15, 17 August 2018 (EDT)

== HTTP -->HTTPS update ==

As you probably saw, I have moved this list to: [[User:DavidB4-bot/HTTPS URL update project]]. Thank you for your additions to the list...my apologies for adding your entries to the new page under may name. I hope you don't mind. Please feel free to continue adding to that list. --[[User:DavidB4|David B]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 23:45, 10 September 2018 (EDT)
:Thanks, and thanks for creating this list! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 23:49, 10 September 2018 (EDT)

== i try ==

More than a single sentence? Okay I can try. [[User:Knockforpeace|Knockforpeace]] ([[User talk:Knockforpeace|talk]]) 19:29, 15 September 2018 (EDT)
::Sorry i have a disorder. I will try to add more. [[User:Knockforpeace|Knockforpeace]] ([[User talk:Knockforpeace|talk]]) 19:39, 15 September 2018 (EDT)
:::See [[Conservapedia:How to create and maintain high-quality articles]] --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 19:41, 15 September 2018 (EDT)
::::Tutoring avalible? By you? [[User:Knockforpeace|Knockforpeace]] ([[User talk:Knockforpeace|talk]]) 19:45, 15 September 2018 (EDT)
:::::Read and follow all of the links provided at the very top of this talk page. That will help you. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 20:09, 15 September 2018 (EDT)

== Logician account ==

It wasn’t a troll. Could you unblock it? Also, I removed Russell and Whitehead’s Principia Mathematica because it’s supposedly recommended reading. Thing is though that it’s such dense and complicated symbolic logic that no one would actually be able to understand it. It shouldn’t be recommended reading. Anyway, thanks. [[User:Anaxagoras|Anaxagoras]] ([[User talk:Anaxagoras|talk]]) 12:36, 20 September 2018 (EDT)
:I will unblock the account (though I will procedurally block the "Anaxagoras" one), but do not remove the Principia Mathematica book. It may be dense and complicated, and it may be to the extent that laypeople can't understand it, but it should remain for those who can understand it and who will find it useful. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 13:50, 20 September 2018 (EDT)

== Re: [[Kavanaugh smear]] article name change ==

A high proportion of CP's readers lean left. I changed the title because I thought the new title would engender less cognitive resistance to these readers and therefore be more likely to change their mind. In addition, I thought the new title sounded more encyclopedic.[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 18:01, 23 September 2018 (EDT)
:That's understandable, but the article is not about opposition to Kavanaugh in general, it's specifically about the accusations made against him by left-wing people (as opposed to people criticizing him with his judicial philosophy being the stated reason). I'm not opposed to the page being moved, but it would be a title that makes it clear that the article is specifically about the attempted rape allegations against him. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:37, 23 September 2018 (EDT)
::The allegations against him are a joke. It is a reflection that the Democrats are a sad joke. All the corroborating witnesses say the events never happened.[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 10:14, 24 September 2018 (EDT)
::::Exactly -- they're politically-motivated character assassination, nothing more. Thus, "Kavanaugh smear" is an appropriate title for the article. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 15:24, 24 September 2018 (EDT)

:::I have chimed in [https://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Talk:Kavanaugh_smear&curid=150814&diff=1450439&oldid=1450438 here]. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 10:28, 24 September 2018 (EDT)

== Re: Switzerland vs. Britain ==

I believe you have visited Switzerland.

Below is a post I made to some left leaning atheists/evolutionists.

Gentlemen,

Don't think I haven't noticed your silence on Swiss trains being more timelier than British trains. What's your excuse for British trains being less timelier than Swiss trains?

Just admit it. The [http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/06/switzerland-beacon-of-european.html industrious and wealthy Swiss], who have one of the highest rates of creationism in Europe, have a better, wealthier and more efficient society than post Darwinism Britain.

By the way, deny that Britain is the fountainhead of Darwinism and lose all credibility!

=== Main page right post in question ===

'''The British recently had a hard''' time getting their trains to run on time.[https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45572736]

According to [[Wikipedia]], "The Swiss rail network is noteworthy for its density, its coordination between services, its integration with other modes of transport, timeliness and a thriving domestic and trans-alp freight system."

Why can't [[Britain]], the fountainhead of [[Darwinism]], compete with [[Switzerland]] which is known for having one of the highest rates of [[creationism]] [[per capita]] in Europe?[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/06/switzerland-beacon-of-european.html][[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 18:01, 23 September 2018 (EDT)

:I have dual Swiss citizenship, so yes, I have visited the country multiple times. For the record, some (not many, though) of my relatives there are biblical creationists. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:37, 23 September 2018 (EDT)

==Formatting of quotes==

Thanks for the {{tl|cquote}} thing - I had forgotten that template. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 09:15, 26 September 2018 (EDT)
:You're welcome -- happy to help! --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 09:21, 26 September 2018 (EDT)

== Trumpiantexan is a vandal ==

There's a Vandal called "Trumpiantexan" [[User:Shobson20|Shobson20]] ([[User talk:Shobson20|talk]]) 18:53, 16 October 2018 (EDT)

== Why you said this so.. ==

...'' I don't know if his pro-Marx comments actually make him a communist. He's your typical globalist/liberal European uniparty elite.'' It is not mine definition but more a true fact. Regards, [[User:YortKeldher|YortKeldher]] ([[User talk:YortKeldher|talk]]) 11:15, 20 October 2018 (EDT)
:Most liberal/globalist European elites think the same way Juncker does. It would not be a good idea to label them all as communists. They have many of the same goals as communists, but there is some nuance between them (for example, different different tactics/methods, and Juncker and many of his friends are part of "liberal" or "center-right" parties, and seem to like big corporations). Either the "liberal" and "globalist" categories are enough (since liberals and globalists have many similarities with Marxists, like Juncker), or a new category is needed. I prefer the former, as it doesn't imply that liberalism and globalism are too different from Marxism and communism (different strands of the same thing, and the existing categories take the nuances into account). --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 12:00, 20 October 2018 (EDT)

== Cesar Sayoc Article==
Wouldn’t a person with prudent ethics be willing to discuss whether or not a new article should be deleted prior to deleting said article? Cesar Sayoc is dominating the headlines of America yet you say he is a ‘nobody’? Based on your reasoning the [[Lee Harvey Oswald]] article should be deleted immediately.--[[User:JLind|JLind]] ([[User talk:JLind|talk]]) 17:01, 26 October 2018 (EDT)
:Lee Harvey Oswald has historical significance -- and fortunately, we get the facts right, that he was a left-wing Marxist (a fact many on the Left like to ignore). The Cesar Sayoc guy may be dominating headlines (of the left-wing mainstream media and the Left, which want to capitalize on this single incident of a mentally ill man and put a rug over the [[Left-wing violence in the Trump era|many examples of leftist violence in the past couple years]]) at the moment, but his 15 minutes of fame will soon end and his 58-year jail sentence will soon begin. I let the other administrators know of the dispute over this page, and they will decide soon. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 17:08, 26 October 2018 (EDT)
::I got the facts right in the Sayoc article, I hope you are not implying otherwise. I’d like to think the Best of the Public could create an article free from liberal bias. Alas, it looks like the readers of Conservapedia will have to suffice with the liberal slant since you are keen to prevent this educational resource from telling the truth. Sad.--[[User:JLind|JLind]] ([[User talk:JLind|talk]]) 17:35, 26 October 2018 (EDT)
:::All the facts except that he wasn't a bomber. ''Per the Associated Press'': {{quotebox|7:50 p.m. A law enforcement official says tests have determined that a powder found inside an envelope delivered to CNN along with a pipe bomb was harmless. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. New York City’s police commissioner said earlier Wednesday that the package sent to CNN’s offices in Manhattan contained a live explosive and an envelope containing white powder. The FBI said the package was similar to explosives sent to former President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, former Attorney General Eric Holder and billionaire George Soros. The package sent to CNN was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, a frequent guest on the channel. The official says that parcel contained no note or claim of responsibility. — Tom Hays Associated Press, October 24, 2018}} [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|''Deep Six the Deep State!'']] 17:41, 26 October 2018 (EDT)
::A man sends bombs through the mail, and in your opinion, he is not a bomber? The director of the FBI is quoted as saying the devices were ‘…not hoax devices’. What, exactly, is your definition of a bomber?--[[User:JLind|JLind]] ([[User talk:JLind|talk]]) 18:17, 26 October 2018 (EDT)
:::They were too hoax devices. You have terrible reading comprehension. [[User:VargasMilan|VargasMilan]] ([[User talk:VargasMilan|talk]]) 01:44, 28 October 2018 (EDT)

Why did you block me? All I did was state the obvious fact that Joe Manchin is a DINO. he voted to confirm Kavanaugh, confirm Gorsuch, and supports the coal industry. He's even more right-wing than Lisa Murkowski! [[User:Libertarianmoderate2|Libertarianmoderate2]] ([[User talk:Libertarianmoderate2|talk]]) 17:50, 28 October 2018 (EDT)
:Manchin lives in a state that voted for Trump by 40 points, and he knows it. He's appealing to the people of his state so he doesn't alienate them. Take a broader view, rather than look at the narrow set of issues where he made a big deal of supporting right-of-center people on -- for example, notice how he's voted against many of Trump's conservative circuit court nominees and several cabinet nominees. Also, when there were narrow votes for any nominee or bill, Manchin voted with Democrats -- he only voted with Republicans when his vote wasn't anywhere close to affecting the vote's outcome. And his support for Planned Parenthood is pretty extreme for a red-state Democrat who has claimed to be pro-life. I stand entirely by my reverts, and CP has never considered Murkowski a conservative, AFAIK. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:44, 28 October 2018 (EDT)
::And look at his record with the 2A -- he has a "D" rating from the NRA, a moderate (as opposed to GOA) pro-gun organization -- several Democrats even have better ratings than him.
::In short, Manchin only votes with conservatives in high profile votes when his vote is not a deciding factor in whether the bill/nominee will pass. He's not a conservative, and he's in line with the Democrat Party. --[[User:1990'sguy|1990'sguy]] ([[User talk:1990'sguy|talk]]) 18:54, 28 October 2018 (EDT)

Sorry about that. In the meantime, I'm a very skilled wiki writer who wrote for Wikivoyage for a while, and my skills are exactly what this site needs. I hope you can overlook this disagreement. [[User:Libertarianmoderate2|Libertarianmoderate2]] ([[User talk:Libertarianmoderate2|talk]]) 19:58, 29 October 2018 (EDT)

==Pinging==
I tried to ping you, but it didn't work. I typed {d{Ping|1990'sguy}d} (remove the d's, I added them here so it comes out as text). [[User:Libertarianmoderate2|Libertarianmoderate2]] ([[User talk:Libertarianmoderate2|talk]]) 20:26, 29 October 2018 (EDT)

== Troll ==

Eleonóra Dubiczki is defacing the page on Rightpedia. [[User:Shobson20|Shobson20]] ([[User talk:Shobson20|talk]]) 14:47, 3 November 2018 (EDT)
:There's another one named Fiala, probably a sock of the same person. [[User:Shobson20|Shobson20]] ([[User talk:Shobson20|talk]]) 14:50, 3 November 2018 (EDT)

Hey! I just wanted to tell you that I have re-created the page [[Anna Popplewell]] after you deleted it. This time, I haven't copied it from [[Wikipedia]] and that I have put it all in my own words. Cheers! [[User:StrawberryLavender|StrawberryLavender]] ([[User talk:StrawberryLavender|talk]]) 09:12, 7 November 2018 (EST)

BREAKING NEWS: Barry Manilow has died aged 75. [[User:StrawberryLavender|StrawberryLavender]] ([[User talk:StrawberryLavender|talk]]) 09:33, 7 November 2018 (EST)

Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) longer form Chapters 43-49

2018-11-07T14:31:01Z

StrawberryLavender:

{{protect|dataclarifier}}
:''An open Debate page has been provided as a forum for responses and reactions to the content of the Text and the Marginal Notes of Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) at'' – [[Debate: Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version)]]

[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version)|Introduction]]

[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) longer form|Index]]

==Forty-three==
{| class="wikitable" style="align:center;"
|-
! style="width:60%;"|Chapter 43
! style="width:40%;"|Historical texts Bible text
|- style="text-align:left; background:#ffffec; vertical-align:top;"
| style="text-align:left;"|

'''<big><big><big>A</big></big></big>'''fter two years, Paul was released. Some would add the following text:

:And Paul, full of the blessings of Christ, and abounding in the spirit, departed from Rome, determined to go into Spain, for he had for a long time proposed to journey there, and was also minded to go from there to Britain. For he had heard in [http://bibleatlas.org/full/phoenicia.htm Phoenicia] that some of the descendants of Israel, about the time of the Assyrian exile, had escaped by sea to "''the isles afar off''" as spoken by the Prophet, and called by the Romans "Britain"; and the Lord commanded the Gospel be preached far away to the Gentiles and to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Now, it is written in the end of the Prophet Isaiah at the time of the Assyrians:
:"I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and '''Lud''', that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, '''to the isles afar off''', that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles."
Having read this, we now continue:

:And no one hindered Paul; for he testified boldly about Jesus before the tribunes and among the people. And he took with him some of the brothers who stayed with him at Rome, and they took ship at Ostrium, and having fair winds, were brought safely into a harbor of [http://bibleatlas.org/full/spain.htm Spain].

:Many people gathered together from the towns and villages, and the hill country; for they had heard of the conduct of the Apostles, and the many miracles, which he had worked. And Paul preached powerfully in Spain, and a great multitude believed and were converted, for they perceived that he was an Apostle sent from God.

:Then they departed from Spain. And Paul and his company finding a ship in Armorica sailing to Britain, they entered; and passing along the south coast, they reached a port called Raphinus.

:Now when word spread that the Apostle had landed on their coast, huge crowds of the inhabitants met him, and they treated Paul with courtesy and he entered in at the east gate of their city, and he lodged at the house of a Hebrew, and one of his own tribe in Israel.

:And the next day he came and stood on Mount '''Lud''', and the people thronged around the gate. And they believed the word and testimony about Jesus. And at evening the Holy Ghost fell upon Paul, and he prophesied, saying, "Behold, in the last days the God of peace will dwell in the cities, and their inhabitants shall be counted; and in the seventh census of the people, their eyes will be opened, and the glory of their heritage shine out before them. The nations shall come to worship on the mount that testifies to the patience and longsuffering of a servant of the Lord. And in the latter days new reports of the gospel will come forth from Jerusalem, and the hearts of the people will rejoice, and behold, fountains shall open, and there shall be no more plague. In those days there will be wars and rumor of war; and a king shall rise up, and his sword shall be for the healing of the nations, and his peacemaking shall remain, and the glory of his kingdom be a wonder among princes."

:And it happened that some of the [[Druidry|Druids]] came to Paul privately, and showed by their rites and ceremonies that they were descended from the Jews who escaped from bondage in the land of Egypt; and the Apostle believed these things, and he gave them the kiss of peace. And Paul remained in his lodgings three months '''confirming''' in the faith, and preaching Christ continually.

:After these things, Paul and his brothers departed from Raphinus and sailed to Atium in Gaul. And Paul preached in the Roman garrison and among the people, urging all men to repent and '''confess''' all their sins. And there came to him some of the [[Belgium|Belgae]] to inquire from him about the new doctrine and the man Jesus; and Paul opened his heart to them and told them everything that had happened to him, how it is that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; and they departed deeply discussing among themselves the things they had heard.

:And after much preaching and labor, Paul and his fellow workers went into [[Switzerland|Helvetia]], and came to Mount Pontius Pilate, where he who had condemned the Lord Jesus had thrown himself down headlong and so miserably perished; and instantly a torrent had gushed out of the mountain and washed his body, broken in pieces, into a lake. And Paul stretched out his hands over the water, and prayed to the Lord, saying, "O Lord God, give a sign to all nations that here Pontius Pilate, who condemned your only-begotten Son, plunged down headlong into the pit."

:While Paul was still speaking, behold, a great earthquake came, and the surface of the water and the shape of the lake was changed, into a likeness of the Son of Man hanging in agony on the Cross. And a voice came from heaven, saying, "Even Pilate has escaped the wrath to come, for he washed his hands before the crowd at the shedding of the blood of the Lord Jesus."

:Therefore, when Paul and those who were with him saw the earthquake, and heard the voice of the angel, they glorified God, and were greatly strengthened in the spirit.

:And they journeyed on and came to Mount Julius in Rome where two pillars stood, one on the right hand and one on the left hand of the way, erected by Caesar Augustus. Then Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, stood up between the two pillars, saying, "Men and brothers, these stones which you see this day shall testify to my journey here; and I truly say, they shall remain up to the outpouring of the spirit upon all Israel's tribes, neither shall the way be obstructed throughout all generations."

:And they went forward and came to Illitricum, intending to go past [http://bibleatlas.org/full/macedonia.htm Macedonia] into [http://bibleatlas.org/full/asia.htm Asia]; and grace was found in all the assemblies, and they prospered and had peace. Amen!

Acts 29:1-3 Sonnini manuscript (modernized) Isaiah 66:19 Acts 29:4-26 Sonnini manuscript (modernized)

''Compare'' [http://ebible.org/web/ World English Bible text] [http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/new-testament/ Greek original text] [http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=0&b=1 Latin Vulgate text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrs/ NRSV text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/scofield-reference-notes/ Scofield Reference Bible (1917 Edition)] [[Conservative Bible]] text [http://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/1-1.htm ''multiple versions of any verse''] [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/1-1.htm ''multiple commentaries any passage''] 
[http://biblehub.com/interlinear/ ''interlinear Bible: Hebrew, Greek, English''] [http://bibleatlas.org/ Bible maps (''click initial letter of place name'')] [https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/ '''Bible Encyclopedias''': Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature (studylight.org)] [http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia '''Catholic Encyclopedia''' Catholic Online (catholic.org)] '''[http://calcuworld.com/calendar-calculators/hebrew-calendar-converter/ Hebrew Calendar Converter]''' ''See exact equivalents of Gregorian Calendar dates.'' 
:—in Gregorian Calendar click the cursor in the day, month, or year fields, to highlight selection, then use [Backspace ←] and [←] [→] right and left arrow keys in the day and year fields, and [Backspace ←] and [ ↑ ] [ ↓ ] up and down arrow keys in the month field, then click on [Calculate].

[http://www.kalvesmaki.com/LXX/NTChart.htm Table of Old Testament quotes in the New Testament, in English translation, Joel Kalvesmaki 2013 (kalvesmaki.com)]

[http://www.bible.ca/manuscripts/List-of-300-Old-Testament-passage-quotes-in-New-Testament-Septuagint-Codex-Vaticanus-LXX-Masoretic-MT-Jewish-Tanakh-Bible.htm List of 300 Septuagint Old Testament quotations in the New Testament, by Steve Rudd 2017 (bible.ca)]

[[Septuagint#Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament|Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament]]

[http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2501.htm '''Church History (Eusebius)''': The Ecclesiastical History Of Eusebius Pamphilus: Bishop Of Caesarea, In Palestine (newadvent.org)]

[http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ '''The Works of Flavius Josephus''' William Whiston, Translator, 1737 (sacred-texts.com)]

[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6400/6400-h/6400-h.htm '''Suetonius: Twelve Caesars''': The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by C. Suetonius Tranquilus; To which are added His Lives of the Grammarians, Rhetoricians, and Poets. The Translation of Alexander Thomson, M.D., Revised and corrected by T. Forester, Esq., A.M. (Gutenberg.org)]

[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.html '''Tacitus: The Annals''', Written 109 A.C.E. Translated by Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb]

[http://www.roman-emperors.org/epitome.htm '''Sextus Aurelius Victor: Epitome De Caesaribus''' (roman-emperors.org)]

[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/eutropius_breviarium_2_text.htm '''Eutropius: Breviarium''' - Eutropius's Abridgement of Roman History (tertullian.org)]

[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html '''Cassius Dio: Roman History''' Epitome (penelope.uchicago.edu)]

[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/index.html '''Early Christian Writings''' A.D. 30 through 380 (earlychristianwritings.com)] See '''[[Biblical Canon]]''' and '''[[Apocrypha]]'''.

[https://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/ntesources/ntarticles/ctr-nt/mcray-archaeologyacts-ctr.pdf '''Archaeology and the Book of Acts''' John McRay, Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, IL 60187] pdf

Maps of Paul's journeys:
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-travels-before-first-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's travels after his conversion]
*[http://www.apostlepaulthefilm.com/paul/journeys.htm Interactive maps of Paul's journeys]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-first-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's first missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-second-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's second missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-third-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's third missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-fourth-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's fourth missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-fifth-missionary-journey-large-map.html '''Paul's fifth missionary journey''']
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-all-cities-visited-large-map.html Apostle Paul: all cities visited]

'''CHRONOLOGY OF THE ACTS AND EPISTLES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT''' See the following articles:
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11567b.htm St. Paul (newadvent.org) (''scroll down to'' Chronology)].
*[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Timeline_of_Saints#Apostolic_Era_.2830-100.29 Timeline of Saints: Apostolic Era (30-100) (orthodoxwiki)]
*[http://www.featheredprop.com/theological-works/chronological-order-of-pauline-epistles/ Chronological Order of Paul's Letters. Dane's Place (2014) (featheredprop.com)]
*[http://matthewmcgee.org/paultime.html Chronology of Apostle Paul's Journeys and Epistles. Matthew McGee (matthewmcgee.org)]
*[http://www.foundationsforfreedom.net/References/NT/Pauline/Pauline_Letters-Chronology.html New Testament Pauline Letters Chronological Order. Paul J. Bucknell. Biblical Foundations for Freedom (foundationsforfreedom.net)]
*[https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/holy-bible/new-testament/epistles-of-paul/chronology-of-pauls-journeys-epistles/ Chronology of Paul's Journeys and Epistles, by David Johnson (Life Hope and Truth) (lifehopeandtruth.com)]
*[http://www.bombaxo.com/paulchron.html Chronology of Paul's Letters (bombaxo.com)]
*[https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/pnt/pnt02.cfm Chronology of Acts and the Epistles (blueletterbible.org)]
*[http://believer.com/what-is-the-chronological-order-of-pauls-epistles What is the Chronological Order of Paul's Epistles? The Believers (believer.com)]
*[http://www.heavendwellers.com/hd_aa_chronology_acts_and_epist.htm Chronology of the Acts and Epistles (!) by Charles H. Welch (heavendwellers.com)]
*[http://www.christianity.com/bible/books-of-the-bible/the-epistles-of-paul-11541689.html The Epistles of Paul. C. I. Scofield (christianity.com)]
*[https://bible.org/seriespage/introduction-pastoral-letters-1-2-timothy-and-titus Introduction to the Pastoral Letters: 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. Bob Utley (bible.org)]
*[http://wesley.nnu.edu/index.php?id=2220 Correspondence of Paul and Seneca ca. A.D. 300-330]

'''Journeys of St. Paul after the Book of Acts: Articles''' The following articles are historical commentaries:
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11567b.htm '''St. Paul''' (newadvent.org)]
*[http://www.biblestudytools.com/history/joseph-barber-lightfoot-biblical-essays/st-pauls-history-after-the-close-of-the-acts.html '''St. Paul's History after the Close of the Acts''' (biblestudytools.com)]
*[https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/lightfoot_jb/misc/post_acts.cfm '''J. B. Lightfoot: St. Paul's History after the Close of Acts''' (blueletterbible.org)]
*[http://truthinhistory.org/tracing-the-steps-of-the-apostle-paul-5.html '''Tracing the Steps of the Apostle Paul:''' ''scroll down to'' '''The Period Between Paul's Two Roman Imprisonments AD. 63-67''' (truthinhistory.org)]
*[https://www.artisanpublishers.com/paul-britain-origin-british-christianity-p-25571.html '''St. Paul in Britain: Origin of British Christianity''' (artisanpublishers.com)]

*[http://www.keithhunt.com/Paulin1.html '''Saint Paul in Britain''' #1 by R. W. Morgan (published 1860) (keithhunt.com)] [http://www.keithhunt.com/Paulin2.html '''Saint Paul in Britain''' #2 by R. W. Morgan (published 1860) (keithhunt.com)] [http://www.keithhunt.com/Paulin3.html '''Saint Paul in Britain''' #3 by R. W. Morgan (published 1860) (keithhunt.com)]

*[http://johnsonspain.tripod.com/id69.html '''''Johnson Journal'': Paul in Spain''' (From "Like a Flickering Flame" by Dale G. Vought) (johnsonspain.tripod.com)]
*[http://bibleforums.org/showthread.php/211382-Did-Paul-visit-Spain '''Did Paul Visit Spain?''' (bibleforums.org)]
*[http://www.biblefellowshipunion.co.uk/2010/May_Jun/MisnWest.htm '''Mission to the West: Paul's further travels''' (biblefellowshipunion.co.uk)]
*[http://churchsociety.org/docs/churchman/042/Cman_042_3_Hitchcock.pdf '''Gaul and Spain as Spheres for Work in the Days of Paul''', by the Rev. F. R. Montogomery Hitchcock, D.D., Rector of Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon. (biblicalstudies.org.uk)]
*[http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2009/10/08/New-Discoveries-Relating-to-the-Apostle-Paul.aspx '''New Discoveries Relating to the Apostle Paul''', by Brian Janeway PhD. (Paul in Rome) (biblearchaeology.org)]

'''Acts 29: The Sonnini Manuscript''' (in the public domain). Text with notes and commentaries
*[http://www.theseason.org/acts/acts29.htm '''The Long Lost Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles Containing the Account of Paul's Journey in Spain and Britain''' ''With Notes and Comments by the Late T. G. Cole'' (theseason.org)]
*[http://www.britishisrael.co.uk/pdf/Long%20Lost%20Chapter%20of%20the%20Acts%20of%20the%20Apostles.pdf '''The Longlost Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, containing the account of Paul's journey in Spain and Britain, also a remarkable prediction of Britain's glorious inheritance. Translated by G. S. Sonnini from an original manuscript found in the archives of Constantinople, presented to him by the Sultan Abdoul Achmet, With Notes and Comments. T. G. Cole''' (britishisrael.co.uk)]
*[http://israelect.com/ChildrenOfYahweh/Campbell/lost_chapter.htm '''The Lost Chapter of Acts of the Apostles''' (israelect.com)] ''text and commentary''
*[https://www.scribd.com/document/18156182/Acts-29-The-Lost-Chapter-of-Acts '''Acts 29 - The Lost Chapter of Acts ''Revised English by Jeremy Kapp''''' (scribd.com)]
*[http://nazarenespace.com/forum/topics/acts-chapter-29 '''Acts 29?''' James Trimm (nazarenespace.com)] (''author debunks text as a hoax supporting [[Anglo-Israelism|British Israelism]]'')

See the following articles on '''British-Israelism''':
*[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/1524-anglo-israelism '''JewishEncyclopedia: Anglo-Israelism: By Joseph Jacobs''' (jewishencyclopedia.com)]
*[https://theologicalstudies.org.uk/article_legend_dimont.html '''The Legend of British-Israel''', C. T. Dimont, D.D., Principal of Salisbury Theological College, Chancellor and Canon of Salisbury Cathedral (theologicalstudies.org.uk)]
*[http://watch.pairsite.com/brit-israel.html '''British-Israelism: The Judaizers''' Part II of The Conspiracy was Strong (watch.pairsite.com)]—''an exposé of the heretical doctrines of [[Herbert W. Armstrong]] and his [[Worldwide Church of God]], and the particular sects which have sprung from it.'' —''This is an anonymous article published by'' [http://watch.pairsite.com/default.html Watch Unto Prayer (watch.pairsite.com/default)] See [[Sabbatarianism]] and [[Cults]].

"'''determined to go into Spain, for he had for a long time proposed to journey there'''" Acts 29:1 Sonnini manuscript 
:See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+15%3A24-28&version=RSVCE Romans 15:24-28], the only New Testament reference to [http://bibleatlas.org/spain.htm Spain].


"'''a port called Raphinus.'''" Acts 29:7 Sonnini manuscript.
:Raphinus is the Roman name for the town of Sandwich, in Kent.

:In Saxon times there was, still standing in Sandwich, an old house called the "House of the Apostles", and the tradition there says that Paul was one of the Apostles.


"'''Mount Lud'''" Acts 29:9 Sonnini manuscript.
:Mount Lud is situated at Ludgate Hill and Broadway where St. Paul’s Cathedral stands in London, England.

:The word "Lud" is mentioned in [http://biblehub.com/multi/isaiah/66-19.htm Isaiah 66:19]. In the judgment of most scholars, '''Lud'''—joined with “Pul” in Isaiah 66:19, with Phut (Put) in Ezekiel 27:10, and with Ethiopia and Libya in Ezekiel 37:5—stands for an African nation, the '''Ludim''' of Genesis 10:13 and Jeremiah 46:9. Phut and Lud are mentioned together in Jeremiah 46:9; Ezekiel 27:10 and 30:5. And in Genesis 10:6, 13 both peoples (Put and Lud) are connected genealogically with Mizraim (Egypt), where they are named, as in Isaiah 66:19, as famous for their skill as archers. Probably therefore two African nations are denoted, and thus there is nothing in the text pointing to a geographical location in Britain. From the context which [[Linguistics|linguists]] in the field of [[semantics]] call the "''semantic field''" (words having a relationship of meaning), the word "Lud" in Isaiah cannot be a reference to a site in Britain. (Semantics in Biblical Interpretation, James L. Boyer, Professor of Greek, Grace College. (''Grace Journal'' 3.2 (1962) 25-34). See [[Historical-critical method (Higher criticism)]].

:See [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/isaiah/66-19.htm multiple commentaries on Isaiah 66:19].

:Since Acts 29:9 specifically mentions "mount Lud" the writer of Acts 29 may have seen the narrative of the preaching of the Gospel at Lud as the fulfillment of the commandment of the Lord to preach there in Britain. Such an interpretation removes the reference to Lud entirely out of the context of Isaiah 66:19. Moreover, there is no certain evidence that Mount Lud in Britain was called by that name at the time of Isaiah, 7th-6th century B.C., or that Britain was the name of that island known to ancient peoples of the middle east, Palestine, Assyria or Egypt, at that time.

:Compare Isaiah 66:19 and Acts 29:3, 9 Sonnini manuscript.


"'''And at evening the Holy Ghost fell upon Paul, and he prophesied'''" Acts 29:18 Sonnini manuscript.
:This statement is immediately suspect. According to Acts 9:17-18, and 13:2-4 and 9, and Romans 5:5, and 1 Corinthians 7:40 and 14:18, Paul had long before been filled with the Holy Spirit, and he remained full of the Holy Spirit all during his ministry before, during and after his imprisonment. These texts of the Bible appear to make highly unlikely this statement in the Sonnini manuscript of Acts 29 that the Holy Ghost "fell upon Paul", when in fact he was already full of the Holy Spirit before he departed from Rome: "Paul, ''full'' of the blessings of Christ, ''and abounding in the spirit'', departed from Rome, determined to go into Spain" Acts 29:1.

:All through the Book of Acts, as well as the rest of the whole New Testament, there is not found any statement that the Holy Ghost, "fell upon" those Christians already gifted with prophecy whenever they uttered prophecy, but instead we read that the Spirit did fall upon those who were converted and baptized, and on those on whom the apostles laid their hands at the beginning of their life in Christ Jesus the Son of God.

:According to 1 Corinthians 12, "To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophesy..."—but it does not say the Holy Spirit falls on them—it does say, "All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills." And they remain. The gifts are not withdrawn from them, as long as they abide in Jesus (John 15:1-11). The Spirit fell on the Apostles at Pentecost, fell on the household of Cornelius when Peter first preached to the Gentiles, and fell upon those disciples who knew only the baptism of John; but each of these witnessed occurrences of the Holy Ghost falling upon them were at the beginning of their life in Christ. Nowhere does the [[Biblical Canon|canonical scripture]] say that the Holy Ghost "fell" on any Christians after their conversion, or after the apostles had laid hands upon them, or on any of the Apostles themselves after the day of Pentecost, or on anyone who had already been filled with the Holy Spirit—apparently because the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, was with them, filled them, and, according to the promise of the Lord, remained in them ([http://biblehub.com/commentaries/john/14-16.htm John 14:15-17]).

:[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/john/14-23.htm John 14:23] shows the promise that God and Christ would manifest themselves in no temporary way, but that it would be the privilege of Christians to enjoy their presence continually. They would take up their residence in the heart as their dwelling-place, as a temple fit for their abode. St. Paul is no exception. See
:*[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_corinthians/3-16.htm 1 Corinthians 3:16; "Ye are the temple of God;"]
:*[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_corinthians/6-19.htm 1 Corinthians 6:19; "Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost;"]
:*[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/2_corinthians/6-16.htm 2 Corinthians 6:16; "Ye are the temple of the living God."]

:From all of this, in accordance with the principle of [[sola scriptura]], and the external, established historical fact that there is no witness to the text of Acts 29 in the early fathers and ecclesiastical writers of Christianity, who say nothing about this "lost ending of the Acts of the Apostles" and do not quote it, the text of the Sonnini manuscript of Acts 29:18 does not appear to [[Historical-critical method (Higher criticism)|legitimate textual criticism]] to be consonant with sacred scripture, nor does the text of Acts 29 appear to belong among the books of the Bible as part of the Acts of the Apostles.


"'''And there came to him some of the [[Belgium|Belgae]]'''" Acts 29:17 Sonnini manuscript.
:The text has Paul and his companions in Gaul when the Belgae come to him. Gaul today is France.

:Belgium borders France on the north, and its name comes from the name of the tribe that anciently settled there, the ''Belgae''. These Belgae in Acts 29 are evidently Belgians from Belgium.

:Author E. Raymond Capt in his favorable commentary on the Sonnini manuscript says the Belgae are from the coast of England (''Lost Chapter of Acts of the Apostles'' [Capt] - [Expanded], Commentary by E. Raymond Capt, Artisan Publishers). This raises the question of why these Britains would follow after Paul into Gaul when they could have queried him in Britain? And the next question is why he did not discuss the fact that the Belgians were anciently called Belgae? This fact is known to every competent historian, professional and amateur, and known to every informed reader of western history. This calls into question the competency of the commentator at the time he wrote his commentary. It suggests that he had also a personal [[Prejudice|agenda]] ([[Anglo-Israelism]]).


"'''Helvetia...Mount Pontius Pilate, where he who had condemned the Lord Jesus had thrown himself down headlong and so miserably perished'''" Acts 29:18 Sonnini manuscript.
:Helvetia is the ancient name for the region of Switzerland. See [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Helvetii Helvetii - Britannica Encyclopedia (britannica.com)]

:There is a Mount Pilatus overshadowing Lake Lucerne in Switzerland (Helvetia) which is connected to a legend that the body of Pontius Pilate was finally sunk into a lake there, and that whenever anyone disturbed the water a violent storm came down on the whole area ([http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12194928200/Legends-of-Mount-Pilatus Legends of Mount Pilatus]). In the sixteenth century, the people performed an [[exorcism]] and the curse was broken; they all immediately afterward tossed stones into the water and no storm occurred.

:There is no certainty that this legend was either suggested by a pre-existing text of Acts 29:18 brought to that country, or that the text of Acts 29:18-23 was written based on a pre-existing legend.

:According to [[Eusebius]], Pilate had been recalled to Rome during the reign of Gaius Caligula, where he was compelled to commit suicide, to murder himself by his own hand in punishment for his crime against Christ. ''Ecclesiastical History'' Book II, chapter 7.


"'''the shape of the lake was changed, into a likeness of the Son of Man hanging in agony on the Cross.'''" Acts 29:21 Sonnini manuscript.
:Lake Lucerne in Switzerland is roughly cruciform.

:See [http://www.steamboatassociation.co.uk/Resources/Events/Y2013/NonSbaEvents/Stansstad2013nonSBA/Stansstad.jpg '''map''']. See also [https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=outline%20of%20lake%20lucerne%20switzerland&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=outline%20of%20lake%20lucerne%20switzerland&sc=0-0&sp=-1&sk= Images of Lake Lucerne]


'''NOTE TO THE READER: Conservapedia does not accept Acts 29 as scripture.'''
:It is purposely included here solely for the purpose of information, for the reader to evaluate on its own merits. Abundant research and professional scholarly commentary has also been provided through links to online external sources for careful consideration of the many sides of the debate. (See above)

:The primary contributor of this encyclopedic feature absolutely rejects Acts 29 as being wholly unworthy of belief. It may be read for its entertainment value, as an historical fantasy. See [[Wishful thinking]]. The Sonnini manuscript of Acts 29 may be viewed as being in the same category of historical fiction as [[Joseph Smith]]'s [[Book of Mormon]] and [[Dan Brown]]'s ''[[The Da Vinci Code]]''.

:Christians who do not know of the text of the Sonnini manuscript of Acts 29 usually react with disbelief at the assertion that Paul preached in Switzerland (Helvetia), simply because they have "never heard this before!" (See [[Skeptic]].) They assume from reading the Bible that while Paul planned to go to Spain, he had certainly never traveled further north. The episode of the earthquake reshaping the lake is especially unbelievable as being inconsistent with scripture, primarily because there is no record of any parallel miracle in the Bible other than the [[Great Flood]], and secondarily because throughout the entire New Testament, outside of the vision of John in the Book of Revelation, '''''no''''' miraculous alteration of the geography of any land as a permanent sign and wonder of God is reported as an effect of either the presence of Jesus or the preaching and prayers of the Apostles and missionaries of the Gospel throughout Judea, Galilee, Arabia, Syria, Asia, Greece and Italy.

:Paul frequently refers to his experiences in preaching the Gospel in various places, and in Romans 15 of his plans to go to Spain. While a missionary journey to Switzerland and Britain is not absolutely impossible, journeys of Paul to lands west and north of the Italian peninsula are not a part of Christian biblical tradition. Lack of any reference to experiences in these lands in any of Paul's Pastoral Letters (1 Timothy, Titus, and especially 2 Timothy) suggests that he had never preached the Gospel to those peoples.

:Compare [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+15%3A17-29&version=RSVCE Romans 15:17-29], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+15%3A32&version=RSVCE 1 Corinthians 15:32], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+1%3A8-10&version=RSVCE 2 Corinthians 1:8-10], and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+3%3A10-11&version=RSVCE 2 Timothy 3:10-11].

:Catholic and Orthodox doctrine does not require belief in the possibility that Paul did visit Spain, Britain, Helvetia, and Gaul, and points out that belief in any of the events related in the text of Acts 29 is not a [[dogma]] of the Christian faith. Acts 29 has never been part of the Orthodox Greek Bible and never was a part of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament of Jerome's Latin Vulgate. It is therefore not included in the dogmatic definition of the deposit of sacred scripture "as read in the Church" according to the [[Council of Trent]]. The text itself does not affect or alter in any way the Gospel of Christ, and it adds nothing to the "deposit of the faith", neither does it change the structure of Christian doctrine. It is read by the majority of serious textual scholars as a [[hoax]] composed to support the claims of [[Anglo-Israelism|British Israelism]].

:The manuscript in Greek "found in the archives of Constantinople" (later renamed Istanbul), was brought to light, published and translated into English in the 19th century. For many biblical scholars and textual critics it is significant only as an historical curiosity, and possibly as a pious medieval legend. It may be a 19th-century [[hoax]], or it may be an early form of purely entertaining Christian historical fiction, a short adventure story. If it can be proven to be in fact as ancient as the first century, it would stand as a witness to the energetic outreach of Christian evangelistic efforts at the time of the apostles, and the ready response of gentile peoples to receive the Gospel of Christ. However, even if it is as dignified and flowing in its language as the Greek text of Luke-Acts (as some textual critics claim), and even if it should prove to be from the time of Luke, it is not theologically or historically on the same level as the canonical Acts of the Apostles, or the [[Epistles of Ignatius]], or the ''Church History'' of [[Eusebius]]. None of the ecclesiastical writers of the first five centuries of Christianity quotes any passage of text from Acts 29. See [[Apostolic Fathers]]. See also [[Apocrypha]] and [[Pseudepigrapha]].

:Christian Evangelical and Fundamentalist Protestant doctrine warns that ''anything'' which claims to be scripture, ''and is not a part of the Bible'', is to be rejected as counterfeit, and should be avoided as potentially dangerous to the soul of the Christian believer. Uncontrolled curiosity, seeking for lost teachings and mysteries withheld from the common people ([[Mystery religion|Esoteric Christianity]] and [[Gnosticism]]), and theological speculations rooted in novel views of scripture interpretation which break with Christian tradition ([[Liberal Christianity]]), have misled many, even to the destruction of their souls. See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+5%3A32-33&version=RSVCE Deuteronomy 5:32-33]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+17%3A18-20&version=RSVCE 17:18-20]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+28%3A13-14&version=RSVCE 28:13-14]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+32%3A45-47&version=RSVCE 32:45-47]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+1%3A6-9&version=RSVCE Galatians 1:6-9]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+3%3A13-17&version=RSVCE 2 Timothy 3:13-17]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A3-4&version=RSVCE 4:3-4]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A19-20&version=RSVCE 2 Peter 1:19-20]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+2%3A1&version=RSVCE 2 Peter 2:1]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A15-18&version=RSVCE 3:15-18]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+John+9-11&version=RSVCE 2 John 9-11]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+22%3A18-19&version=RSVCE Revelation 22:18-19].


|}

[Acts 29 is not included in the [[Conservative Bible]] New Testament.]

== Forty-four ==
{| class="wikitable" style="align:center;"
|-
! style="width:60%;"|Chapter 44
! style="width:40%;"|Historical texts Bible texts
|- style="text-align:left; background:#ffffec; vertical-align:top;"
| style="text-align:left;"|

'''<big><big><big>T</big></big></big>'''he holy Apostles and disciples of our Savior, being scattered over the whole world, Thomas, according to tradition, received [[Parthia]] as his allotted region; Andrew received [[Scythia]], and John, [[Anatolia|Asia Minor]]. Peter appears to have preached through [http://bibleatlas.org/full/bithynia.htm Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia], to the Jews that were scattered abroad; who also, finally came to Rome in the days of Claudius, opposed the seducing spirits and doctrines of [[Simon Magus]] and his followers, and shepherded the Assembly there. You have also heard of the departure of Paul from the city of Rome when he journeyed on to Spain. Thus, from Jerusalem, even to [http://bibleatlas.org/full/illyricum.htm Illyricum], Paul had fully preached the Gospel, and had Taught even imperial Rome, and carried the earnest persuasiveness of his preaching as far as Spain, undergoing innumerable conflicts, and doing '''signs and wonders'''.

Now, after preaching in Spain, when Paul was going to Macedonia, he urged Timothy to remain at [http://bibleatlas.org/full/ephesus.htm Ephesus] to charge certain people to not Teach any different [[doctrine]], nor to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies, that is, with [[Pseudepigrapha|Jewish legends and spurious pedigrees]] added by false Judaizers to the Biblical scriptures.

Paul left Titus in Crete, that he might correct what was defective. He directed him to appoint Presbyters in every town, and Episcopes, blameless, hospitable, lovers of goodness, masters of themselves, upright, holy, '''self-controlled''', holding firmly to the sure word as Taught, so that they may be able to give [[Catechesis|instruction in sound doctrine]] and also prove wrong those who contradict it.

Then after Paul had been in Rome, he returned to Spain, but whether he came from there again into these parts, we do not know.

Paul afterward wrote to Timothy in Ephesus, so that if he was delayed in coming to him, Timothy might certainly know how one ought to behave in the household of God, the Assembly, the pillar and foundation of truth, attending to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, and to [[Catechesis|Teaching]], holding to it; for by so doing '''<big>he</big> will save''' both '''himself''' and '''his hearers''' from the wrath to come on the ungodly. He wrote the following letter:

:'''<big><big><big>P</big></big></big>aul''', an Apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and Christ Jesus our confident expectation; '''to Timothy, my true child''' in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

:As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might '''command''' certain men not to Teach a '''[[Heresy|different doctrine]]''', and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith—but the goal of this '''command''' is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith; from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned aside to making empty noise; desiring to be Teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm. But we know that the law of Moses is good, if a man uses it lawfully, as knowing this, that the law is not laid down and established for a righteous man, but for the '''[[Antinomianism|lawless]] and insubordinate''', for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for man slayers, for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for [[Perjury|perjurers]], and for any other thing '''contrary to the sound doctrine'''; according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. And I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service; although I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the [[Universe|cosmos]] to save sinners; of whom I am chief. However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience, for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

:This instruction I commit to you, '''my child Timothy''', according to the prophecies which led the way to you, that by them you may wage the good warfare; holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith; of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I [[Excommunication|delivered to Satan]], that they might be taught not to [[Blasphemy|blaspheme]].

:I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, <big>'''[[intercession]]s'''</big>, and [[Eucharist|givings of thanks]], be made for all men: for kings and all who are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of '''God our Savior; who desires <big>''all''</big> people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth'''. For there is one God, and '''one <big>[[Mediation|mediator]]</big> between God and men, the man Christ Jesus''', who gave himself as '''a ransom for <big>''all''</big>'''; testimony to this being given in its own proper time; to which I was appointed a preacher and an Apostle (I am telling the truth in Christ, not lying), a Teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

:I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up '''holy hands''' without anger and [[Skeptic|doubting]]. In the same way, that women also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with '''modesty and propriety'''; not just with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing; but (which becomes women professing godliness) with '''good works'''. Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection. But I do not permit a woman to '''[[Catechesis|Teach]]''' nor to '''[[Bullying|usurp authority]]''' over a man, but to be in quietness. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. Adam was not deceived, but the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience; but she will be saved through her childbearing, '''<big>if</big> they <big>continue</big>''' in faith, love, and '''[[Virtue|sanctification]]''' with sobriety.

:This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an '''[[Bishop|Episcopos]]''', he desires a '''good work'''. The Episcopos therefore must be without reproach, married no more than once, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at Teaching; not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence; (but if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the Assembly of God?) not a new [[Conversion|convert]], lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the [[Satan|Devil]]. Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the Devil.

:'''[[Deacon]]s''', in the same way, must be reverent, not [[Hypocrites|double-tongued]], '''not [[Drunkenness|addicted to much wine]]''', not greedy for money; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. Let them also first be [[Probation|tested]]; then let them serve if they are blameless. Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not [[slander]]ers, [[Temperance|temperate]], [[Integrity|faithful]] in all things. Let Deacons be married no more than once, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

:These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly; but if I wait long, that you may know '''how men ought to behave themselves''' in God’s house, which is the Assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the '''[[Truth]]'''. Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great:
::God was revealed in the flesh,
::justified in the spirit,
::seen by angels,
::preached among the nations,
::believed on in the world,
::and received up in glory.
:But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will [[Apostasy|fall away from the faith]], paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of [[demon]]s, through the hypocrisy of men who speak [[Deceit|lies]], branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer. If you instruct the '''brothers''' of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good '''[[doctrine]]''' which you have followed. But refuse profane and old wives’ fables. Exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come. This saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance. For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of <big>'''all'''</big> men, especially of those who believe. '''Command''' and Teach these things.

:Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your '''way of life''', in love, in spirit, in faith, and in '''[[Chastity|purity]]'''. Before I come, pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to Teaching. Do not neglect the charism that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the '''laying on of the hands of the Presbyters'''. Be diligent in these things. Give yourself wholly to them, that your progress may be revealed to all. Pay attention to yourself, and to your Teaching. '''Continue''' in these things, for in doing this '''<big>you</big> will <big>save</big> both yourself''' and '''those who hear you'''.

:Do not rebuke a Presbyter, but exhort him as a '''Father'''; the younger men as '''Brothers'''; the elder women as '''Mothers'''; the younger as '''Sisters''', in all purity. Honor widows who are widows indeed. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to '''show piety toward their own family, and to repay their parents''', for this is acceptable in the sight of God. Now she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, has her confident expectation set on God, and continues in petitions and prayers night and day. But '''she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives'''. Also '''command''' these things, that they may be '''without reproach'''. But '''if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever'''. Let no one be enrolled as a widow under sixty years old, having been married only once, being approved by '''good works''', if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every '''good work'''.

:But refuse younger widows, for when they have grown wanton against Christ, they desire to marry; having condemnation, because they have rejected their first pledge. Besides, they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. Not only idle, but also [[gossip]]s and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for insulting. For already some have '''turned aside''' after [[Satan]]. If any man or woman who believes has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the Assembly be burdened; that it might relieve those who are widows indeed.

:Let the '''Presbyters who rule well''' be counted worthy of double [[Salary|honor]], especially those who labor in the word and in Teaching. For the Scripture says,
::“You shall not muzzle the ox when it treads out the grain.”
:And,
::“The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

:Do not receive an accusation against a Presbyter, except at the word of two or three witnesses. Those who sin, '''reprove in the sight of all''', that the rest also may be in fear. '''I <big>command</big> you''' in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality. '''[[Ordination|Lay hands hastily on no one]]''', neither be a participant in other men’s sins. Keep yourself pure. Be no longer a drinker of water only, but '''use a little wine''' for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.

:Some men’s sins are evident, preceding them to judgment, and some also follow later. In the same way also there are '''good works''' that are obvious, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.

:Let as many as are bondservants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the doctrine not be blasphemed. Those who have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are '''brothers''', but rather let them serve them, because those who partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

:If anyone Teaches a '''different [[doctrine]]''', and does not consent to sound words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and [[Cafeteria Christian#Proof texts|word battles]], from which come envy, strife, insulting, evil suspicions, constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that [[Religion|godliness]] is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such.

:But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly cannot carry anything out. But having food and clothing, we will be content with that. But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

:But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. '''I <big>command</big> you''' before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession, that you '''keep''' the commandment '''without spot, blameless''', before the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; which in its own times he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

:Charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be haughty, nor have their confident expectation set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy; that they '''do good''', that they be '''rich in <big>good works</big>''', that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.

:Timothy, '''guard that which is committed to you''', turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of what is falsely called [[Gnosticism|knowledge]]; which some profess, and thus have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

After traveling throughout the region, Paul decided to spend the winter in [http://bibleatlas.org/full/nicopolis.htm Nicopolis]. He wrote the following letter to [[Titus]]:

:'''<big><big><big>P</big></big></big>aul''', a servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s chosen ones, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, in confident expectation of eternal life, which '''God, who cannot lie''', promised before time began; but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of '''God our Savior'''; '''to Titus, my true child''' according to a common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the '''Lord Jesus Christ our Savior'''.

:I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint '''Presbyters''' in every city, as I directed you; if anyone is blameless, married no more than once, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior. For the '''Episcopos''' must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, '''not [[Drunkenness|given to wine]]''', not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain; but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, '''self-controlled'''; holding to the faithful word which is according to the Teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.

:For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, Teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.” This testimony is true. For this cause, '''reprove them sharply''', that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who [[Apostasy|turn away]] from the truth. To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess that they [[Gnosticism|'''know''' God]], but '''by their deeds they deny him''', being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any '''good work'''.

:But say the things which fit sound [[doctrine]], that older men should be temperate, sensible, sober minded, sound in faith, in love, and in patience: and that '''older <big>''women</big>''''' likewise be '''reverent in behavior''', not [[slander]]ers nor [[Drunkenness|enslaved to much wine]], '''''<big>Teachers</big>'' of that which is good'''; that they may '''train the young women''' to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sober minded, [[Chastity|chaste]], workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that God’s word may not be blasphemed.

:Likewise, exhort the younger men to be sober minded; in all things showing yourself an example of '''good works'''; in your Teaching showing integrity, seriousness, incorruptibility, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned; that he who opposes you may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us. Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing in all things; not contradicting; not stealing, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of '''God, our Savior''', in all things.

:For the grace of God has appeared, bringing '''salvation to <big>''all''</big>''' men, instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; looking for the blessed expectation and appearing of the glory of '''our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ'''; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, '''zealous for <big>good works</big>'''. Say these things and exhort and reprove with '''all authority'''. '''Let no man despise you'''.

:Remind them to be in '''subjection to rulers and to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every <big>good work</big>''', to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men. For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But when the kindness of '''God our Savior''' and his love toward mankind appeared, not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the '''[[Baptism|washing of regeneration]]''' and renewing by '''the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior'''; that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the confident expectation of eternal life.

:This saying is faithful, and concerning these things I desire that you affirm confidently, so that those who have believed God may be '''careful to maintain <big>good works</big>'''. These things are good and profitable to men; but shun foolish questionings, genealogies, strife, and disputes about the law of Moses; for they are unprofitable and vain. Avoid a '''[[Heresy|factious man, a heretic]]''', after a first and second warning; knowing that such a one is perverted and sins, being self-condemned.

:When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me to [http://bibleatlas.org/nicopolis.htm Nicopolis], for I have determined to winter there. Send Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos on their journey speedily, that nothing may be lacking for them. Let our people also learn to maintain '''good works''' for necessary uses, that they may not be unfruitful.

:All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in faith.

:Grace be with you all. Amen.

[http://www.ntcanon.org/Muratorian_Canon.shtml Muratorian Canon/fragment] [https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/media/articles/jerusalem-catecheses-12-24-cyril-of-jerusalem/ Cyril of Jerusalem, Jerusalem Catecheses, —Lecture 17.26 ''adapted''] [http://www.studylight.org/history/early-church-fathers/view.cgi?sid=nic&aid=13-08&file=npnf1-13-110 Chrysostom, Second Timothy, Homily 10] Eusebius Book III, Chapter 1 1 Timothy 1:3-4 ''adapted'' Titus 1:5, 7-9 ''adapted'' 1 Timothy 3:14b-15 ''adapted'' '''1 Timothy''' —LXX 2 Maccabees 12:15 —LXX 2 Maccabees 13:4 Titus 3:12b ''adapted'' '''Titus'''

''Compare'' [http://ebible.org/web/ World English Bible text] [http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/new-testament/ Greek original text] [http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=0&b=1 Latin Vulgate text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrs/ NRSV text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/scofield-reference-notes/ Scofield Reference Bible (1917 Edition)] [[Conservative Bible]] text [http://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/1-1.htm ''multiple versions of any verse''] [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/1-1.htm ''multiple commentaries any passage''] 
[http://biblehub.com/interlinear/ ''interlinear Bible: Hebrew, Greek, English''] [http://bibleatlas.org/ Bible maps (''click initial letter of place name'')] [https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/ '''Bible Encyclopedias''': Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature (studylight.org)] [http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia '''Catholic Encyclopedia''' Catholic Online (catholic.org)] '''[http://calcuworld.com/calendar-calculators/hebrew-calendar-converter/ Hebrew Calendar Converter]''' ''See exact equivalents of Gregorian Calendar dates.'' 
:—in Gregorian Calendar click the cursor in the day, month, or year fields, to highlight selection, then use [Backspace ←] and [←] [→] right and left arrow keys in the day and year fields, and [Backspace ←] and [ ↑ ] [ ↓ ] up and down arrow keys in the month field, then click on [Calculate].

[http://www.kalvesmaki.com/LXX/NTChart.htm Table of Old Testament quotes in the New Testament, in English translation, Joel Kalvesmaki 2013 (kalvesmaki.com)]

[http://www.bible.ca/manuscripts/List-of-300-Old-Testament-passage-quotes-in-New-Testament-Septuagint-Codex-Vaticanus-LXX-Masoretic-MT-Jewish-Tanakh-Bible.htm List of 300 Septuagint Old Testament quotations in the New Testament, by Steve Rudd 2017 (bible.ca)]

[[Septuagint#Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament|Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament]]

[http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2501.htm '''Church History (Eusebius)''': The Ecclesiastical History Of Eusebius Pamphilus: Bishop Of Caesarea, In Palestine (newadvent.org)]

[http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ '''The Works of Flavius Josephus''' William Whiston, Translator, 1737 (sacred-texts.com)]

[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6400/6400-h/6400-h.htm '''Suetonius: Twelve Caesars''': The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by C. Suetonius Tranquilus; To which are added His Lives of the Grammarians, Rhetoricians, and Poets. The Translation of Alexander Thomson, M.D., Revised and corrected by T. Forester, Esq., A.M. (Gutenberg.org)]

[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.html '''Tacitus: The Annals''', Written 109 A.C.E. Translated by Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb]

[http://www.roman-emperors.org/epitome.htm '''Sextus Aurelius Victor: Epitome De Caesaribus''' (roman-emperors.org)]

[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/eutropius_breviarium_2_text.htm '''Eutropius: Breviarium''' - Eutropius's Abridgement of Roman History (tertullian.org)]

[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html '''Cassius Dio: Roman History''' Epitome (penelope.uchicago.edu)]

[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/index.html '''Early Christian Writings''' A.D. 30 through 380 (earlychristianwritings.com)] See '''[[Biblical Canon]]''' and '''[[Apocrypha]]'''.

[https://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/ntesources/ntarticles/ctr-nt/mcray-archaeologyacts-ctr.pdf '''Archaeology and the Book of Acts''' John McRay, Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, IL 60187] pdf

Maps of Paul's journeys:
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-travels-before-first-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's travels after his conversion]
*[http://www.apostlepaulthefilm.com/paul/journeys.htm Interactive maps of Paul's journeys]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-first-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's first missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-second-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's second missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-third-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's third missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-fourth-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's fourth missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-fifth-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's fifth missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-all-cities-visited-large-map.html Apostle Paul: all cities visited]

'''CHRONOLOGY OF THE ACTS AND EPISTLES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT''' See the following articles:
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11567b.htm St. Paul (newadvent.org) (''scroll down to'' Chronology)].
*[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Timeline_of_Saints#Apostolic_Era_.2830-100.29 Timeline of Saints: Apostolic Era (30-100) (orthodoxwiki)]
*[http://www.featheredprop.com/theological-works/chronological-order-of-pauline-epistles/ Chronological Order of Paul's Letters. Dane's Place (2014) (featheredprop.com)]
*[http://matthewmcgee.org/paultime.html Chronology of Apostle Paul's Journeys and Epistles. Matthew McGee (matthewmcgee.org)]
*[http://www.foundationsforfreedom.net/References/NT/Pauline/Pauline_Letters-Chronology.html New Testament Pauline Letters Chronological Order. Paul J. Bucknell. Biblical Foundations for Freedom (foundationsforfreedom.net)]
*[https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/holy-bible/new-testament/epistles-of-paul/chronology-of-pauls-journeys-epistles/ Chronology of Paul's Journeys and Epistles, by David Johnson (Life Hope and Truth) (lifehopeandtruth.com)]
*[http://www.bombaxo.com/paulchron.html Chronology of Paul's Letters (bombaxo.com)]
*[https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/pnt/pnt02.cfm Chronology of Acts and the Epistles (blueletterbible.org)]
*[http://believer.com/what-is-the-chronological-order-of-pauls-epistles What is the Chronological Order of Paul's Epistles? The Believers (believer.com)]
*[http://www.heavendwellers.com/hd_aa_chronology_acts_and_epist.htm Chronology of the Acts and Epistles (!) by Charles H. Welch (heavendwellers.com)]
*[http://www.christianity.com/bible/books-of-the-bible/the-epistles-of-paul-11541689.html The Epistles of Paul. C. I. Scofield (christianity.com)]
*[https://bible.org/seriespage/introduction-pastoral-letters-1-2-timothy-and-titus Introduction to the Pastoral Letters: 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. Bob Utley (bible.org)]
*[http://wesley.nnu.edu/index.php?id=2220 Correspondence of Paul and Seneca ca. A.D. 300-330]

"'''Andrew received ''Scythia'''''"
:See the following:
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Scythians '''Scythians''' - Encyclopedia of the Bible (biblegateway.com)]
:*[https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=scythia+-+bible+maps&qpvt=Scythia+-+Bible+maps '''Images of Scythia''' - Bible maps (bing.com)]


"'''signs and wonders'''" 
:A direct allusion to Acts 4:29-30 by [[Eusebius]].


"''' But we know that the law of Moses is good, if a man uses it lawfully, as knowing this, that the law is not laid down and established for a righteous man'''" 
:1 Timothy 1:8-9
:Compare Romans 2:14-16; 3:31; 7:12; 8:7-8.

:According to St. Paul those Gentiles who did not know the law of Moses, but who instinctively obeyed the [[Natural Law]] to do what is right and good, were obedient to the essential heart of the law of God, even if they did not know or follow the ritual forms of the Jewish ceremonial worship of God set forth in the law of Moses for the descendants of Jacob (called Israel). The prohibitions of the law of Moses against doing what is fundamentally evil were understood naturally by those non-Jews, Gentiles, who naturally rejected corrupt and immoral behavior even in their own pagan society, who were scandalized by the behavior of many of their own citizens, and whose governments even had laws against such things, which those who were rebellious and [[Licentiousness|licentious]] in spirit flouted and ignored. The law of Moses made explicit and clear what is naturally understood by those groping in the darkness of their own understanding and ignorance to be right and wrong in the eyes of God and man. Paul expressed this clearly when he wrote,
::"''the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.''" Galatians 5:23
:Moses told the people,
::"''Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land which you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' " Deuteronomy 4:5-6
:Gentile kings recognized the value of the [[Torah]] of the Jews as wisdom literature, and regarded a copy of the scroll of the law as a valuable addition to their libraries. The apocryphal [http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/letteraristeas.html ''Letter of Aristeas''] is one ancient witness among many attesting this historical fact.
:Paul wrote,
::"''When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law ''[of God]'' requires, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law ''[of Moses]''. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their [[conscience]] also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.''" Romans 2:14-16 ''amplified''.
:This is why "the law is not laid down and established for a righteous man" who does good according to the natural law placed by God in the heart. It is even more true for those who are in the new covenant in Christ according to Jeremiah 31:31-33: "''I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts''". It is the Holy Spirit of God who gives understanding to men, and gives the light of intelligence to them for a natural [[Morality|moral]] [[discernment]] of the good. Even evil people know they are wrong and they do not care about God or man. When they are confronted and caught, they know they were doing wrong—they are not sorry about what they did, but only sorry they got caught.

:"''And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been done in God.''" John 3:29-21

:The Roman Catholic ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' discusses the natural law ([http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s1c3a1.htm CCC '''1954-1960'''])
::"The natural law is written and engraved in the soul of each and every man, because it is human reason ordaining him to do good and forbidding him to sin." CCC 1954, citing Leo XIII, ''Libertas præstantissimum'', 597.

:This is why "the law is not laid down and established for a righteous man" —RSV "not laid down for the just". 1 Timothy 1:9a.
:The Catholic doctrine of the "Natural law" ordaining every soul to do good and forbidding to do evil, as being written and engraved in the soul of each and every man, is repudiated as blasphemy against the Sovereignty of God by [[John Calvin]]'s doctrine of election, as written in his ''Institutes of the Christian Religion'', Book the Second, Chapters One through Five.


"'''I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, <big>''intercessions''</big>, and givings of thanks, be made for all men: for kings and all who are in high places … For there is one God, and <big>''one mediator''</big> between God and men, the man Christ Jesus'''" 
:1 Timothy 2:1 and 2:5.
:If it is blasphemous, and a doctrine of demons from hell, to teach that there is any other '''intercessor''' than Jesus, because there is only "'''one mediator''' between God and men, the man Christ Jesus", then Paul's teaching urging others to make intercession for all men is '''[[blasphemy]]''', and a doctrine of demons from hell.
:*[https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-interceding.html What is the purpose of Jesus interceding for us in heaven? - Got Questions Ministries (gotquestions.org)] "'''''No one else'''—not Mary, not any previous Christian saintss—has the power to '''intercede''' for us before the throne of the Almighty. No angel has that position. Christ alone is the God-man, and He mediates and '''intercedes''' between God and man. “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).''" (''boldface emphasis added'') Clearly this "no one else" excludes living intercessors who pray for us and for the salvation of sinners.
:*[https://www.biblword.net/jesus-intercedes-for-us/ Why is Jesus interceding for us?, Esther Visser (biblword.net)] "''And Jesus is the '''only''' One who can '''intercede''' for our salvation, not Mary or any 'saint'.''" (''boldface emphasis added'') Clearly this excludes the living saints whom Paul addressed in his letters, which includes the living saints who are Christians today who receive his words. From Matthew 27:52 to Revelation 20:9 [[Strong's]] lists 60 references to living saints.
:*[https://www.biblword.net/to-whom-should-we-pray/ Should we pray to Mary? (biblword.net)] "''Mary, like all the others prayed to God. ... It is Jesus and not Mary who '''intercedes''' for us''" (''boldface emphasis added'')

:If Paul's urging of intercession by others is ''not'' blasphemy, but is a teaching inspired by God, because it '''''is''''' in the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17), "and the scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35), then the teaching that there is '''no other intercessor''' for all men than Jesus Christ contradicts the Bible, and it cannot be a teaching of God, and on this basis (''[[sola scriptura]]'') ''those who teach that there is no other intercessor for all men cannot be of God'', and their teaching is blasphemy, born of [[ignorance]] of the scriptures (Matthew 22:29; Mark 12:24; Matthew 15:14; Revelation 22:11) "for some are quite ignorant of God. I say this to your shame" 1 Corinthians 15:34. This is not difficult or hard to understand (2 Peter 3:15-18).

:Compare Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4; Acts 12:5; Romans 1:9; 8:26; 15:30; 2 Corinthians 1:11; 9:14; Philippians 1:19; 4:6; Colossians 1:9; 4:2-3; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 3:1-2; 1 Timothy 5:5; Philemon 4, 22; Hebrews 13:18; James 5:14-16; Psalm 141:2; Malachi 1:11.
:*[https://bibleresources.org/intercessory-prayer/ Let Your Petitions Be Made Known To God: What is Intercessory Prayer, By Betty Miller (bibleresources.org)]
:*[https://www.biblestudytools.com/classics/murray-ministry-intercession/god-seeks-intercessors.html God Seeks Intercessors - Murray Ministry (biblestudytools.com)]
:*[https://www.logosapostolic.org/bible_study/118-3-saved-dead.htm The Saved Dead go to Heaven at Death (logosapostolic.org)] ''This Evangelical Protestant author cites scripture to demonstrate that the saved are aware in heaven and pray''.
:*[https://www.openbible.info/topics/supports-intercessory-prayer-to-saints 100 Bible verses supporting intercessory prayer to saints (openbible.info)] ''Both the living and the dead in heaven''.
:*[https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-intercession-of-the-saints The Intercession of the Saints (catholic.com)] ''Citations from the early Church Fathers'' A.D. 100 to 500.

:Compare 2 Peter 1:15 "And I will strive after my departure you may be able to recall these things." (the word for "that" is not in the Greek text, "strive ''that''" or "''that'' you may be able"—see [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/1-15.htm interlinear text of 2 Peter 1:15] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_peter/1-15.htm multiple versions of 2 Peter 1:15]) 2 Maccabees 15:12-16 testifies to the doctrine that "dead" saints pray for the people: (c. 152 B.C.) "And Onias spoke, saying, 'This is a man who loves the brethren and prays much for the people and the holy city, [[Jeremiah (prophet)|Jeremiah]] the prophet of God.' " 2 Maccabees 15:14. Also 2 Maccabees 12:42-45 testifies to the practice of intercessory prayer for those dead who had been believers but had sinned, that they might be delivered from their sin. Second Maccabees and six other books and parts of books of the Catholic and Orthodox Bible have been rejected because of this and many other doctrines found in them, rejected by the Protestant Reformation as promoting superstition and paganism in opposition to the pure and simple truth of the Gospel of Christ. See [[Apocrypha]] and [[Syncretism]], also [[Great Apostasy]].


"'''good works'''" 
:1 Timothy 2:10; 3:1; 5:10, 25; 6:18; Titus 1:16; 2:7, 14; 3:1, 8, 14, in this chapter (Forty-four).
:Paul emphasizes the requirement of good works, as consistent with his doctrine of works in [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+2%3A6-10&version=RSVCE Romans 2:6-10] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A10&version=RSVCE Ephesians 2:10], and his warning to not fall away from the faith by sin in [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+11%3A20-22&version=RSVCE Romans 11:20-22] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+10%3A8-12&version=RSVCE 1 Corinthians 10:8-12]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+6%3A3-10&version=RSVCE Galatians 6:3-10]. If it is not possible to fall away no warning would be given. It is also not possible to fall away from what one never had.


"'''episcopos … deacon'''" 
:See 1 Timothy 3:1-13, and Titus 1:5-9 "'''presbyters'''"
:Also, "fathers, brothers, mothers, sisters" are mentioned, which in churches with [[apostolic succession]] are also informal titles of [[priest]]s and [[abbot]]s, [[monk]]s and [[brother]]s, "mother-superiors" of [[convent]]s and [[religious orders]], and [[nun]]s and [[sister]]s.

:It is not certain that the "deacons" (διακονόις ''diakonois'', literally ''servants / slaves'') in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 are presbyters assistant to the "episcopos", that the position of deacon mentioned with the bishop was that of "priest" / "elder" subordinate to him. In his letter to the Philippians (1:1) Paul greeted the saints with the bishops and deacons, referring to himself and Timothy as "servants / slaves" ''δουλοι'', and yet both of them were apostles (1 Thessalonians 2:6). The interpretation of some Orthodox and Catholic [[Exegesis|exegetes]] is that ''presbyteroi'' were serving assistants ''diakonoi'' to the ''episkopos'', while others of them interpret the deacons as serving lay members of the [[pastor]]al staff of the episcopos as pastor and chief presbyter of the congregational membership of believers, or possibly as men formally ordained by the laying on of the hands of the presbyterate (1 Timothy 4:15) to the ministry of service to the needy as deacons (Acts 6:1-6). Both deacons in 1 Timothy and presbyters in Titus were to have one wife, or if they were widowers to have had no more than one wife, or, as others read it, were ''required'' to have one wife, in any case not more than one. This is the ancient church discipline of both Orthodoxy and Catholicism even to this day; and it was also previously that of Anglicanism, although now it has been relaxed in the [[Anglican Communion]] since the late mid-20th century, to allow remarriage after the death of the wife or after divorce. In both Orthodoxy and Catholicism the candidate for elevation to the rank of episcopos or bishop must have been never-married, ideally a virginal male.

:In the New Testament church an apostle was also an episcopos, a presbyter and a deacon ("servant / slave"), but a deacon was not always a presbyter, nor an episcopos, nor an apostle; and an episcopos and a presbyter was also a deacon ("servant / slave") to the apostles. Hebrews 3:1; Acts 14:14; 15:6, 23; 20:28; 1 Timothy 5:1-2, 17; Titus 1:1; James 1 Peter 5:1-5; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1—see the interlinear texts of these passages and the multiple commentaries on them. The delineation of the ministries of ordained bishop, priest, deacon, and of consecrated (vowed) religious mother, brother, sister, we see today was not yet defined. The beginnings of an ecclesiastical hierarchy of levels of authority is already evident in the [[epistles of Ignatius]] (a disciple of the [[John the Apostle|Apostle John]]), written c. A.D. 110. It is a documented historical fact that in the first few centuries of the Christian Era every episcopos, bishop, was also affectionately regarded as [[pope]] and [[patriarch]] and chief pastor of a particular church congregation, locally, sometimes as the only presbyter, and in some cases, to a limited extent, as being circumstantially spiritually responsible for more than one congregation, as also having regional shepherding and guiding authority as a chief pastor, being given an appointed position of great respect; and according to some interpreters without any domineering authority to command obedience.

:The possibility of any form of structured ecclesiastical hierarchy in the first century Christian Church is utterly repudiated by some [[Historical-critical method (Higher criticism)|higher critics]], and since the 16th century, with confident assurance, repudiated by [[Puritans]], [[Anabaptist]]s, [[Evangelical Christians]] and [[Fundamentalism|Fundamentalists]], as a [[Revisionism|revisionist]] [[hoax]] by the [[Orthodox Church]] and the [[Catholic Church]], as part of the [[Great Apostasy]] from the simple purity of [[the Gospel]] of Jesus Christ. The historical development of structures of ecclesiastical hierarchy of institutional religion is rejected as a corruption and a perverse conceit and deceit of the Devil in imitation of the governmental structures of the pagan Roman Empire imposed by the Emperor Constantine. See [[Churches of Christ]] and [[Syncretism]].


"'''married no more than once'''"
:1 Timothy 3:2. So also 1 Timothy 3:12; 5:9; Titus 1:6
:"the husband of one wife" KJV—"the husband of only one wife" WEB—"married only once" NAB. Also 1 Timothy 5:9: "wife of one man" KJV—"wife of one husband" WEB

:See interlinear text of [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/3-2.htm 1 Timothy 3:2]; [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/3-12.htm 3:12]; [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/5-9.htm 5:9]; [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/titus/1-6.htm Titus 1:6]. See also commentaries on [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_timothy/3-2.htm 1 Timothy 3:2]; [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_timothy/3-12.htm 3:12]; [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_timothy/5-9.htm 5:9]; [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/titus/1-6.htm Titus 1:6].

:Compare [[polygamy]] ("many women"). The seldom-used term for a woman having multiple husbands at one time is called ''poly'''andry''''' "many men". A woman with multiple husbands was called polyandrous. But now, more commonly, the same term used for men with multiple wives is now generally applied to women with multiple husbands and both are termed "polygamous".

:Paul is not understood by the majority of Bible [[Exegesis|exegetes]] to be addressing the issue of polygamy, but instead the issue of remarriage. See 1 Corinthians 7:25-35.

:The [[Orthodox Church]]es allow men who are married to apply for ordination to the priesthood. After ordination, a married priest whose wife dies is not permitted to take another wife; and a never-married man who has been ordained as a priest is not permitted to take a wife. Bishops of both Catholic and Orthodox rites are required to be [[Virginity|virginal]] or [[Celibacy|celibate]] men who have never been married and have never had children, which normally excludes those who never married but who previously fathered children by [[fornication]] and have repented and renounced all illicit sexual activity. Orthodox priests with living wives who apply for acceptance into the Catholic Church as functioning Catholic priests can be granted a dispensation by the [[Pope]], and are freely allowed to serve in Catholic [[diocese]]s as married Catholic priests. As with the Orthodox discipline, when their wives die they may not take another wife.

:Some conservative and ultraconservative Protestant and Independent churches, such as the [[Churches of Christ]], on the basis of a ''[[sola scriptura]]'' interpretation of the [[King James Only|King James Version]] of the passages of 1 Timothy and Titus cited above, teach that preachers and pastors are required to be married, and they warn anyone who has ears to hear that the limiting restriction against marriage by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches for ordained men and for those who voluntarily have vowed themselves to [[celibacy]] for the sake of the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:12), and the discipline of self-restraint in occasional temporary periods of [[fasting]], is a [[demon]]ic absolute violation of 1 Timothy 4:1-5 and is one of many proofs that those churches have heeded deceitful spirits and teach doctrines of devils. See [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_timothy/4-3.htm commentaries on 1 Timothy 4:3]. The [[Cathar]]s and [[Albigensians]] absolutely forbade marriage. Some denominations even now absolutely forbid the eating of particular foods which God has created, for example, [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]].

:See [[Monogamy]].

:Monogamous marriage is the doctrine of Christianity and the Bible against committing [[adultery]] and [[fornication]] that [[Joseph Smith]] for forty years declared null and void in light of the revelation to him of the restoration of all things and a new and eternal covenant of "celestial marriage" and the "priesthood of Melchizedek". He argued that one cannot commit either fornication or adultery with wives who are "his own and not another's". —Doctrine and Covenants 133; 131; 76; 2 Nephi 31 See the following Mormon articles:
:*[https://josephsmithspolygamy.org/theology/joseph-smiths-teachings/ Joseph Smith's Polygamy - Plural Marriage Teachings (josephsmithspolygamy.org)]
:*[https://mormonbeliefs.org/mormon-history/mormon_polygamy/ Mormon Beliefs: Mormon Polygamy (mormonbeliers.org)]
:*[https://www.mormonwiki.com/Celestial_marriage Celestial Marriage (mormonwiki.com)]
:*[https://www.mormonwiki.com/Melchizedek_Priesthood Melchizedek Priesthood (mormonwiki.com)]

:Contrast the following article against the Mormon doctrine of celestial marriage:
:*[http://www.mrm.org/celestial-marriage Mormonism Research Ministry: Celestial Marriage and Eternal Exaltation, by Lane Thuet (mrm.org)] "''Celestial marriage is an absolute necessity to reach this desired goal'' [of exaltation]. ''Its importance in the place of salvation and exaltation cannot be overestimated.''"


"'''I do not permit a woman to Teach nor to ''usurp'' authority over a man'''"
:1 Timothy 2:12
:A controversial text. Greek text '''αὐθεντεῖν''' authentien ''usurp authority'', from [https://studybible.info/strongs/G831 '''αὐθεντέω''' ''authenteo'' "I domineer over"].

:Paul is not absolutely prohibiting teaching by women, nor the appointing of women as [[Catechesis|catechists]]. The grammatical structure of the Greek in this passage clearly shows that the meaning of this passage is taking authority over someone:
::"'''I do not permit a woman to teach a man''' nor to '''take''' authority over a man." The emphasis here is on women peremptorily and presumptively instructing and giving orders to men and sharply with arrogance correcting both them and the Presbyters who shepherd the congregation. It is not the same as offering advice or counsel, and it is not the same as giving religious instruction, as Aquila and Priscilla did in teaching Apollos (Acts 18:26).
:The real issue here is not the appointing of a duly recognized and qualified woman candidate to a position of legitimately recognized leadership in the church who has '''received''' (not taken, not seized) the office appointed her by those legitimate leaders who are over her in the Lord (Romans 16:3, 6, 15, 17; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 2; 2 John 1; Hebrews 13:17), but the problematic issue of any woman
:*who seeks by any disruptive means to overthrow the authority of a man in a legitimately appointed position of authority over the congregation and replace him or take his place,
:*'''''or''''' who by the irrepressible force of her powerful and formidable personality arrogantly dominates the whole congregation and subtly pressures the minister, pastor, elder, presbyter, priest, bishop, consistory or episcopate, to generally conform to her wishes as the real but unofficial power.
:See multiple versions of [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_timothy/2-12.htm 1 Timothy 2:12]. See [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/2-12.htm interlinear text of 1 Timothy 2:12].

:Compare [https://www.powerthesaurus.org/usurp/synonyms Thesaurus: '''usurp''' - synonyms] and [https://www.powerthesaurus.org/usurp/antonyms antonyms] (powerthesaurus.org)


"'''episcopos'''" 
:1 Timothy 3:1-2.
:Bishop, overseer.
:The Greek words here are ἐπισκοπῆς ''episkopes'' (plural) and ἐπίσκοπον ''episkopon'' (singular).

:The New Testament Greek term for this office in the church has been variously translated as "bishop" (DR, KJV), "overseer" (WEB), "leadership/leader" (REB), and "presiding elder" (NJB). See multiple versions of [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_timothy/3-1.htm 1 Timothy 3:1]. See multiple [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_timothy/3-1.htm commentaries]. This ''Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version)'' will read "episcopos" from this point through the rest of the remaining text. Similarly, "presbyters" and "presbyter" from the Greek will be read in place of the WEB reading "elders" and "elder", and "deacons" and "deacon" in place of "servants" and "servant" as designating ministers of service in the church.


"'''laying on of the hands of the Presbyters'''" 
:1 Timothy 4:14.
:Read by many as signifying [[ordination]] and [[Holy Orders]], and by others as [[Baptism in the Holy Spirit]].


"'''Lay hands hastily on no one'''" 
:1 Timothy 5:22 WEB.
:"Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands" (RSV).
:Understood by the majority as a caution against impulsively and eagerly ordaining a man before carefully evaluating him spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and some also say physically. See [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_timothy/5-22.htm commentaries].


"'''which in its own times he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords'''" 
:1 Timothy 6:15
:An allusion to the [[Septuagint]] text, 2 Maccabees 12:15 and 2 Maccabees 13:4.


"'''empty chatter and oppositions of what is falsely called ''knowledge'''''" 
:1 Timothy 6:20.
:"Knowledge" Greek '''γνώσις''' ''gnosis'', here "false science ''or'' false knowledge", '''ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως''' ''pseudonumou gnoseos'' "pseudo-knowledge", also translated as "[[Pseudoscience]]".

:This is an early reference to the [[heresy]] called [[Gnosticism]]. Its [[Seduction|seductively]] [[Specious reasoning|specious]] appeal is to the pleasures of the [[elitist]] [[Intelligence|intellect]]. See [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_timothy/6-20.htm commentaries].

:Compare [[Pelagianism]] and [[Humanism]].


"'''Without controversy, the mystery of ''godliness'' is great.'''" 
:1 Timothy 3:16
:"Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our '''[[religion]]'''." RSV. The Greek word here is '''εὐσεβείας''' ''eusebeias'' See [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_timothy/3-16.htm multiple translations of '''1 Timothy 3:16''']. Compare [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_timothy/3-5.htm multiple translations of '''2 Timothy 3:5'''] "holding a '''[[Worship|form of godliness]]''', but denying its power."

:The words ''eusebeia, eusebeo, eusebes,'' and ''eusebos'' (Strong's numbers ''2150, 2151, 2152, 2153'') can be translated as "godliness", "piety", "worship", "religion", "faith", "respect", "devout", "godly". These all have the same basic meaning and intent in the Greek text of the New Testament in the letters of both Paul and Peter. The word ''eulabeia'' in Hebrews 12:28 (Strong's number ''2124'') can be translated as "religious reverence", "piety", "caution", "fear", "dread", as in "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 1:7) and "I shall teach you the fear of the Lord" (Psalm 34:11), meaning devoted service in worship and in deeds in accordance with the law of righteousness as the whole [[religion]] of the soul toward God. The words ''threskeia'' and ''threskos'' in James 1:26-27 (Strong's numbers ''2356'' and ''2357'') are usually translated as "religion", "worship", and "religious", "piety".

:See Strong's Concordance entries: GODLINESS | GODLY | RELIGION Compare the interlinear texts of the following verses:
::[http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/2-2.htm 1 Timothy 2:2] eusebeia εὐσεβείᾳ [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/3-16.htm 1 Timothy 3:16] eusebeias εὐσεβείας —"Great is the mystery of our religion" RSV [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/4-7.htm 1 Timothy 4:7] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/4-8.htm 1 Timothy 4:8] eusebeia εὐσέβεια [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/6-3.htm 1 Timothy 6:3] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/6-5.htm 1 Timothy 6:5] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/6-6.htm 1 Timothy 6:6] eusebeia εὐσέβεια [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/6-11.htm 1 Timothy 6:11] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_timothy/3-5.htm 2 Timothy 3:5] eusebeias εὐσεβείας [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_timothy/3-12.htm 2 Timothy 3:12] eusebōs εὐσεβῶς [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/titus/1-1.htm Titus 1:1] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/titus/2-12.htm Titus 2:12] eusebōs εὐσεβῶς [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/hebrews/12-28.htm Hebrews 12:28] eulabeias εὐλαβείας [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/james/1-26.htm James 1:26] [[Worship|thrēskos θρησκὸς]] —''and'' thrēskeia θρησκεία [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/james/1-27.htm James 1:27] thrēskeia θρησκεία —"Religion pure and undefiled is this" [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/1-3.htm 2 Peter 1:3] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/1-6.htm 2 Peter 1:6] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/1-7.htm 2 Peter 1:7] eusebeia εὐσεβείᾳ [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/2-9.htm 2 Peter 2:9] eusebeis εὐσεβεῖς [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/3-11.htm 2 Peter 3:11] eusebeiais εὐσεβείαις

:[[Evangelical Christians|Evangelicals]] and [[Fundamentalism|Fundamentalists]] commonly deny that true Christianity is or ever has been a religion, and firmly assert instead that it is a truly personal and intimate individual relationship with God in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, "in spirit and in truth", wholly trusting in his mercy and forgiveness through the saving power of the blood of Christ shed for the sins of man on the Cross, which no one can merit by any works that can be performed, but only by faith in him, acknowledging guilt and sinfulness before him, asking forgiveness, and simply trusting in him for complete salvation, apart from any works that we can do. "''There is'' therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." ([http://biblehub.com/commentaries/romans/8-1.htm Romans 8:1 KJV]) They strongly warn that religion has no power to save anyone—the Church cannot save anyone—only Christ can '''[[Salvation|save]]'''. '''[https://www.bing.com/search?q=religion+cannot+save+you&form=EDGEAR&qs=PF&cvid=65863b85a9e14e25b09159a379db0ba7&cc=US&setlang=en-US]'''

:The major [[Christianity|Christian denominations]], Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed, all affirm that a truly devout relationship with God in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, "in spirit and in truth", in trusting '''faith'''-filled worship and charitable deeds, is the essence of the Christian religion: "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, ''and'' to keep oneself unstained from the world." [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/james/1-27.htm James 1:27]. See [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/10-25.htm commentaries on Hebrews 10:25] "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some ''is''; but exhorting ''one another'': and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." KJV (''italics added by the KJV translators.'') Compare [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A34-46&version=RSVCE Matthew 25:34-46] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A8-13&version=RSVCE 2 Peter 3:8-13]. Thus, according to this view, true religion is to keep faith with the Lord, to live a pure and holy life, to regularly assemble together for worship and prayer, and to serve both the needs of the poor and the helpless, and the Christian community as a whole, as the body of Christ and the temple of the living God ("''for '''we''' are the temple of the living God''" ''boldface emphasis added''—[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+6%3A14-18&version=RSVCE 2 Corinthians 6:14-18] — "''And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers.''"—[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A42&version=RSVCE Acts 2:42]). See '''[[Corporal and spiritual works of mercy]]'''. Christians are "baptized into one body". Christ is the head of his body, the church. (Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4-6; 5:23, 30; Colossians 1:18, 24; 2:9-10, 19; 3:15.) See especially [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12%3A12-28&version=RSVCE '''1 Corinthians 12''']. Thus, in this view, Christian religious community is necessary for the Christian. '''[https://www.bing.com/search?q=christian+community+is+necessary&form=EDGEAR&qs=PF&cvid=50ec2eb6665643108a3e8fd290fb7dc2&cc=US&setlang=en-US]''' To deny that Christianity is a religion is to deny the essence of the nature of what Christianity is: ''true [[religion]]''. Such a denial is at its base a false teaching. The teaching that Christianity is not a religion but a personal one-on-one relationship with God alone has much in common with the [[Frontier Thesis|frontier]] [[pioneer]] principle of [[Individualism|rugged individualism]] and the philosophy of [[Anarchism|Christian anarchism]] where the believer is by [[intuition]] a law unto himself ''[[sola spiritu]]''. Compare [[Antinomianism]].

:See [https://www.gospelway.com/salvation/things-save.php '''Gospel Way: Things That Are Essential to Salvation:''' Are we saved by Grace, Faith, Good Works, or Baptism "Alone"? (gospelway.com)] ''This Protestant evangelical author states emphatically that the Christian religion as a whole, in all its parts, is essential to salvation''.

:See [https://www.openbible.info/topics/church '''100 Bible verses about Church''' (openbible.info)]

:According to the [[Catholic Church]], Christ saves men through the sanctifying power of the Church. United with Christ as his one body, the Church is sanctified by him; through him and with him in the Holy Spirit she becomes sanctifying. See [http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p3.htm Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC, numbers 811–870].

:See [https://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/outside_the_church.htm Outside the Church There Is No Salvation (ewtn.com)] ''What this statement actually means—it's not what you think!''


"'''Do not rebuke a Presbyter, but exhort him as a Father'''"
:1 Timothy 5:1
:Here the Greek word '''Πρεσβυτέρω''' ''presbutero'' "presbyter" is translated in the [[Douay-Rheims]] Bible as "priest", in the [[King James Bible]] as "elder", in the World English Bible as "older man".

:See the [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/5-1.htm interlinear text of 1 Timothy 5:1].

:See [https://www.etymonline.com/word/priest Origin and meaning of "priest" according to Online Etymology (etymonline.com)]
::"priest, n. In Old Testament sense, a translation of Hebrew ''kohen'', Greek ''hiereus'', Latin ''sacerdos'', English "priest".

:Catholic apologists see 1 Timothy 5:1 as textual evidence of the practice of addressing a priest as "father", as a father to the congregation and to the people of God—but not as "my father".

:[[Evangelical Christians|Evangelical]] translators such as [[William Tyndale]], since the time of the 16th century Reformation, seeking to avoid all terminology with Catholic overtones of doctrinal significance, avoid the reading of "presbyter" as the word "priest", preferring instead the more generic and literalistic reading "elder" and the more modern "older man".

:The Apostles (and the Deacon [[Stephen]]) in the New Testament addressed leaders of the community as "Fathers". This respectful address of honor by believing Christians to others was not a violation of the commandment of Jesus to "''call no man on earth your father''"—the Bible never shows them addressing such persons as "my father, my fathers", but according to their dignity in the community as "father, fathers"—"''a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children''" Romans 2:19-20. Paul is instructing Timothy, the Episcopos of the Assembly or Church in Ephesus, to admonish the Presbyters of the community according to their dignity as "Fathers" of the community, with reverent restraint and not harshly as a tyrant. Compare 1 Corinthians 4:15; Acts 7:2; 1 John 2:13-14; Matthew 23:9.


"'''God, who ''cannot lie'''''"
:Titus 1:2. See [http://biblehub.com/multi/titus/1-2.htm multiple versions].
:This passage has generated a persistent storm of controversy. See [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/titus/1-2.htm multiple commentaries].

:See the following arguments:
:*[https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/does-god-lie Does God Lie? article by John Piper (desiringgod.org)]
:*[http://www.directionjournal.org/35/1/divine-deception-in-exodus-event.html Divine Deception in the Exodus Event? Ken Esau (directionjournal.org)]
:*[https://bible.org/seriespage/6-third-explanation-deception-delusion-and-divine-judgment-day-lord-2-thes-29-12 6. The Third Explanation: Deception, Delusion, and Divine Judgment in the Day of the Lord (2 Thes. 2:9-12 - bible.org)]
:*[https://www.tms.edu/m/tmsj16d.pdf Does God Deceive? The "Deluding Influence" of Second Thessalonians 2:11 (tms.edu)]
:*[http://susquehannachurchofchrist.org/CRJ/How%20God%20Sends%20Strong%20Delusion.pdf How God Sends Strong Delusion. Text 2 Thess. 2:9-12 (susquehannachurchofchrist.org)]
:*[http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198704768.001.0001/acprof-9780198704768-chapter-6 Hud Hudson, "The Father of Lies?" - ''Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Religion Volume 5'' (oxfordscholarship.com)] ''scroll down the page to ''Hud Hudson, The Father of Lies?''
:*[https://www.academia.edu/28317615/Response_to_Hud_Hudson_on_Divine_Deception_2015 Response to Hud Hudson on Divine Deception 2015. Sarah Gutierrez (academia.edu)] ''Response to Hud Hudson's "The Father of Lies?" - Skeptical Theism''
:*[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/secularoutpost/2013/09/17/wielenbergs-divine-lies-and-mcbrayer-and-swensons-response-my-comments-for-feedback Wielenberg's Divine Lies, and McBrayer and Swenson's response - my comments for feedback (patheos.com)] —"''Weilenberg’s point is that, if skeptical theism is true, it is not just possible God is lying to us: for all we know God is lying to us. So skeptical theism has the consequence that we should distrust God’s assertions.''"
:*[https://www.americamagazine.org/content/good-word/lies-deception-and-bible Lies, Deception, and the Bible. John W. Martens (americamagazine.org)]
:;The Question of the Infallible Guidance of God the Holy Spirit in and over the Church - Has he led us into all truth?
:*[http://www.catholicbridge.com/catholic/list_of_heresies.php List of Heresies the Catholic Church Rejected (catholicbridge.com)] ''Do these doctrines, rejected by the Catholic church, represent the pure Gospel?'' (See [[Great Apostasy]]—Did Jesus deceive us with false promises about the Holy Spirit '''remaining''' with us and leading us into all truth forever?)
:*[http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=5695 Heresy - Catholic Encyclopedia Online (catholic.org)]
:*[http://www.catholicapologetics.info/modernproblems/ecumenism/nonsalus.htm The Popes and Saints On: The Catholic Doctrine of No Salvation Outside the Church, by Raymond Taouk (catholicapologetics.info)] ''What Catholicism actually says about Salvation outside the body of Christ, the Church''. (See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12%3A12-28&version=KJV 1 Corinthians 12:12-28].)
:*[http://www.catholicapologetics.info/modernproblems/ecumenism/noncath.htm The Church's Constant Teaching on our dealings with Non-Catholics - "If he will not hear the Church let him be to thee as an heathen and a publican." St. Matthew 18:17 ''Catholic pastoral and governing authority'' (catholicapologetics.info/modernproblems)]
:*[http://www.oodegr.com/english/oikoumenismos/ou_dei.htm "One must not pray together with the heretics or schismatics." By fr. Anastasios Gotsopoulos, Parish Priest of Saint Nicholas' Church, Patrae ''Orthodox'' (oodegr.com)]
:*[http://www.angelfire.com/ny4/djw/lutherantheology.lutherdevilsfraud.html The Devil's Fraud, Lies, and Deception. Martin Luther (angelfire.com)] ''The fundamental interpretive reasoning of Martin Luther against Catholic miracles''. Compare [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+9%3A34&version=KJV Matthew 9:34]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A24-37&version=KJV 11:24-37]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+3%3A22-30&version=KJV Mark 3:22-30]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+11%3A15-23&version=KJV Luke 11:15-23]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A12-14&version=KJV John 14:12-14].
:*[http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Lutherans/deception.htm The Damnable Martin Luther Deception! David J. Stewart (jesus-is-savior.com)] ''Calvinist view of Catholicism and Lutheranism together''. The author David J. Stewart says against Luther and the Catholic Church that he finds "nowhere in the Bible" that Baptism or the Eucharist "saves". It is astonishing, even appalling, in light of ''[[sola scriptura]]'' and the literal meaning of the actual words from Bible passages in the KJV Bible, that a Bible pastor should claim to be unaware of such texts. Compare [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A16&version=KJV Mark 16:16]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+peter+3%3A21&version=KJV 1 Peter 3:21]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+6%3A53-57&version=KJV John 6:53-57]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+10%3A16-17&version=KJV 1 Corinthians 10:16-17]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A4&version=KJV 2 Peter 1:4] "partakers ''of the divine nature''" [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A10&version=KJV Hebrews 13:10] "''We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat''". Compare [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+8%3A8-9&version=RSVCE '''Jeremiah 8:8-9''']
:*[http://www.thecatholictreasurechest.com/apostasy.htm The So-called "Great Apostasy" Has Already Come to Pass! But it did not happen when non-Catholics claim it happened. (thecatholictreasurechest.com)]
:*[http://trinitytoday.com/the-deception-prayer/ The Deception Prayer - Pastor Carl Toti - Trinity Church - prayer against deception (trinitytoday.com)]
:*[http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s2c1p1.htm#214 Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) #214-231 (scborromeo.org)] ''God is Truth''
:*[http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s1c1.htm Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) #26-49 (scborromeo.org)] ''Man's Capacity for God. The Desire for God.''—"So it happens that men in such matters easily persuade themselves that what they would not like to be true is false or at least doubtful."
:;Commentaries on "strong delusion", "giving heed to seducing spirits", and "doctrines of devils"
:*[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/2_thessalonians/2-11.htm Commentaries on 2 Thessalonians 2:11 "''God shall send them a strong delusion''" (biblehub.com)]
:*[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_timothy/4-1.htm Commentaries on 1 Timothy 4:1] "''Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils''."
:*[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/6-18.htm Commentaries on Hebrews 6:18] "''—impossible for God to lie''"
:*[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_john/2-19.htm Commentaries on 1 John 2:19] "''They went out from us, but they were not of us''".
:Christian doctrine maintains that those who have no desire for truth and no love of God will finally be given what they so ardently long for: the deceiving lies of the Devil. This is part of the divine judgment on them for their sin. They stand "self-condemned" [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus+3%3A10-11&version=RSVCE Titus 3:10-11.] Compare:
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A43-47&version=RSVCE John 8:43-47] "He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+11%3A11&version=RSVCE 1 Kings 11:11] "Since this is what you want, and you have not kept my covenant and the statutes which I enjoined on you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you."
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+1%3A20-33&version=RSVCE Proverbs 1:20-33] "Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way and be sated with their own devices."
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+13%3A12&version=RSVCE Matthew 13:12]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+4%3A25&version=RSVCE Mark 4:25]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+8%3A18&version=RSVCE Luke 8:18]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+8%3A43-47&version=RSVCE 19:26] "Be careful how you hear. To him who has will more be given; from him who has not, even that which he has will be taken away."
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+1%3A20&version=RSVCE 1 Timothy 1:20] "whom I have delivered to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme."
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A11-20&version=RSVCE Luke 15:11-20] ''The parable of the prodigal son who was given what he demanded, and fell into want through his own fault''.
:See also the following passages demonstrating the consistent judgment of God on the rebellious, after first warning them, by giving them as punishment what they demanded and the fully developed fruit of it:
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+11%3A4-34&version=RSVCE Numbers 11:4-34]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms+78%3A17-31&version=RSVCE Psalm 78:17-31]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms+106%3A14-15&version=RSVCE Psalm 106:14-15]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+10%3A13-14&version=RSVCE Judges 10:13-14]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+8%3A4-18&version=RSVCE 1 Samuel 8:4-18]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea+13%3A9-11&version=RSVCE Hosea 13:9-11]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+12%3A8&version=RSVCE 2 Chronicles 12:8]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A14-15&version=RSVCE James 1:14-15]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jude+1%3A10&version=RSVCE Jude 10]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Wisdom+11%3A15-16&version=RSVCE Wisdom 11:15-16] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A22-32&version=RSVCE Romans 1:22-32]


"'''I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective'''" Titus 1:5.
:See article [http://www.churchsonefoundation.com/paul-did-not-sin-on-crete/comment-page-1/ '''Paul Did Not Sin on Crete!''' (churchsonefoundation.com)].


"'''that ''older women'' likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, ''Teachers'' of that which is good; that they may ''train the young women''" 
:Titus 2:3-4
:Paul does not forbid women to teach. He commands that they be teachers. The older women especially (usually devout widows, and, according to tradition, also those older women who have never married and have [[vow]]ed themselves to [[virginity]] "for the sake of the kingdom" [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+19%3A12&version=RSVCE Matthew 19:12]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+7%3A34&version=RSVCE 1 Corinthians 7:34]) should be doctrinal and moral Teachers of younger women.

:In contrast, Paul in 1 Timothy 2:12 (see note above) does not permit a woman to arbitrarily on her own decision ''arrogate'' to herself authority over men who are duly appointed shepherds of the community and to presume to take over and be their teacher without any authorization to do so. This is a wholly different issue. See [https://www.openbible.info/topics/arrogance 100 Bible verses on arrogance].

:Paul here desires the older women to be truly authentic teachers of what is good, [[Catechesis|catechists]] and mothers of the assembly; especially to be moral leaders, guides, and instructors, by their own living example, of younger women, wives, mothers, and the younger widows bereft of their spouses, for their role as wholesome Christian women of [[virtue]], as visible inspirations to others, including men.

:Some Christian denominations and churches have found in this and other passages of New Testament scripture a [[Premise|rationale]] for women to be chosen to be trained and ordained as ministers, pastors, theologians, even bishops (for example, the [[Methodism|Methodist Churches]] and the [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopal Church]]). Critics of this position (almost always citing as an absolute prohibition Paul's authoritative doctrine in [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+2%3A12&version=RSVCE 1 Timothy 2:12]) argue that the supposition that women may legitimately occupy positions of full authority over any Christian congregation or denomination is an innovation and a rationalization for going against Christian [[tradition]] (see [[Heresy]] and [[Liberal Christianity]]; compare [[Egalitarian]] and [[Feminism]]).

:The doctrine of the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church acknowledges the Baptismal Priesthood of women, and the legitimate authority of women as heads of religious congregations of women and [[convent]]s of [[nun]]s, but does not allow [[ordination]] of women to the [[Deacon|Diaconate]], to the Sacerdotal [[Priest]]hood, or to the [[Bishop|Episcopate]], in accordance with ancient [[Apostolic succession|Apostolic Tradition]] (the argument presented in the Papal Letter ''Ordinatio Sacerdotalis'' 22 May 1994). Several women throughout the history of Christianity have been solemnly denominated as [[Doctor of the Church|Doctors of the Church]] and prophets; for example [[Catherine of Siena]], [[Theresa of Avila|Teresa of Avila]], [[Theresa of Lisieux|Thèrése of Lisieux]], and [[Mother Teresa|Mother Theresa of Calcutta]].

:See the following:
:[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+18%3A24-26&version=RSVCE Acts 18:24-26] [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+21%3A9&version=RSVCE Acts 21:9] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/21-9.htm commentaries] [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+16%3A1&version=RSVCE Romans 16:1] [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+7%3A34&version=RSVCE 1 Corinthians 7:34] [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A3&version=RSVCE Philippians 4:3] [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+2%3A9-10&version=RSVCE 1 Timothy 2:9-10 ''especially v. 10] —"women who [[Vow|profess religion]]"'' [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A1-6&version=RSVCE 1 Peter 3:1-6] [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A20&version=RSVCE Revelation 2:20] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/revelation/2-20.htm commentaries]

:*[https://carm.org/should-women-be-pastors-and-elders '''Should Women be Pastors and Elders?''' - Matt Slick, CARM Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry (carm.org)] ''He says 'No'.''
:*[http://fwepiscopal.org/downloads/Essay4-Reason.pdf '''Reason and the Ordination of Women to the Priesthood and Episcopate''' (fwepiscopal.org)]
:*[http://thedaystarjournal.com/an-argument-for-women-pastors-and-theologians/ '''An Argument For Women Pastors and Theologians''', Matthew Becker - The Daystar Journal: Gospel Voices in and for the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (thedaystarjournal.com)]

:*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordinatio_sacerdotalis '''Ordinatio Sacerdotalis''' - Wikipedia]
:*[https://www.osv.com/Magazines/TheCatholicAnswer/Article/TabId/652/ArtMID/13618/ArticleID/23003/Why-Is-Ordained-Priesthood-Reserved-for-Men-Alone.aspx '''Why is Ordained Priesthood Reserved for Men Alone?''', Michael R. Heinlein (osv.com)]
:*[https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1994/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_19940522_ordinatio-sacerdotalis.html Apostolic Letter '''''Ordinatio Sacerdotalis''''' of John Paul II to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on Reserving Priestly Ordination to Men Alone (vatican.va)]


"'''For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to ''all'' men'''" 
:Titus 2:11
:[[Calvinism]] teaches that the grace of God is infallible and irresistible, because man has no free will and the sovereign will of God has determined from all eternity who will be given the grace of salvation, and since it is evident that not all are saved, because many evil persons publicly convicted of undeniable acts of violence have died unrepentant of their crimes against the innocent, salvation is therefore obviously '''''not''''' brought to all men—even if the Bible clearly says, "the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to '''all''' men" (Titus 2:11) and "God is not willing that '''any''' should perish" (2 Peter 3:9). This is the doctrine of Irresistable Grace and Double Predestination.
:Those church denominations which affirm the [[free will]] of man, teach that God's sovereign grace can be rejected by those who choose for themselves and against God, and that God's grace, which has indeed been brought to all men ''without exception'', can be refused. See [[Arminianism]].
:If, according to the doctrine of [[Eternal security (salvation)|Eternal Security]], the grace of salvation cannot be lost, forfeited or revoked for any reason, for any sin whatever, after receiving Christ as our personal Savior, then the '''warnings''' found throughout the New Testament to believers to '''be careful''' not to fall away, not to be led astray, not to sin, not to act unrighteously, not to return to indulging the lusts of the flesh, '''''lest we lose''''' what we have in Christ, '''would never have been written'''. See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A14-17&version=RSVCE 2 Peter 3:14-17].
:Scripture clearly states that "nothing can separate us from the love of God", and that no one shall take us out of his hand ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A38-39&version=RSVCE Romans 8:38-39]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A27-29&version=RSVCE John 10:27-29]). From this and what is cited above as warning it seems evident to many that while nothing ''outside'' of ourselves can deprive us in any way of the saving gift of the grace of salvation in Christ, we can forfeit it for ourselves ''from within ourselves'' by committing sin and [[apostasy]] ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+15%3A18-20&version=RSVCE Matthew 15:18-20]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+2%3A9-11&version=RSVCE Romans 2:9-11]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+6%3A4-8&version=RSVCE Hebrews 6:4-8]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+18%3A21-24&version=RSVCE Ezekiel 18:21-24]). Compare [[Eternal security (salvation)]], [[Antinomianism]] and [[Licentiousness]].


|}
Compare the [[Conservative Bible|Conservative Bible text (conservapedia.com):]]

I told you to stay in Ephesus and teach during my trip to Macedonia, and urge you to continue doing so to stop the spread of false doctrine. Debunk junk science and revisionism, as these engender pointless speculation rather than the divine growth which is in faith.

For this reason I left you in Crete: that you should set right the things that are not right, and ordain elders in every city, as I ordained you.

a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God: not selfish, without a temper, not a drunkard, not a member of a union, not pursuing money dishonestly, but a lover of hospitality, a friend to all good men, a man who is sober, just, holy, and temperate. He must keep well the word of the scriptures as he has been taught, that he may use logic and reasoning to convince those who doubt.

I hope to come see you soon, but I write to you so that, should I be delayed, you know how one ought to behave in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of all truth.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ our confident expectation, by the commandment of God our Saviour.

To Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

I told you to stay in Ephesus and teach during my trip to Macedonia, and urge you to continue doing so to stop the spread of false doctrine. Debunk junk science and revisionism, as these engender pointless speculation rather than the divine growth which is in faith.

The purpose of the commandment is charity from a pure heart, a good conscience, and true Faith.
Some have strayed from it and started blabbering meaninglessly. They want to be teachers of the Law, but they have no understanding of what they say or the point they try to make.

We know the Law is good when used lawfully, and that it does not concern the righteous man: it is made against the lawless and insubordinate, against the atheists and the sinners, against the evil and profane, against the patricides and the matricides, against killers, against pimps, against those who engage in homosexual relations, against kidnappers and slave-traders, against liars, against perjurers, and against everything that is contrary to the sound doctrine described by the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me. I give thanks to Jesus Christ our Lord, who gave me strength by recognizing my faith and appointing me to His service.

I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and arrogant, but I was given Mercy because I did it out of ignorance and unbelief, and the Grace of our Lord overwhelmed me with the faith and love of Jesus Christ.

It is an undeniable truth worthy of universal acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the universe to save sinners- and I am the worst of them. It is for this very reason that I received Mercy, as an example of the infinite patience of Jesus-Christ for those who will come to believe in him. To the King eternal, incorruptible, invisible, wise, the unique God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

This is your duty, son Timothy, as foretold in the prophecies concerning you, that you have to follow to wage an ideal war. You have to keep your faith and a good conscience. Some lost faith and that ended in disaster, for example Hymaneaus and Alexander, that I gave up to Satan as a punishment for their blasphemy.

I urge then that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men. This includes kings and everyone in superior positions, so that we may live peacefully in godliness and honesty.

Our God and Saviour is pleased by this, who wants all men to be saved and realize the truth. For there is only one God, and only one mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all, as the testimony will be given in its proper time. For this reason I was appointed a preacher and an apostle, a teacher of the true faith for the Gentiles. I speak the truth in Christ.

I want men to lift holy hands in prayer everywhere, without suffering from censorship.

I also want women to wear modest clothes, with decency and propriety. They should not dress themselves with braided hair, jewelery or expensive outfits, but with their good works, which become women professing godliness.

A woman should learn in silence and in full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man: she must be silent. This is because Adam was created first, and then Eve. Adam was not deceived, but the woman was. She is thus responsible for the transgression. A woman may nevertheless be saved through childbearing, provided she keeps her faith, charity, holiness, together with propriety.

It is true that if a man desires to be a supervisor, he desires a noble task. As such, a supervisor must be blameless, married, sober, self-controlled, hospitable, patient, and a good teacher, and certainly not someone who drinks wine, or loves money, or seeks fights, or covets. He has to manage properly his own household, and have respectful and obeying children, as a man unable to rule his own house would not know how to take care of the church of God. He should not be a novice, lest he become conceited and be condemned as Satan was. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, lest he should fall into reproach and Satan's trap.

Servants must likewise be grave, consistent, not addicted to wine, not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep the deep truths of the faith with a pure conscience. They must be tested and found blameless before being authorized to serve. In the same way, their wives should be grave, sober, and trustworthy, and not evil.

The servants can marry a woman, and should ideally rule over their children and their house. Those who have served well should earn an improvement in standing, and gain much assurance in their faith in Jesus Christ.

I hope to come see you soon, but I write to you so that, should I be delayed, you know how one ought to behave in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of all truth.

No-one denies the mystery of godliness is great: God appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, witnessed by messengers, preached to all nations, was believed on in the whole universe, and glorified.

The Spirit explicitly states that, in times to come, some will lose faith and pay attention to deceiving spirits and the doctrines of demons. They will tell lies with hypocrisy, and have closed minds. They will forbid to marry and eat certain food, that God created to be received with thanksgivings by believers who know the truth. Everything God created is good, and nothing should be refused as long as it is received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If you inform the brothers of these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up by the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you follow.

Steer clear of atheist and superstitious myths and train yourself in godliness. Indeed, physical training has a few beneficial aspects, but godliness benefits all, holding promise for both this life and the one to come. This is an undeniable truth for which we labor and suffer reproach, because we rely on the living God, Saviour of all believing men.

Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example to the believers in speech, in behavior, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.

Until I come, devote yourself to the reading of the Scripture, to public preaching and teaching. Do not neglect the grace that was given to you according to the prophecy, when the elders laid their hands on you. Meditate upon these matters and give yourself wholly to them, and everyone will see your progress.

Pay attention to your life and the doctrine, continue in them, and you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

Do not rebuke an elder, but treat him as a father, and the younger men as your brothers, the older and younger women, as mothers and sisters respectfully, with all purity.

Take care of real widows, but if any widow have children or descendants, they should be the ones to show piety in their own home, for this is good and desirable for God. A real widow, all alone, puts her trust in God and prays day and nights, but one living for pleasure is dead even as she lives.

Instruct people of this, so that they may be blameless. Anyone who does not provide for his own family, especially those residing under his roof, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Do not consider a woman a widow unless she is over sixty years old, has been married to one man only, has a good reputation, such as raising children, housing strangers, washing the saint's feet, relieving the afflicted, devoting herself to good deeds.

Do not care for younger widows, because once their devotion to Christ diminishes, they want to marry, and for this are damned as they recant their first faith. Meanwhile, they become idle, and propagate gossip as they wander from house to house. Thus, I want younger women to marry, bear children and manage their households, giving no occasion for Satan to spread slander. In truth, some are already lost to Satan.

If a believer has a widow in his family, he should take care of her, so that the church may tend for the widows that most need help.

The elders that rule well should be doubly honored, especially those who preach and teach. For the Scripture says: « Do not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn », and « The worthy worker deserves his wage »

Never accuse an elder unless two or more witnesses testify. The elders that sin should be rebuked publicly, as an example for others. I instruct you before God, and Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, to carry out these rules without favoring one of them.

Do not lay hands suddenly on a man, do not share other men's sins: keep yourself pure.

Stop drinking only water, and consume a little wine to treat your stomach and your illnesses.

The sins of some men are apparent to all, preceding them to judgment, while for others they only follow them. In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious immediately, but even the ones that are not can not be hidden.

All servants should fully respect their masters, so that the name of God and his teaching is not blasphemed. Those who have Christian masters must not be allowed to treat them with less respect on the pretext they are brothers. On the contrary, they should serve them even better, because those who benefit from their work are Christians and dear to them. This you must teach and urge on them.

If any man is teaching otherwise, and does not agree to the logical instruction and holy teachings of Jesus Christ, this man is liberal yet ignorant. He is a provocateur who incites generate calumny, suspicion, and altercations. Do not acquaint yourself with these men engaging in perverse disputes, with corrupt minds and deprived of the truth, who expect holiness from financial gain.

That being said, godliness with satisfaction is a great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and we will carry noting out, so let's be satisfied with a proper house and decent food. Those who only aspire to become rich are falling to temptation into a trap, experiencing many foolish and destructive desires, that plunge men into ruin and perdition. For the love of money above all else is the root of numerous evils, and those who yearn only for money have strayed from the faith and suffered many sorrows.

You are a man of God, stay away from these things, and rather pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

Wage the good war of faith. Accept the eternal life that was given to you, when you proclaimed your faith before many witnesses. In the sight of God, who created everything, and in the sight of Jesus Christ who stood tall before Pontius Pilate, I instruct you to follow this commandment irreproachably until the coming of Jesus Christ, who will be brought about by God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who only is immortal, living in the light no man can approach, whom no man can see and ever has, to whom be honor and power for all eternity. Amen.

Instruct the rich people not to be arrogant and believe in wealth only, which is uncertain, but rather believe in the living God, who provides us richly in everything. Instruct them to do good deeds and become rich in them, and be generous and to contribute, building up a good foundation for the time to come, that they may gain eternal life.

Timothy, pay real care to what I entrust you, avoid the vain babbling of atheists, and the false affirmations of junk science, that some, proclaiming them, have departed to the faith.

May the Grace be with you. Amen.

be sure to come visit me in Nicopolis, for I will spend the winter there.

From Paul, a faithful servant of God and apostle to Jesus Christ, in accordance with his duties as one of God's faithful followers, and knowledge truth of God, in confident expectation of eternal life, which God truthfully promised before the world began, but has since then manifested His word through preaching, which is committed to me in accordance with the commandment of God our savior.

To Titus, whom I converted from paganism: May the grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior be upon you. For this reason I left you in Crete: that you should set right the things that are not right, and ordain elders in every city, as I ordained you. That is, if you can find any elders blameless, that is, having only one wife, having good children not accused of rioting or other unruly behavior, because a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God: not selfish, without a temper, not a drunkard, not a member of a union, not pursuing money dishonestly, but a lover of hospitality, a friend to all good men, a man who is sober, just, holy, and temperate. He must keep well the word of the scriptures as he has been taught, that he may use logic and reasoning to convince those who doubt.

There are many liars and close-minded boasters, particularly those who demand circumcision of new converts. Their mouths must be shut, lest they subvert entire families, teaching what they should not teach, so that they may gain money dishonestly. One of them, a "prophet," even, said, "The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, with fat bellies slowing them down." This testimony is true. Which is why you must rebuke them, so that their faith will be accurate, not paying attention to Jewish fables, and the laws of men, that turn Christians from the truth. To the pure, all things are pure; but to them who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure: even their mind and their conscience are defiled. They claim they know God, but in their deeds they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and against every good thing.

You must give them sound advice: that grown men must be sober, grave, temperate, faithful, charitable, patient; that grown women must be likewise, that they must keep to holy behavior, that they may not bear false witness, or drink much wine; that they must be teachers of the good. In this way they can teach the younger women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, housewives; good, and obedient to their husbands, so that the word of God will not be blasphemed.

You must also exhort young men to be sober. In all things, be an example of behaving well; in doctrine show uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech which cannot be condemned; so that he who disagrees with you may be ashamed, and have nothing bad to say of you.

Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters, and to please them in all things, never talking back; not stealing, but showing fidelity to all, so that they might exalt the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, looking for that blessed expectation, and the glorious appearing, of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us all from iniquity, and purify for himself a particular people, who desire good works. These things you must teach, and rebuke naysayers with all authority. Let no man despise you.

Put it into their minds to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to do good deeds, to speak ill of no man, to not fights, but to be gentle, showing meekness to all men.

We are all sometimes foolish, disobedient, lied to, giving into lusts and pleasures, living in anger and jealousy, and hating others. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior came to man, not because we were righteous, but because He is merciful, He saved us; by the washing of regeneration, and the renewal of the Holy Spirit, which He shed abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by his grave, we should be made heirs to eternal life.

This is a saying of our faith, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, so that they who believe in God might be careful to maintain good deeds. These things are good and profitable to men.

But ignore foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and minute points about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man who is a heretic after the first and second admonition, reject; knowing that he who continues in sinful ways has condemned himself.

When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be sure to come visit me in Nicopolis, for I will spend the winter there. Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos, and keep them well - make sure they want for nothing.

And let us learn to keep our sermons for willing crowds, so that they will not be unfruitful.

All who are with me salute you. Greet them who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

== Forty-five ==
{| class="wikitable" style="align:center;"
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! style="width:60%;"|Chapter 45
! style="width:40%;"|Historical texts Bible text
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'''<big><big><big>N</big></big></big>'''ow this is the doctrinal instruction called "The Teaching of the Lord by the Twelve Apostles to the Nations", also called in Greek the "''[[Didache]]''", which means "doctrine".

:'''<big><big><big>T</big></big></big>'''here are two Ways, one of Life and one of Death; but there is a great difference between the two Ways.

:Now the Way of Life is this: First, You shall love God who made you; secondly, your neighbor as yourself; and all things whatever you would not have done to you, you neither do to another.

:Now the Teaching of these two words of the Lord is this: Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those who persecute you; for what thanks is there if you love those who love you? Do not even Gentiles the same? But love those who hate you, and you shall not have an enemy.

:Abstain from fleshly and bodily worldly lusts. If any one gives you a blow on the right cheek turn to him the other also, and you shall be perfect. If any one compels you to go with him one mile, go with him two; if any one takes away your cloak, give him also your tunic; if any one takes from you what is yours, ask not for it back, as indeed you cannot.

:Give to every one who asks you, and ask not back, for the Father wills that from our own blessings we should give to all. Blessed is he who gives according to the commandment, for he is guiltless. Woe to him who receives; for if any one receives, having need, he shall be guiltless, but he who has no need shall give account, why he received and for what purpose, and coming into distress he shall be strictly examined concerning his deeds, and he shall not come out from there before he has paid the last cent.

:But concerning this also it has been said, "Let your alms sweat in your hands before you know to whom you should give."

:And the second commandment of the Teaching is:
:You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery; you shalt not corrupt boys; you shall not commit fornication. You shalt not steal. You shall not use witchcraft; you shall not practice sorcery. You shalt not procure abortion, nor shall you kill the new-born child. You shall not covet thy neighbor's goods.

:You shall not falsely swear. You shall not bear false witness. You shall not speak evil; you shalt not bear malice. You shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued; for duplicity in speech is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false, nor vain, but fulfilled by deed.

:You shall not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor malignant, nor haughty. You shalt not make evil plans against your neighbor. You shall not hate any one, but some you shall rebuke and for some you shall pray, and some you shall love above your own soul, your life.

:My child, flee from every evil, and from every thing that resembles it. Be not prone to anger, for anger leads to murder; nor given to partisan spirit, nor contentious, nor quick-tempered, or passionate; for from all these things murders are generated.

:My child, be not lustful, for lust leads to fornication; neither be a filthy talker, nor an eager gazer, for from all these adulteries are generated.

:My child, be not a watcher of birds for divination for it leads to idolatry; nor a charmer or enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, a user of spells of purifications or expiations, nor be willing to look on those things; for from all these idolatry is generated.

:My child, be not a liar, for lying leads to theft; nor avaricious, nor vainglorious, for from all these things thefts are generated.

:My child, be not a grumbler, for it leads to blasphemy; neither presumptuously self-willed, nor evil-minded, for from all these things blasphemies are generated. But be meek, for the meek shall inherit the earth. Be long-suffering, and merciful, and harmless, and quiet, and good, and trembling continually at the words which you have heard.

:You shall not exalt yourself, nor shall you assume presumptuous audacity in your soul. Your soul shall not be joined to the lofty, but with the just and lowly shall you converse.

:The events that befall you you shalt accept as good, knowing that nothing happens without God.

:My child, you shall remember night and day him who speaks to you the word of God, and you shalt honor him as the Lord, for where the Lordship is spoken of, there is the Lord. And you shall seek out day by day the faces of the saints, that you may rely on their words.

:You shall not desire division, but shall make peace between those who have a bitter quarrel. You shall judge justly; you shall not respect any persons in rebuking them for transgressions. You shall not be double-minded or doubtful in your mind whether it should be or not.

:Be not one of those who stretches out his hands for receiving, but draws them back for giving. If you have anything, you shall give with your hands as a ransom for your sins. You shall not hesitate to give, nor in giving shall you grumble, for then you shall know who is the good recompenser of the reward. You shall not turn away him who needs, but shall share all things with your brother, and shall not say that they are your own; for if you are fellow-sharers in that which is imperishable, how much more in perishable things?

:You shall not withhold your hand from your son or from your daughter, but from their youth up you shalt Teach them the reverent fear of God.

:You shall not in your bitterness lay commands on your man-servant, your bondman, or your maid-servant, your bondwoman, who have confident expectation in the same God, lest they should lose reverence for Him who is God over you both; for He comes not to call men according to the condition of their outward appearance, but he comes on those whom the Spirit has prepared.

:But you, bondmen, servants, shall be subject to your own, our Christian masters, as to the image of God in modest reverence and fear.

:You shall hate all hypocrisy, and everything that is not pleasing to the Lord. You shall not ignore the commandments of the Lord, but you shall keep what you have received, neither adding to them nor taking away from them.

:In the Assembly you shall confess your transgressions, and you shall not come to your prayers with an evil conscience.

:This is the way of life.

:But the way of death is this:

:First of all it is evil and full of curse; murders, adulteries, lusts, fornications, thefts, idolatries, witchcrafts, sorceries, robberies, false-witnessings, hypocrisies, double-heartedness, deceit, pride, wickedness, self-will, covetousness, filthy-talking, jealousy, presumption, haughtiness, boastfulness. Persecutors of the good, hating truth, loving a lie, not knowing the reward of righteousness, not holding to that which is good nor to righteous judgment, alert not for that which is good but for that which is evil; those from whom meekness and endurance is far off, loving vanity, seeking for reward, not pitying the poor, not toiling with him who is grieved with toil, not knowing Him Who made them, murderers of children, destroyers of the handiwork of God, turning away from the needy, grieving the afflicted, advocates of the rich, lawless judges of the poor, wholly sinful.

:May you, '''children''', be delivered from all these.

:Take care that no one leads you astray from this Way of Teaching, since he Teaches you apart from God. For if indeed you are able to bear the whole yoke of the Lord you shall be perfect; but if you are not able, do what you can.

:And as regards food, bear what you can, but against idol-offerings be exceedingly on your guard, for it is a serving of dead gods.

:Now concerning '''[[Baptism]]''', baptize this way: Having first Taught all these things, baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in flowing water. And if you have no flowing water, baptize in other water; and if you cannot in cold, then in warm water.

:But if you have neither, pour water three times on the head in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. But before Baptism let the baptizer and the baptized [[Fasting|fast]], and any others who can; but you shall command the baptized to fast for one or two days before.

:Let not your fasts be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week; but you shall fast on the fourth day, Wednesday, and the preparation day, Friday. Neither pray as the hypocrites, but as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, so pray: "Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the power and the glory for ever."

:Pray this way three times a day.

:Now as regards the '''[[Eucharist]]''', give thanks after this manner:

:First for the cup:
::"We give thanks to You, our Father, for the holy Vine of David Your servant, which you have made known to us through Jesus, Your servant: to You be the glory for ever."

:And for the broken bread:
::"We give thanks to You, our Father, for the life and knowledge which You have made known to us through Jesus, Your servant: to You be the glory for ever. As this broken bread was scattered on the mountains and gathered together became one, so let Your Assembly be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom, for Yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever."

:But let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist, except those baptized into the name of the Lord; for as regards this also the Lord has said: "Give not '''that which is holy''' to the dogs."

:Now after being filled, give thanks after this manner:

::"We thank You, Holy Father, for Your Holy Name, which You have caused to dwell as in a tabernacle in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality which You have made known to us through Jesus Your Servant, to You be the glory for ever. You, O, Almighty Sovereign, did make all things for Your Name's sake; You gave food and drink to men for enjoyment that they might give thanks to You; but to us You did freely give spiritual food and drink and eternal life through Your Servant.

::"Before all things we give thanks to You that You are mighty; to You be the glory for ever.

::"Remember, O Lord, Your Assembly to deliver her from all evil and to perfect her in Your love; and gather her together from the four winds, sanctified for Your kingdom which You have prepared for her; for Yours is the power and the glory for ever.

::"Let grace come, and let this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. If any one is holy let him come, if any one is not holy let him repent. Maranatha. Amen."

:But permit the Prophets to give thanks in words as much as they wish.

:Whosoever then comes and Teaches you all the things aforesaid, receive him. But if the Teacher himself being perverted Teaches '''another Teaching''' to the destruction of this Teaching, hear him not, but if he Teach to the increase of righteousness and the knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord.

:Now with regard to the Apostles and Prophets, according to the decree of the Good News, as the Good News commands so do.

:Let every Apostle who comes to you be received as the Lord Himself. But he shall not remain longer than one day; and, if need be, another day also; but if he remain three days he is a false prophet. And when the Apostle departs, let him take nothing except enough bread to sustain him before he reaches his night's lodging. But if he asks for money, he is a false prophet. And every Prophet who speaks in the spirit you shall not test or prove; for every sin shall be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven.

:Not every one who speaks in the spirit is a Prophet, but only if he has the '''conduct''' of the Lord. By their '''behavior''' then shall the false prophet and the true Prophet be known. And no Prophet who orders a table of food in the spirit eats from it himself, unless he is a false prophet. And every Prophet who Teaches the truth, if he does not practice what he Teaches, is a false prophet. And every approved, genuine Prophet, who calls gatherings for a worldly mystery, but does not Teach others to do what he himself does, shall not be judged by you; for he has his judgment from the hand of God; for so did the ancient Prophets also.

:But whosoever says in the spirit: Give me money or any other thing, you shall not listen to him; but if he bids you to give for others who lack, let no one judge him.

:Let every one who comes in the name of the Lord be received, and then proving him you shall thus know him; for you shall have discernment right and left. If he who comes is truly homeless, help him as much as you can; but he shall not remain with you longer than two or three days, unless there is a real need. If he wishes to settle among you, being a craftsman, let him work and eat, earning his living by work. But if he has no trade, provide according to your understanding so that no Christian shall live idly among you. And if he will not act this way he is a Christ-trafficker. Beware of such. But every true Prophet who wishes to settle among you is worthy of his food. Likewise a true Teacher is himself worthy, like the workman, of his food.

:Therefore you shall take and give all the first-fruits of the produce of the wine-press and threshing-floor, of oxen and sheep, to the Prophets; for they are your '''chief-priests'''. But if you have no Prophet, give to the poor.

:If you prepare bread, take the first fruit and give according to the commandment. Likewise when you open a jar of wine or of oil, take the first-fruit and give to the Prophets. And from silver, and raiment, and every possession, take the first-fruit, as may seem good to you, and give according to the commandment. And on the Lord's Day of the Lord come together, and break bread, and give thanks, '''having confessed your transgressions before participating, that your <big>sacrifice</big> may be pure'''.

:Let no one who has a dispute with his fellow-believer come together with you before they are reconciled, '''that your <big>sacrifice</big> may not be defiled'''. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord:
::"In every place and time offer me a '''pure sacrifice''', for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the Gentiles."

:Therefore elect for yourselves Episcopes and Deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek, and not lovers of money, and truthful, and approved; for they too minister to you the ministry of the Prophets and Teachers. Therefore do not despise them, for they are those who are the honored men among you with the Prophets and Teachers.

:And do not with wrath reprove one another, but in peace, as you have heard in the Gospel; and let no one talk with any one who transgresses against another, nor let him hear a word from you before he repents. But so perform your prayers and alms and all your actions as you have heard in the Gospel of our Lord.

:Watch over your life; let not your lamps go out and let not your belts be unloosed, but be ready; for you know not the hour in which our Lord comes. But '''be frequently gathered together''', seeking the things that are profitable for your souls; for the whole time of your faith shall not profit you unless in the [[End Times|final time]] you are found perfect.

:For in the last days the false prophets and destroyers shall multiply, and the sheep shall turn into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate. For when lawlessness increases, they shall hate and persecute, and deliver up one another; and then shall appear the [[Antichrist|world-deceiver]] as Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall commit iniquities which have never before been committed from the beginning of the world. And then shall the race of men come to the [[Tribulation|fire of trial]], and many shall be offended by their faith and shall perish; but they who endure in their faith shall be saved from under the curse itself.

:And then shall appear the signs of the truth: first the sign of opening in heaven; then the sign of the voice of the trumpet; and the third, the resurrection of the dead. Not, however, of all, but as was said, "The Lord shall come, and all the saints with him."

:Then shall the world see the [[Parousia|Lord coming on the clouds of heaven]].

Now this is the Statement of Faith according to the [[Apostles' Creed|Old Roman Creed]] in the first century:

:'''<big><big><big>I</big></big></big>''' believe in God the Father Almighty, and in Jesus Christ His Only Son our Lord, who was born of the Holy Ghost and Virgin Mary; crucified under Pontius Pilate, and buried; the third day He rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father, from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. And in the Holy Ghost; the holy Church; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; the life everlasting.

While Peter was Teaching in Rome during the reign of [[Nero]] he was taken and imprisoned. And he knew that the putting off of his body would be soon, as our Lord Jesus showed him. And he wrote this [[Encyclical|Encyclical letter]]:

:'''<big><big><big>S</big></big></big>imon Peter''', a servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ, '''to those who have obtained a like precious faith with Us''' in the righteousness of our '''God and Savior, Jesus Christ''': Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue; by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become '''partakers of the divine nature''', having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, to your faith supply [[Morality|moral excellence]]; and to moral excellence, knowledge; and to knowledge, '''self-control'''; and to '''self-control''' patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly affection; and to '''brotherly affection''', love. For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten '''the cleansing from his old sins'''.

:Therefore, '''brothers''', '''be more diligent to make your calling and election sure'''. For <big>'''if'''</big> you do these things, you will never stumble. For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

:Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present Truth. I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you; knowing that the putting off of my tent comes swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. Yes, '''I will make every effort even after my departure that you may always be able to remember these things'''. For '''we did not follow cunningly devised fables''', when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were '''eyewitnesses''' of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” '''We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.'''

:We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, before the day dawns, and the morning star arises in your hearts: knowing this first, that '''no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation'''. For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

:But false prophets also arose among the people, as false Teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction. '''Many will follow their [[Antinomianism|immoral ways]]''', and as a result, the Way of the Truth will be maligned. In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old does not linger, and their destruction will not slumber. For if God did not spare [[angel]]s when they sinned, but cast them down to [[Tartarus]], and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a [[Great Flood|flood]] on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an '''example to those who would live ungodly'''; and delivered righteous [[Lot]], who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked (for that righteous man dwelling among them, was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds): then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment; but chiefly '''those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement''', and '''despise <big>authority</big>. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries'''; whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not bring a railing judgment against them before the Lord. But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed, receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and defects, reveling in their deceit while '''they feast with you'''; having eyes full of [[adultery]], and who cannot cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing; '''forsaking the right way''', they went astray, having followed the way of [[Balaam]] the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing; but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. For, '''uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by [[licentiousness]]''', those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error; '''promising them [[Antinomianism|liberty]], while they themselves are bondservants of corruption'''; for a man is brought into bondage by whatever overcomes him.

:'''For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.''' For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after '''knowing it''', to '''turn back''' from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb,
::“'''The dog turns to his own vomit again''',”
:and
::“'''the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire'''.”
:This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you; that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of us, the Apostles of the Lord and Savior: knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts, and saying, “''[[Preterism|Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.]]''” For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water, by the word of God; by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the [[Last Judgment|Day of Judgment]] and destruction of ungodly men. But do not forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, '''not wishing that <big>''any''</big> should perish''', but that '''<big>''all''</big> should come to repentance'''. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in '''holy living and godliness''', looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the Day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

:Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, '''be diligent''' to be found in peace, '''without defect and blameless''' in his sight. Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as '''Our beloved brother Paul''' also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are '''some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled [[Cafeteria Christian#Proof text|twist]], as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction'''. You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you '''[[Apostasy|fall]]''' from your own steadfastness. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

[[Eusebius]] long afterward wrote that '''Peter''' appears to have preached in Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia to the Jews of the dispersion. And at last, having come to Rome, and finally being imprisoned, '''he was crucified head-downward; for he had requested that he might suffer in this way'''.

Peter's hearers pleaded with '''[[Mark]]''' to leave a written summary of the Teaching of Peter, since he was a follower of Peter. The Apostle was pleased with their enthusiasm to have a written account of the Good News. [[Eusebius]] the Christian historian states that this same Mark is mentioned in Peter's first letter, and that it was composed in Rome, witnesses testifying that he indicated this city figuratively with the words,
:"Your sister church in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings; and so does my son Mark."

[[Papias]] relates the tradition from John that Mark, becoming and being the interpreter of Peter, wrote down and recorded with great accuracy, but not, though, in order, whatever he remembered of the things spoken or done by our Lord. For he neither heard nor followed our Lord, but afterward, he followed in company with Peter; who gave him such instruction as necessary, but not in order to give a sequenced history of our Lord's utterances; who adapted his Teaching to the needs of his hearers, but with no intention of giving a connected account of the Lord’s discourses; and for this reason Mark has not erred in any detail, and committed no error while thus writing some things as he has remembered and recorded them. For he was carefully attentive to one thing, not to omit or pass by any thing which he had heard, and not to state any of them falsely in these accounts.

Now '''[[Matthew the Apostle|Matthew]]''' had already produced his Gospel written among the Hebrews in their own dialect. So then Matthew composed his history giving the [[oracle]]s of the Lord Jesus in the Hebrew language, and every one translated and interpreted them as he was able, while Peter and Paul proclaimed the Good News and founded the Assembly at Rome. '''After''' the departure of these, [[Mark]], the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also passed on to us in writing what had been preached by Peter, his account of "the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God", and he approved the reading of the book in the assemblies.

'''[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1-10&version=RSVCE The Gospel According to Mark chapters 1 through 10]''' '''[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+11-16&version=RSVCE The Gospel According to Mark chapters 11 through 16]'''

Peter's hearers had pleaded with '''[[Mark]]''' to leave a written summary of the Teaching of Peter, since he was a follower of Peter. The Apostle was pleased with their enthusiasm to have a written account of the Good News and he approved the reading of the book in the assemblies.

And '''[[Luke]]''', the companion of Paul, committed to writing the Gospel preached by Paul; and he added a second treatise on the spreading of the Gospel of Christ through the [[Acts of the Apostles]] by the descent in power of the Holy Spirit and his testimony to the truth in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. Both of these volumes by the evangelist Luke may be read together with profit as a single account of the history of the beginning of the perpetual establishment of the Holy Assembly of God's Church on earth, his Dwelling among men.

'''[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1-9&version=RSVCE The Gospel According to Luke chapters 1 through 9] [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10-21&version=RSVCE The Gospel According to Luke chapters 10 through 21] [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22-24&version=RSVCE The Gospel According to Luke chapters 22 through 24] [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+1-13&version=RSVCE The Acts of the Apostles chapters 1 through 13] [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+14-26&version=RSVCE The Acts of the Apostles chapters 14 through 26] [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+27-28&version=RSVCE The Acts of the Apostles chapters 27 through 28]'''

After the death of Saint Peter, [[Andrew the Apostle|the Apostle Andrew]], his brother, the first episcopos of [[Constantinople|Byzantium]], was chosen to go to the city of Lydd and to Kurdistan. He entered the city of Lydd, where most of its people had believed at the hands of St. Peter. He was accompanied by his disciple, [[Philemon]]. He preached to them and they believed in the Lord Christ. Then he baptized them with the rest of those who had worshipped idols. Andrew then left them and went to [[Kurdistan]] and to the cities of Aksis, Aregnas and Henefores, to preach there. He also went with [[Bartholomew the Apostle]] to the city of Azrinos. The report of him was heard throughout all these countries and many believed in the Lord. Nevertheless the priests of the idols did not cease looking for him in order to kill him. Afterward, they gathered and went to him and seized him; they bound him and beat him severely. After they dragged him around the city naked, they cast him into prison, so that they might crucify him the following day. Their custom was to stone those who were to be killed by crucifixion. The Apostle spent his night praying to God. The Lord Christ appeared to him and strengthened him saying, "Do not fear or worry for the time of your departure from this world is near." He gave him peace and disappeared. St. Andrew rejoiced at what he saw. On the next day, they hanged him upon a tree and stoned him unceasingly. When he had departed to the holy place certain believers came and took his holy body and laid it with great honor in a private grave. The Apostle Andrew is traditionally thought to have been martyred by crucifixion in Achaia at Patras about A.D. 62.

Nero was now in the eighth year of his reign in Rome, A.D. '''62''', when [[Mark|Saint Mark]] the [[Evangelist]] was dragged in the streets of Alexandria, and then beheaded, and '''Annianus''' in Egypt succeeded the [[Twelve Apostles|Apostle]] and evangelist Mark as [[Bishop|Episcopos]] in the administration of the Assembly at [[Alexandria]]. He was a man distinguished for his [[Virtue|piety]], and admirable in every respect.

When Festus died in A.D. 62, Nero Caesar sent Albinus to Judea as procurator. But before he arrived, King Agrippa quickly appointed Ananus, a man inclined to rashness, to the high priesthood. He was a son of the elder Ananus called Annas, the same Annas before whom Christ Jesus was brought after he was taken in the Garden of Gethsemane. This elder Annas, after having been high priest, had five sons, all of whom achieved that office, which was unparalleled. This younger Ananus with characteristic rashness followed the [[Sadducees]], who were heartless when they sit in judgment. With Festus dead and Albinus still on the way Ananus thought he had his opportunity. He convened the judges of the [[Sanhedrin]] and brought before them [[Epistle of James|James]], the '''brother''' of Jesus the Christ, the Anointed One, and certain other men, whom he accused of transgressing the law, and condemned them to be stoned to death. The Pharisees, upset at St. James' teachings, first threw him from the summit of the Temple in Jerusalem, then stoned him, and at last broke his skull with a fuller's club.

The people of Jerusalem who were considered most fair-minded and strict in observing the law were offended. They privately urged King Agrippa to order Ananus to desist from any further such actions. Some of them even went to meet Albinus on his way from Alexandria, and informed him that without his permission Ananus had no authority to convene the Sanhedrin. Albinus angrily wrote to Ananus, threatening vengeance for this.

King Agrippa then deposed Ananus from the high priesthood, which he had held for three months, and replaced him with Jesus, son of Damnaeus, and after him Jesus son of Gamaliel. As a result these two high priests feuded, and typical of the lawless confusion in the city their supporters threw stones at each other. Nero then sent Gessius Florus the destroyer as successor to Albinus.

When Albinus heard that Florus was coming to replace him, he cleared the prisons by executing those who deserved death, and after accepting a bribe, he released those who were guilty of lesser offenses. He thus infested the land with brigands. He also stole private property, burdened the nation with excessive taxes, and committed every sort of villainy.

Now while Jerusalem herself was particularly prosperous and peaceful, in A.D. 62, four years before the war and eight years before the [[Temple of Jerusalem|Temple]] was destroyed, a common countryman, Jesus, son of Ananias, a plebeian and an husbandman, a common rustic, came to the [[Sukkot|Feast of Booths called Tabernacles, which is ''Sukkoth'']], at which it was customary for all to make tents at the Temple to the honor of God. He suddenly began shouting out: "A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the Temple, a voice against bridegrooms and brides, a voice against all the people."

He went through all the alleys day and night shouting this.

Some of the more distinguished citizens, irritated by the ominous cry, seized and beat him with many strokes. But without saying a word to defend himself, or particularly addressing anyone present, he continued to cry out the same message.

The rulers, believing the man was moved by a higher power, which was true, brought him before the Roman governor Albinus. And though he was scourged to the bone, he did not plead or shed tears, but, changing his voice to the most lamentable tone possible, he repeated with each stroke the words, "Woe, woe unto Jerusalem."

The procurator finally dismissed him as a madman; and every day he uttered these lamentable words. He spoke neither ill to those who beat him every day, nor good to those who gave him food; but as if this was his premeditated vow, he gave the same answer to all, "Woe, woe to Jerusalem!"

For seven years he continued his melancholy cry in the city, "Woe, woe to Jerusalem!"; and his cry was loudest at the festivals.

At the same time, in A.D. '''63''', the Temple was finally completed, leaving eighteen thousand workers unemployed, although they did pave Jerusalem with white stone. Many who could not hire themselves out as field workers were reduced to [[poverty]]. Many in their desperation joined with the brigands and robbers.

|

'''Didachē''' '''Old Roman Creed''' '''Ecclesiastical History''' II, chapters 13-15 1 Peter 5:13 2 Peter 1:14 ''adapted'' '''2 Peter''' —LXX Wisdom 10:6 '''Ecclesiatical History''' III, chapter 1: 2a ''adapted''

''Compare'' [http://ebible.org/web/ World English Bible text] [http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/new-testament/ Greek original text] [http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=0&b=1 Latin Vulgate text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrs/ NRSV text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/scofield-reference-notes/ Scofield Reference Bible (1917 Edition)] [[Conservative Bible]] text [http://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/1-1.htm ''multiple versions of any verse''] [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/1-1.htm ''multiple commentaries any passage''] 
[http://biblehub.com/interlinear/ ''interlinear Bible: Hebrew, Greek, English''] [http://bibleatlas.org/ Bible maps (''click initial letter of place name'')] [https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/ '''Bible Encyclopedias''': Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature (studylight.org)] [http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia '''Catholic Encyclopedia''' Catholic Online (catholic.org)] '''[http://calcuworld.com/calendar-calculators/hebrew-calendar-converter/ Hebrew Calendar Converter]''' ''See exact equivalents of Gregorian Calendar dates.'' 
:—in Gregorian Calendar click the cursor in the day, month, or year fields, to highlight selection, then use [Backspace ←] and [←] [→] right and left arrow keys in the day and year fields, and [Backspace ←] and [ ↑ ] [ ↓ ] up and down arrow keys in the month field, then click on [Calculate].

[http://www.kalvesmaki.com/LXX/NTChart.htm Table of Old Testament quotes in the New Testament, in English translation, Joel Kalvesmaki 2013 (kalvesmaki.com)]

[http://www.bible.ca/manuscripts/List-of-300-Old-Testament-passage-quotes-in-New-Testament-Septuagint-Codex-Vaticanus-LXX-Masoretic-MT-Jewish-Tanakh-Bible.htm List of 300 Septuagint Old Testament quotations in the New Testament, by Steve Rudd 2017 (bible.ca)]

[[Septuagint#Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament|Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament]]

[http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2501.htm '''Church History (Eusebius)''': The Ecclesiastical History Of Eusebius Pamphilus: Bishop Of Caesarea, In Palestine (newadvent.org)]

[http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ '''The Works of Flavius Josephus''' William Whiston, Translator, 1737 (sacred-texts.com)]

[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6400/6400-h/6400-h.htm '''Suetonius: Twelve Caesars''': The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by C. Suetonius Tranquilus; To which are added His Lives of the Grammarians, Rhetoricians, and Poets. The Translation of Alexander Thomson, M.D., Revised and corrected by T. Forester, Esq., A.M. (Gutenberg.org)]

[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.html '''Tacitus: The Annals''', Written 109 A.C.E. Translated by Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb]

[http://www.roman-emperors.org/epitome.htm '''Sextus Aurelius Victor: Epitome De Caesaribus''' (roman-emperors.org)]

[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/eutropius_breviarium_2_text.htm '''Eutropius: Breviarium''' - Eutropius's Abridgement of Roman History (tertullian.org)]

[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html '''Cassius Dio: Roman History''' Epitome (penelope.uchicago.edu)]

[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/index.html '''Early Christian Writings''' A.D. 30 through 380 (earlychristianwritings.com)] See '''[[Biblical Canon]]''' and '''[[Apocrypha]]'''.

[https://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/ntesources/ntarticles/ctr-nt/mcray-archaeologyacts-ctr.pdf '''Archaeology and the Book of Acts''' John McRay, Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, IL 60187] pdf

'''DIDACHE''' (''Doctrine'') "The Lord's Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations." 
:Also called "The Teaching of the Twelve". See the following articles:
:*[http://www.ncbible.info/MoodRes/History/EusebiusChurchHistory.pdf Eusebius III, chapter 25.] (''scroll down to Book 3, click chapter 25''.)
:*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04779a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia article "The Didache" (newadvent.org)]
:*[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/didache.html Early Christian Writings article "Didache" (earlychristianwritings.com)]
:Compare the following translations:
:*[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-roberts.html Roberts-Donaldson]
:*[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-lightfoot.html J. B. Lightfoot]
:*[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-hoole.html Charles H. Hoole]
:*[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-lake.html Kirsopp-Lake]
:*[http://www.catholicplanet.com/ebooks/didache.htm Public domain]


"'''pour water three times on the head in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'''" 
:Didache 7:3
:This is early documented evidence of the practice of [[Baptism|baptizing]] by ''affusion'', that is, by pouring the water on the head of the person being baptized.

:Christians, in particular [[Baptist]]s and [[Fundamentalism|Fundamentalists]], who practice only ''baptism by immersion'' point to this as documentary evidence of the corruption of the doctrine of Christianity as early as around A.D. 100. They firmly emphasize the word ''baptizō'' means "immerse", "whelm", "cover" (Strong's number ''907''), and that nowhere in the divinely inspired books of the New Testament is the practice of pouring water over the head for baptism either performed or commanded—not by Christ, not by any Apostle, nor any Episcopos, Presbyter, Deacon, Elder, Teacher, Messenger, nor is it even found being done by an ordinary Christian because of necessity. See [[Sola scriptura]]. Orthodoxy and Catholicism affirm that the practice of both immersion and affusion has been handed down (Latin ''tradere'') according to the tradition received from the apostles, who received it by word of mouth from Jesus Christ Himself ([http://biblehub.com/multi/acts/1-3.htm Acts 1:3]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_thessalonians/2-15.htm 2 Thessalonians 2:15]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/18-18.htm Matthew 18:18]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/28-20.htm 28:19-20]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_john/1-12.htm 2 John 12]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/3_john/1-13.htm 3 John 13-14]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/john/20-30.htm John 20:30]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/john/21-25.htm 21:25]). They point to the written documentary evidence of the constant teaching of the disciples of the apostles and successors of the apostles all through the first centuries of Christianity, in support of the validity of the forms of immersion, infusion, affusion, even aspersion (sprinkling), as being according to sacred apostolic tradition; they point to the pictures and images of baptism by affusion on the walls of the [[catacomb]]s predating the reign of [[Constantine]]; they point to the constant practice of the Christian Church in the east and west going back to ancient times. See [[Apostolic succession]]. [[Evangelical Christianity]] rejects this argument as opposed to the Bible's teaching, and as evidence of [[apostasy]] from Christ.

:Some denominations of Christianity, such as [[Disciples of Christ]] and several [[Lutheran Church]]es, also some independent Nondenominational groups and churches, follow the principle (''praxis'') that whatever is not explicitly prohibited by the Bible is permitted. The Bible does not forbid Baptism by infusion, affusion or aspersion.


"'''I believe in God...'''" 
:Old Roman Creed.
:This was originally only taught orally as a secret doctrine revealed only to the baptized. Only near the end of the first century and the beginning of the second century was it written. See the following articles:
:*[http://www.windmillministries.org/frames/ApDA.htm Wind Mill Ministries: '''Appendix D: Early Christian Creeds''' (windmillministries.org)] ''article includes discussion of the Old Roman Creed''.
:*[https://www.gci.org/history/apostles Grace Communion International: '''The Apostles' Creed''' (gci.org)] ''article discusses earlier forms of the statement of faith going back to the first century''.
:*[http://www.ericbarger.com/apostlescreed.history.htm Eric Barger's Take a Stand Ministries: '''Some History on the Apostles Creed'''. Could it be "Catholic"??? (ericbarger.com)] ''author states that the use of the Apostles' Creed is very ancient, is not Roman Catholic and pre-dates the rise of Romanism in the '''4th''' century''.


"'''give all the first-fruits of the produce of the wine-press and threshing-floor, of oxen and sheep, to the Prophets; for they are your chief-priests.'''" 
:Didache 13:3
:See [http://biblehub.com/galatians/6-6.htm '''Galatians 6:6''']. The Prophets here are the Christian leaders and teachers of the people, evangelists and missionaries, who preach the word of God.

:The primary reference here is to the collection-offering for the ministry, which today is normally in the form of money taken up during the Christian worship service, which primarily provides the income for the salaries of the Ministers of the church, and for the expenses of the ministry of the Gospel to the congregation and purchase of necessary goods and services for the poor. See [[Tithe]].

:The commandment in the Didache 13:3-6 almost exactly parallels the commandment written in the [[Book of Sirach]] 7:31, "''Fear the Lord and honor the priest, and give him his portion, as is commanded you: the first fruits, the guilt offering, the gift of the shoulders, the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first fruits of the holy things.''" In the [[Vulgate]] the Book of Sirach was given the Latin title ''Ecclesiasticus'', "Church Book", because it was used in the early centuries of the church as a primary [[Catechesis|catechetical]] resource for teaching practical Christian moral virtue to children and catechumens (converts, proselytes). Compare [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+5%3A17-18&version=NRSVCE 1 Timothy 5:17-18]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+14%3A18-20&version=NRSVCE Genesis 14:18-20]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/exodus/23-19.htm Exodus 23:19]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/exodus/34-23.htm 34:23], [http://biblehub.com/multi/exodus/34-26.htm 26]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/leviticus/2-12.htm Leviticus 2:12], [http://biblehub.com/multi/leviticus/2-14.htm 14]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/leviticus/23-10.htm 23:10]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/numbers/18-12.htm Numbers 18:12]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/deuteronomy/4-5.htm Deuteronomy 18:4-5].


[http://www.thebiblejourney.org/biblejourney1/7-journeys-of-jesuss-followers/peters-journeys/ '''Peter's Journeys''' (with map)]

[http://www.hope-of-israel.org/petdeath.htm '''''When'' Did the Apostle Peter Meet His Death?''' John D. Keyser (hope-of-Israel.org)]. 
:John D. Keyser examines all the material (both traditional and historical) and covers the events surrounding the final days of Simon Peter. He also rejects the interpretation that "Babylon" is a [[metaphor]]ical reference to Rome in [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_peter/5-13.htm 1 Peter 5:13].


[http://www.cogwriter.com/peter.htm '''Peter and Rome''' by COGwriter] (Church of God COG)
:This writer contradicts most of the evidence and conclusions collected, presented and discussed by John D. Keyser in the article above.


[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11744a.htm '''Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles''' (newadvent.org)]
:This is a biographical article drawn from scripture and from early written historical commentaries.


"'''partakers of the divine nature'''" 
:2 Peter 1:4.
:This is read by many as referring to '''both''' the partaking of the [[Real presence]] of Jesus in the [[Eucharist]] '''and''' their participation in the indwelling life of the Holy Spirit of God, making them, both males and females, his adopted sons through the blood of Jesus Christ, and coheirs with him to eternal life. [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+6%3A52-58&version=RSVCE John 6:52-58]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A16-17&version=RSVCE Romans 8:16-17]. Others read it as directly referring solely to the dynamic effect of the blessing of the true redeeming life in Christ, and not as a specifically inclusive reference to the [[Eucharist]] too.


"'''I will make every effort ''even after my departure'' that you may always be able to remember these things'''" 
:2 Peter 1:15.
:This verse is read by some as scriptural evidence of the apostolic doctrine of the [[intercession of the saints]] after they have ''departed in sleep'' to be with the Lord.

:Roman Catholic commentators, [[Cornelius a Lapide]] and others, have connected the words “''after my decease''” with the verb “''I will endeavor'',” and have thus construed the [[Exegesis|exegetical]] meaning of the Apostle’s words into an interpretation that makes them an argument for his continued watchfulness and superintendence over the development of the Church’s doctrine even after his death.

:Others exegetically read it instead as Peter's promise while he is alive to "''make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure''" (that is, so that they will not forget what he taught them concerning all things pertaining to life and godliness, 2 Peter 1:3-11.) It is thus read as an insistent parallel restatement of the immediately preceding verse, "''I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to arouse you by way of reminder.''"

:One reading sees Peter determined to do this both before and after he dies, the other reading sees Peter, while he is alive, determined to make them remember even after he dies, "''as long as I am in this body''".

:The particular interpretive reading of the Greek text by the individual exegete determines (in this case, for the English translator) where to position the phrase "''after my departure''" in the translated text. This is expressed in the observation of [[Hermeneutics|hermeneutical studies]] that "the Bible is always read through the doctrinal lenses of the interpreter's personal theology, opening the eyes of some and closing others to what is actually there." Compare the following renderings of 2 Peter 1:15 in English:

::"'''I will make every effort ''even after my departure'' that you may always be able to remember these things.'''"
::"'''I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things ''even after my departure.'''''"

:See the [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/1-15.htm Interlinear Bible link]. Compare multiple versions of [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_peter/1-15.htm 2 Peter 1:15] and multiple [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/2_peter/1-15.htm commentaries]. The Greek grammar favors the first reading, which supports the interpretation that Peter's stated intention is to assist them from heaven even after he dies. This is also the Orthodox and Catholic doctrine. The words ΔῈ ΚΑΊ following on ΣΠΟΥΔΆΣΩ seem to imply that the author would do something else besides the ὙΠΟΜΙΜΝΉΣΚΕΙΝ, whereby his readers after his death would be put in a position to remember what he now writes to them and all he taught. (Compare Jesus' words in [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A25-26&version=RSVCE John 14:25-26].) Other interpreters see some ambiguous evidence of possible grammatical latitude in the Greek structure of the sentence which allows the second reading. Such a reading by not referring to what Peter will do "''after my departure''" supports the Protestant doctrine that denies the traditional Catholic and Orthodox teaching about the intercession of the saints. The doctrine of the active intercessory ministry of the saints in heaven is dismissed by [[Evangelical Christianity|Evangelical]] theology as being a corrupt compromise with [[Superstition|superstitious]] [[Paganism|pagan]] [[polytheism]], and a [[blasphemy|blasphemous denial]] of the [[mediation]] of the One Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_timothy/2-5.htm 1 Timothy 2:5].

:Controversy over teachings about the prayers of the saints on behalf of the living is primarily rooted in confusing the meanings of "'''[[intercession]]'''" and "'''mediation'''". They are not the same thing.

:To [[intercede]] is to speak on behalf of another, an individual or a [[Collective bargaining|collective]], to defend their cause, and to seek for favor or forgiveness from an estranged or hostile party (see [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+14&version=RSVCE 2 Samuel 14]). In some situations, the intercessor seeks the decision of a judge to render a favorable decision or verdict.

:To mediate is to bring together two parties at odds and estranged from one another by favorably representing the interests of both to each other by intercession, and then actively assisting them to completely remove actual barriers to their unity, by providing when necessary all the means of substantial reparation for all damage done by one party to the other or done mutually by each to the other. The mediator seeks to avoid having any recourse to a judge, and in principle will not himself or herself make a judgment either for or against either party involved in the dispute. In very extreme cases, the mediator, to avoid having the matter brought before a judge and to bring about actual peace, has personally arranged to make the absolutely necessary reparation required to remove the offense, and at great personal cost, solely to bring both parties together totally reconciled. Once this necessary reparation has been made, both of them afterward are able (if they will) to acknowledge that the very cause of what divided them has been completely removed. It no longer exists, and because it is gone there is no longer any substantial reason for their avoidance of each other and for acts of war, the one against the other, and the shutting out of the offending party. The compassionate act of the mediator has made this agreeable union possible. (U.S. law prohibits an authorized mediator acting directly to personally remove the cause of the dispute in order to resolve the conflict. See [[Conflict of interest]].)

:An ''intercessor'' pleads the case, seeking a favorable judgment or at best a total dismissal of the charge brought against the [[Defendant|accused]] by the [[plaintiff]].

:A ''mediator'' arranges for a full reconciliation through resolution of the conflict by proposing a just reparation or settlement agreeable to both parties, without pronouncing judgment in the matter, and without recourse to a judge. The case has been "settled out of court". See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A25-26&version=RSVCE Matthew 5:25-26]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12%3A57-59&version=RSVCE Luke 12:57-59].

:In addition to differences in variant Christian understandings and misunderstandings of intercession and mediation, there is also a difference in variant Christian understandings of the meaning of the word "prayer", which anciently meant simply "petition".
::Most basically and fundamentally, to "[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pray "'''pray'''"]" (verb) is "to [http://www.thefreedictionary.com/petition "'''petition'''"]" (''TheFreeDictionary.com'') Compare Conservapedia article '''[[Prayer]]'''.
:Petitions to the governing authorities of a nation or people were usually introduced with the phrase, "''we pray you to'' [ do this or that ] ". [[Attorney]]s for the prosecution and the defense even today frequently address the court (the bar), in words spoken or written, with the word "pray": for example, "''Your Honor, the defense prays the court to ...''". Formal petitions by governors to the king or queen anciently addressed that sovereign lord or lady first with a preamble acknowledgement of their authority, followed by the words: "''The people pray Your Majesty'' [ to do this or that ''or'' to cause to cease this or that ] ''for the benefit of the realm''".

:In ordinary society individuals often begged other individuals for a favor or benefit by praying them to consider some factor in their favor or some distress that needs to be addressed; for example a mother praying her husband, the father of their daughter or son, to forgive what the son or daughter has done. Those who were not members of the court of the emperor or sovereign, nor members of the legislative body of the nation, but who wished to appeal for some relief or benefit for themselves or on behalf of another, normally petitioned a member of the court in favor with the ruler or governing council to favorably represent them and to personally present the petition or prayer on their behalf for due consideration, and request the sovereign or ruling body to render a favorable decision. This is the proper form. (See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther+4%3A6-8&version=RSVCE Esther 4:6-8]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+2%3A24-25&version=RSVCE Daniel 2:24-25]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/Romans/13-7.htm Romans 13:7]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A17&version=RSVCE Hebrews 13:17]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+5%3A16-18&version=RSVCE James 5:16]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+2%3A13-17&version=RSVCE 1 Peter 2:13-17]; [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/jude/1-8.htm Jude 8].) An individual with no official standing in the administration of the nation who entered and approached to represent himself or herself as having a legitimate petition would be held in contempt as [[Presumption|presumptuous and bold]], as having no respect for the authority of the court by going over their heads. In the military they would be guilty of circumventing the "appropriate chain of command". In none of these instances is divine worship meant by a prayer of petition to authority.

:When the word prayer is narrowly defined and understood to mean '''''only''''' speaking to God, then its fuller meaning has been stripped away and its language has been abused and violated. Most often this occurs unconsciously, because of how the word is normally used in [[American]] culture. Many are surprised to discover its broader legitimate meaning as found in authoritative dictionaries of the English language.

:The Protestant Reformers in their struggle against the Catholic Church sought to promote pure piety and worship of God by eliminating the practice of prayers for the intercession of the saints in God's court of heaven by strictly redefining prayer as meaning only petition to God. From this came the understanding that prayers to the saints to pray for us to God is a form of [[polytheism]] and pagan [[idol]]atry, with the worship of saints taking the place of the worship of God ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+2%3A18-19&version=RSVCE Colossians 2;18-19]). They represented the [[intercession of the saints]] as the placing of a barrier between the Christian and the Savior, and as a disguised form of the pagan doctrine of the lesser and greater ascending levels of gods and goddesses who alone had right of access to the throne of God the Unknown. The Reformers sought to emphasize the sovereign dignity of each individual Christian as having a right to bypass the saints with direct access to the Majesty on High through Jesus Christ alone, as having the right to approach "''boldly''" the throne of grace without any necessity for intercession by any other being in heaven or on earth to support their prayers. ([http://biblehub.com/multi/hebrews/10-19.htm Hebrews 10:19]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/ephesians/3-12.htm Ephesians 3:12]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_john/4-17.htm 1 John 4:17]).

:In the civil sphere of human activity the Reformers also objected to the distance that [[Monarchy|autocratic]] rulers maintained between themselves and their subjects by the bureaucratic structure of levels of administrators and ministers, governors and officials, officers and clerks, who were often perceived as interfering and obstructing the petitions of the people and as refusing to reasonably submit them to the ruler.

:However, many regarded the Protestant interpretation of scripture in support of the dignity of individual human autonomy under Christ before God's Throne as an expression of [[Anarchism|philosophical anarchy]], and as subversively dangerous to the stability of Christian society; and also as being at its core strongly opposed to the virtue of [[humility]] (Romans 13:1-7). See [[Individualism]]. The Reformers were regarded as confusing "''arrogance''" and "''insulting effrontery''" with godly "''confidence''"; and as confusing defiantly arrogant behavior on behalf of the Gospel as confident assurance in the face of ungodly opposition ([http://biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/3-13.htm Acts 4:13]). The Catholic [http://reign.wikia.com/wiki/Charles_V,_Holy_Roman_Emperor Holy Roman Emperor Charles V] saw the Reformation movement as subversive to his reign, disruptive of moral, social and civil order, and an attack on Christianity through rejection of the established authority of the Catholic Church, and on this basis persecuted Protestants as fomenters of [[Revolution|insurrection]] and as anarchists.

:Anarchy as a political philosophy is based on the individualist position that '''''no''''' human authority over individuals is '''''ever''''' legitimate and must be either passively disregarded (ignored, the KJV "''despised''") or actively resisted and overthrown: thus no visible ruling authority or government on earth has been authorized or established by God. The Reformers saw proof of this in the suppression of the Reformation by Sovereigns, Popes and Patriarchs, who saw the leaders of the Reformation as rebelliously resisting what God has appointed (Romans 13:1-4). The Reformation saw the established authorities of Church and State in their day as entrenched and stubborn ungodly evils to be rejected and finally eliminated before the Kingdom of God could be established on earth. They represented the corruption and abuse of authority by particular self-serving leaders in the Church in violation of the [[doctrine]] of the Church as evident proof that the whole of the doctrine of the Church itself was corrupted by the Devil. By the same reasoning the treachery and person of Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, is totally representative of the spiritual and moral content of Christ's teaching, because he was an Apostle! see [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/john/12-6.htm John 12:6]. The Reformers condemned those who said the emperor, the pope and the Church should be obeyed in accordance with what Paul had written in Romans 13:1-4. However, the Prophet [[Jeremiah]] was condemned by Judean false prophets and influential politicians as a traitor for declaring God's command to submit to the ungodly pagan rule of [[Nebuchadnezzar]] of [[Babylonian Empire|Babylon]] ([http://biblehub.com/commentaries/jeremiah/11-21.htm Jeremiah 11:21][http://biblehub.com/commentaries/jeremiah/29-27.htm Jeremiah 29:27] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/jeremiah/38-4.htm Jeremiah 38:4]).

:During the original [[Communist Revolution]] in the early 20th century, revolutionary elements were called [[Anarchist]]s. The anarchist position is represented today in the United States by the [[Libertarian|Libertarian Party]] whose members use much milder methods of political persuasion, and in every election for president the Libertarian Party presents a Libertarian candidate.

:Jesus told his followers to obey those corrupt leaders of the Jewish faith who represented Moses, but not to do what they do. ([http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/23-2.htm Matthew 23:2-3]). As applied in principle to the leadership of the Catholic Church in the sixteenth century, the Protestant Reformers in '''[[conscience]]''' and in full accordance with their interpretation of the Bible found this obedience impossible, because of what they saw as irreparable evils and pagan influences entrenched within the doctrines of Catholicism. The command of Paul in [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+13%3A1-4&version=RSVCE Romans 13:1-4] and of Peter in [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+2%3A13-17&version=RSVCE 1 Peter 2:13-17] and of [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A17&version=RSVCE Hebrews 13:17] when applied with regard to the established authority of the Holy Roman Emperor, of the Pope and of the Catholic Sovereigns of Europe, was for the Reformers equally abhorrent and impossible in conscience for them to obey, '''''even if it was in the Bible'''''. They had reached the conclusion that the Holy Spirit was '''''not''''' guiding the Catholic Church into all truth, but had departed from her, and that Jesus Himself had '''''not''''' remained with her, but that '''[[Satan]]''' was ruling the Church instead. This is also the fundamental claim of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]]. On this basis many Orthodox and Catholic Christians depart and join Protestant churches and the Latter-Day Saints.

:Catholic and Orthodox [[Apologetics|apologists]] respond that this implies that Jesus broke his promises in [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A15-17&version=RSVCE John 14:15-17], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A25-26&version=RSVCE 25-26]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A26&version=RSVCE 15:26]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+16%3A12-13&version=RSVCE 16:12-13]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A9-11&version=RSVCE 17:9-11]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+16%3A18-19&version=RSVCE Matthew 16:18-19]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A19-20&version=RSVCE 28:19-20]; and they point to Jesus' word about the church in [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18%3A17-20&version=RSVCE Matthew 18:17-20] as being always true and reliable, and to the fact that Paul testified to Timothy that the Church is the "''pillar and ground of truth''" and to the Ephesians that the wisdom of God is revealed even to the powers in heaven through the Church ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+3%3A15&version=RSVCE 1 Timothy 3:15] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3%3A10&version=RSVCE Ephesians 3:10]). On this basis many Protestant Christians depart from their churches and become Catholic and Orthodox.

:As applied to both sides of the controversy see the counsel of [[Gamaliel]] in '''[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+5%3A38-39&version=RSVCE Acts 5:38-39]''' and the word of the angel in '''[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+22%3A10-11&version=RSVCE Revelation 22:10-11]'''. See especially '''[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+2%3A23-26&version=RSVCE 2 Timothy 2:23-26]'''. These verses express the guiding principle of [[Ecumenical Movement|Ecumenism]].

:Generally, abuse of language by changing or narrowing the meanings of key words in the culture of a whole people or within a particular subculture of the population is a strategy of cults and anti-Christian interests as a way to promote their ideas. [[George Orwell]] illustrated this in his novel '''''[[1984]]'''''. This has more recently been seen in attempts to redefine the meanings of [[marriage]] and [[Sex#Norms of social conduct|gender]], and the promotion of murder as compassionate medical care and as preventive medicine. See [[Eugenics]] and [[Planned Parenthood]].

:The Protestant Evangelical and Fundamentalist churches have redefined the word "prayer" to mean '''''only''''' petition to God so that any kind of prayer addressed to any other person on earth or in heaven is a sin of pagan idolatry. But [[paradox]]ically they do not hesitate to ask (request, petition) the police and fire rescue teams for help. They do not hesitate to ask (request, petition) their pastors and prayer groups and friends for help to join them in prayer and to pray for them and intercede with them to God on behalf of those who have need of prayer. Orthodox and Catholic Christians claim that this is all that they mean by asking for the intercession of the saints in heaven for their help on behalf of themselves and others, because they are alive ([http://biblehub.com/commentaries/mark/12-27.htm Mark 12:27]) and their power and authority comes from God alone who has appointed them as protectors and helpers of souls for their salvation and for his glory alone (compare [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Maccabees+15%3A7-16&version=RSVCE 2 Maccabees 15:7-16] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12%3A22-24&version=RSVCE Hebrews 12:22-24]). They claim that in honoring the saints alive in heaven they are honoring God, "''but it is the same God which worketh all in all''" [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12%3A6&version=RSVCE 1 Corinthians 12:6], "''For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him''" [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/20-38.htm Luke 20:38] The Christian Fundamentalist response is that the saints are dead and can do nothing, and only God can answer prayer. Jesus said they are alive. Compare [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/17-3.htm Matthew 17:3]; [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/22-32.htm 22:32].

:See article [http://www.biblicalcatholic.com/apologetics/a96.htm '''Communion of Saints: Dead or Alive in Christ?''']

:'''It is a basic fact of human nature''' that if any practice, [[Religion|religious]] or [[secular]], pagan or Christian, Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Fundamentalist, Independent, Non-denominational, [[Humanism|Humanist]], is represented or misrepresented as an [[evil]], then those who believe what they are told about that practice, and who wish to do good, will sincerely avoid that practice as being a sin, a thing harmful to individuals and to society as a whole, and will oppose it, either publicly in speeches, sermons, and public [[media]], or privately.

:The beliefs of committees of biblical translation and of individual translators have directly affected the translation of particular passages of the scriptures into English, sometimes deliberately slanted to support their doctrinal beliefs. '''2 Peter 1:15''' here is only one example. See the following:
:*[http://bibleprobe.com/falsebibles.htm '''False versions of the Bible''' (bibleprobe.com)].
:*[http://www.bible-researcher.com/kjvdefects.html '''''The Revised New Testament and History of Revision'' (1881) "Defects of the King James Version"''' (bible-researcher.com)] [[Isaac H. Hall]].


"'''no scripture is of private interpretation'''" 
:2 Peter 1:20
:See [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_peter/1-20.htm multiple versions of 2 Peter 1:20] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_peter/1-20.htm commentaries].

:Catholic apologists cite this text together with 2 Peter 3:16 as divinely inspired scriptural opposition to the Protestant doctrine of ''[[sola scriptura]]'' in support of the Catholic tradition of interpretation by the [[Magisterium]].
:See [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_peter/3-16.htm multiple versions of 2 Peter 3:16] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/2_peter/3-16.htm commentaries].
:Compare [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/3-16.htm the interlinear text of 2 Peter 3:16].

:Linguistically, 2 Peter 1:20 does not address the matter of privately interpreting scripture (2 Peter 3:16 does), but with it Peter asserts that no scripture is '''''from''''' or '''''of''''' the original private opinion of the human author and writer of the scripture. Peter does '''''not''''' say here that "no scripture is subject to any personal, private, individual interpretation of its meaning according to the understanding of the reader." He says instead that the scriptures did not come from the writers' own personal interpretations. What they wrote is not the result of their own subjective opinions and personal convictions, like the American Revolutionary tract ''Common Sense''. The Old Testament prophets were not engaging in personal social commentary about the political and social problems of their day as they personally assessed the contemporary conditions of their day. They were not putting forth their own personal views of how people should worship God according to their own limited personal ideas of spirituality and reinventing religious faith or establishing a new denomination. The problem of ignorant distortions of the meaning of scripture leading to ruin is more directly addressed in the warnings in the third chapter of Peter's second letter to the faithful ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A13-18&version=ESV '''2 Peter 3:13-18''']).

:See article [http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/2006/02/evils-of-private-interpretation-part.html '''The Evils of Private Interpretation: "There are almost as many sects and beliefs as there are heads"'''. - Beggars All: Reformation & Apologetics (beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com)] ''Quote attributed to Martin Luther. The author says at the beginning of his article that Catholic apologists, providing no documentation for the quote, eagerly claim that Dr. Martin Luther wrote this statement as opposing the results of rash interpretations of the Bible based on the disastrous effect of using his principle of private interpretation ''[[sola spiritu]]'', and that they have deliberately misrepresented his meaning and intent.'' "Remember: simply because a Roman Catholic apologist says Luther said 'something' doesn't necessarily mean they have any idea of what Luther said." ''At the end of his article the same author provides the English translation of the full text of Luther's actual statements in context, in which the words cited as from Luther do appear as a complaint about a rash misuse of the principle of private interpretation'' "...there are almost as many sects and beliefs as there are heads.... "All these are audacious propositions, vain imaginations..." (Luth. Werke, tom. ii. p. 61, sqq.)

:See article [http://jimmyakin.com/library/sola-scriptura-and-private-judgment '''Sola Scriptura and Private Judgment''', by Jimmy Akin (jimmyakin.com)] ''Why they are not the same thing''.

:Compare [http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s1c2a2.htm#84 ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' (CCC) Part One: The Profession of Faith. Section One "I Believe"–"We Believe". Article 2 The Transmission of Divine Revelation. III The Interpretation of the Heritage of Faith, '''84–87''' (scborromeo.org)]


"'''uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error; promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption '''"
:2 Peter 2:18-19a.
:[[Martin Luther]] famously wrote: "'''Let your sins be strong...No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day.'''" (Martin Luther: ''Letter to Melanchthon'') See the following:
:*[http://www.justforcatholics.org/a161.htm Was Luther an Antinomian? (justforcatholics.org)] ''A sympathetic assessment of Luther's Letter to Melancthon by a Roman Catholic [[Apologetics|apologist]].''
:*[http://www.scrollpublishing.com/store/Luther-Sin-Boldly.html Online text of Martin Luther's Letter to Phillip Melancthon Sin Boldly (scollpublishing.com) '''Let Your Sins Be Strong: A Letter From Luther to Melanchthon Letter no. 99, 1 August 1521''', From the Wartburg (Segment) Translated by Erika Bullmann Flores from: Dr. Martin Luther's Saemmtliche Schriften Dr, Johannes Georg Walch, Ed. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, N.D.), Vol. 15,cols. 2585-2590.]

:See [[Nicolaitans#"Once saved, always saved"|Nicolaitans]] and [[Eternal security (salvation)]].


"'''and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked'''" 
:2 Peter 2:7
:An allusion to the [[Septuagint]] text, Wisdom 10:7


"'''the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire ... the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.'''" 
:2 Peter 3:7-10
:[[Preterism|Full Preterist]] doctrine teaches [[Logical fallacy#Equivocation|unequivocally]] that all of the prophesies of the New Testament were completely fulfilled in the past, in the first century of the [[BCE and CE|'''C'''hristian '''E'''ra]], including the [[Parousia|Second Coming]], the resurrection of the dead, and the [[Last Judgment]].

:The total destruction of the whole created [[universe]] of the [[heaven]]s and the [[Earth]] by fire has not occurred. Therefore ''Full Preterism'' is false.

:See [[Ultimate fate of the universe]].


"'''there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled ''[[Cafeteria Christian#Proof text|twist]]'', as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.'''" 
:2 Peter 3:16
:See [https://www.openbible.info/topics/twisting_gods_word 100 Bible Verses about Twisting God's Word (openbible.info)]


"'''Now Matthew had produced his Gospel written among the Hebrews...And Luke...the Gospel preached by Paul.'''" 
:Eusebius, ''Ecclesiastical History'', Book 5, chapter 8.
:Eusebius quotes [[Irenaeus]] as testifying to the order in which the Gospels were written: Matthew first, then Mark, then Luke, and finally John.

:This is only one of many historical sources supporting the [[Augustinian hypothesis]] of the priority of Matthew before Mark. The hypothesis of [[Bible#The Gospels|Marcan priority]] first proposed in the nineteenth century by German theologians, which claims that a later Matthew and Luke drew on Mark as the previously written original source for their accounts of the ministry of Christ, became popular among the more moderate and liberal biblical scholars of the late nineteenth through the twentieth centuries. It has lately come under more exacting scrutiny by textual critics who have found little substantial basis for continuing to maintain that Mark was written before Matthew. See the following:
:*[https://sites.google.com/site/gospelofmatthewinhebrew/ogm/marcan_priority_claim '''Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew: Marcan Priority Claim Invalid''' (google.com)]
:*[http://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/1366/what-are-the-arguments-in-favor-of-matthean-priority '''What are the arguments in favor of Matthean priority?''' (hermeneutics.stackexchange.com)]
:*[http://www.wow.com/wiki/Markan_priority '''Marcan Priority''' (wow.com)] ''examines both sides of the debate, gives evidence supporting rejection of Marcan priority in favor of Matthean priority, discusses Mark as posterior to both Matthew and Luke.''


"'''the beginning of the perpetual establishment of the Holy Assembly of God's Church on earth, ''his Dwelling among men''.'''" 
:Added to the text the phrase "his Dwelling among men."

:This addition is according to the several texts of sacred scripture which say that the people of God, the whole Christian community, the Assembly, the body of Christ, the Church, is the tabernacle, temple and dwelling of God. This doctrine appears in the New Testament as part of the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

:In the Old Testament, the [[Tabernacle]] was frequently called The Dwelling, in Hebrew ''Mishkan''. And David and Solomon established and built the [[Temple of Jerusalem|Temple in Jerusalem]] as the Dwelling and House of God. And just as David's family and descendants are called the House of David, so also those whom Christ has redeemed by his passion, death and resurrection, and his ascension into heaven, there to appear before the Father for us, those in whom he dwells by the power of the Holy Spirit, who hear the word of God and do it, who are his brothers, sisters and mother, they are his Body and his House, and also his Dwelling and Holy Temple. The Christian people assembled together for [[worship]] are his dwelling on earth, a spiritual house, the household of God, the pillar and foundation of the truth, built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles of the Lord, and are just as much his holy dwelling on earth as is his everlasting dwelling in heaven. This in no way contradicts the established doctrinal fact that God, the Father and the Son, come and make their dwelling in those individual Christians who truly love him and keep his commandments, dwelling in each of them as in a temple.

:The doctrine of [[Preterism]] sees the fulfillment of the descent of the heavenly Temple of God in Revelation 21:1–22:5 as fully realized, accomplished and present since the day of [[Pentecost]] in the body of the Christian Church on earth. The major denominations of Christianity, Catholic, Orthodox, mainstream Protestant, Evangelical and Fundamentalist reject this Preterist interpretation. See [[Eschatology]]. Compare [[Liberal Christianity]] and [[Social Gospel]].

:See the following:
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/exodus/15-13.htm Exodus 15:13] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/exodus/15-17.htm 17]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/exodus/25-8.htm Exodus 25:8]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/exodus/29-45.htm Exodus 29:45] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/exodus/29-46.htm 46]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/numbers/5-3.htm Numbers 5:3]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/numbers/35-34.htm Numbers 35:34]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/deuteronomy/12-5.htm Deuteronomy 12:5] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/deuteronomy/12-11.htm 11]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/deuteronomy/26-15.htm Deuteronomy 26:15]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/deuteronomy/33-12.htm Deuteronomy 33:12]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_samuel/4-4.htm 1 Samuel 4:4]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/2_samuel/6-2.htm 2 Samuel 6:2]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/2_samuel/7-6.htm 2 Samuel 7:6]; [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_samuel/7-26.htm 7:26] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_samuel/7-27.htm 27]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_kings/6-13.htm 1 Kings 6:13]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_kings/8-13.htm 1 Kings 8:13], [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_kings/8-27.htm 27], [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_kings/8-30.htm 30], [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_kings/8-39.htm 39], [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_kings/8-43.htm 43], [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_kings/8-49.htm 49]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/2_kings/19-15.htm 2 Kings 19:15]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_chronicles/6-32.htm 1 Chronicles 6:32]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_chronicles/13-6.htm 1 Chronicles 13:6]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_chronicles/17-5.htm 1 Chronicles 17:5] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_chronicles/17-12.htm 12] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_chronicles/17-14.htm 14]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_chronicles/23-25.htm 1 Chronicles 23:25]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/2_chronicles/6-1.htm 2 Chronicles 6:1], [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_chronicles/6-2.htm 2], [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_chronicles/6-18.htm 18], [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_chronicles/6-21.htm 21], [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_chronicles/6-30.htm 30], [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_chronicles/6-33.htm 33], [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_chronicles/6-39.htm 39]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/2_chronicles/29-6.htm 2 Chronicles 29:6]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/2_chronicles/30-27.htm 2 Chronicles 30:27]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/2_chronicles/36-15.htm 2 Chronicles 36:15]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Tobit%2012%3A15 Tobit 12:15]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/ezra/6-12.htm Ezra 6:12]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/ezra/7-15.htm Ezra 7:15]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/9-11.htm Psalm 9:11]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/22-3.htm Psalm 22:3]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/23-6.htm Psalm 23:6]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/26-8.htm Psalm 26:8]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/33-14.htm Psalm 33:14]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/68-5.htm Psalm 68:5], [http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/68-16.htm 16], [http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/68-18.htm 18]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/74-7.htm Psalm 74:7]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/76-2.htm Psalm 76:2]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/79-7.htm Psalm 79:7]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/80-1.htm Psalm 80:1]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/85-9.htm Psalm 85:9]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/91-1.htm Psalm 91:1], [http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/91-9.htm 9] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/91-10.htm 10]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/113-5.htm Psalm 113:5]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/123-1.htm Psalm 123:1]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/132-5.htm Psalm 132:5], [http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/132-13.htm 13] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/132-14.htm 14]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/135-21.htm Psalm 135:21]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/isaiah/8-18.htm Isaiah 8:18]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/isaiah/18-4.htm Isaiah 18:4]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/isaiah/33-5.htm Isaiah 33:5]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/isaiah/37-16.htm Isaiah 37:16]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/isaiah/57-15.htm Isaiah 57:15]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/isaiah/63-15.htm Isaiah 63:15]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/jeremiah/10-25.htm Jeremiah 10:25]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/jeremiah/25-30.htm Jeremiah 25:30]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/jeremiah/31-23.htm Jeremiah 31:23]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Baruch%203%3A24 Baruch 3:24] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Baruch%203%3A38 38]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/ezekiel/43-7.htm Ezekiel 43:7] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/ezekiel/43-9.htm 9]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/joel/3-17.htm Joel 3:17] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/joel/3-21.htm 21]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/zechariah/2-10.htm Zechariah 2:10] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/zechariah/2-11.htm 11]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/zechariah/8-3.htm Zechariah 8:3]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/2%20Maccabees%203%3A39 2 Maccabees 3:39]
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/2%20Maccabees%205%3A19 2 Maccabees 5:19] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/2%20Maccabees%205%3A20 20]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/18-20.htm Matthew 18:20]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/luke/17-20.htm Luke 17:20] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/luke/17-21.htm 21]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/john/2-19.htm John 2:19] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/john/2-21.htm John 2:21]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/john/6-56.htm John 6:56]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/john/14-10.htm John 14:10] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/john/14-17.htm 17] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/john/14-23.htm 23]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/acts/7-48.htm Acts 7:48]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/acts/17-24.htm Acts 17:24]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/romans/8-9.htm Romans 8:9] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/romans/8-11.htm 11]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_corinthians/3-16.htm 1 Corinthians 3:16] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_corinthians/3-17.htm 17]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/2_corinthians/6-16.htm 2 Corinthians 6:16]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/ephesians/2-6.htm Ephesians 2:6] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/ephesians/2-21.htm 21] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/ephesians/2-22.htm 22]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/ephesians/3-17.htm Ephesians 3:17]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/colossians/1-19.htm Colossians 1:19]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/colossians/2-9.htm Colossians 2:9]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_timothy/6-16.htm 1 Timothy 6:16]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/2_timothy/1-14.htm 2 Timothy 1:14]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/hebrews/12-22.htm Hebrews 12:22]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/james/4-5.htm James 4:5]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_john/3-17.htm 1 John 3:17] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_john/3-24.htm 24]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_john/4-12.htm 1 John 4:12], [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_john/4-13.htm 13], [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_john/4-15.htm 15], [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_john/4-16.htm 16]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/2_john/1-2.htm 2 John 2]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/revelation/3-12.htm Revelation 3:12]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/revelation/7-15.htm Revelation 7:15]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/revelation/21-3.htm Revelation 21:3]

:Compare [http://biblehub.com/multi/revelation/21-2.htm Revelation 21:2] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/james/1-17.htm James 1:17].

:See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2019:5-9&version=RSVCE '''Revelation 19:5-9'''] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2012:18-28&version=RSVCE '''Hebrews 12:18-28''']

:Catholics who believe all of their Church's teachings regard every Catholic Church building as a genuine temple of God, because in each of them is a locked metal [[Tabernacle (Catholic)|Tabernacle]], strongly made, often quite beautiful, either free-standing, or encased in the wall of the church, and in some [[parish]] churches and [[cathedral]]s sometimes architecturally set apart in a special adoration [[chapel]], in which is kept in reserve consecrated hosts for communion; both for taking to the homebound, sick and hospitalized, and for the presence of Jesus Christ in the building, to be worshiped in adoration as God personally present on earth in the form of bread. (See [[Real presence]], [[Eucharist]] and [[Transubstantiation]].) Occasionally, the pastors of the Catholic Church, popes, bishops and priests, issue public reminders that the community of believers is also the temple of God, indwelt by the Holy Spirit as the Soul of the Church. See [http://www.thesacredpage.com/2013/06/pope-francis-church-as-temple-of-god.html Pope Francis: The Church as the Temple of God (thesacredpage.com)]


"'''The Apostle Andrew is traditionally thought to have been martyred by crucifixion in Achaia at Patras about A.D. 62.'''" 
:*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_martyrs List of Christian martyrs - Wikipedia]
:*[https://www.ccel.org/phillips/CN500APOSTLES%20FATE.htm Fate of the Apostles (ccel.org)]
:*[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Timeline_of_Saints Timeline of Saints: Chronological Synaxarion of the Body of the Church (orthodoxwiki.org)]
:*[http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/martyrs/fox101.htm Fox's Book of Martyrs (sacred-texts.com)]—text
:*[http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/4_4.html The Martyrdom of St. Andrew the Apostle, the Brother of Saint Andrew (copticchurch.net)]
:*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01471a.htm St. Andrew - Catholic Encyclopedia (newadvent.org)]


"'''Nero was now in the eighth year of his reign'''"
:About A.D. 62.
:[[Nero]] was Roman emperor A.D. 54-68 (54 + 8 = 62).


"'''[[Mark|Saint Mark]] the [[Evangelist]] was dragged in the streets of Alexandria, and then beheaded...[Ananus] convened the judges of the [[Sanhedrin]] and brought before them [[Epistle of James|James]], the brother of Jesus the Christ, the Anointed One, and certain other men, whom he accused of transgressing the law, and condemned them to be stoned to death. The Pharisees, upset at St. James' teachings, first threw him from the summit of the Temple in Jerusalem, then stoned him, and at last broke his skull with a fuller's club. '''" 
:*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_martyrs List of Christian martyrs - Wikipedia]
:*[https://www.ccel.org/phillips/CN500APOSTLES%20FATE.htm Fate of the Apostles (ccel.org)]
:*[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Timeline_of_Saints Timeline of Saints: Chronological Synaxarion of the Body of the Church (orthodoxwiki.org)]
:*[http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/martyrs/fox101.htm Fox's Book of Martyrs (sacred-texts.com)]—text
:*[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/hegesippus.html Hegesippus (earlychristianwritings.com)] ''The death of James the Just''.


"'''Jesus, son of Ananius, a plebeian and an husbandman'''" 
:''Ecclesiastical History'' III, 8; ''Wars'' 6.5.3 [300-307]
:Josephus calls him "Jesus, son of Ananus". A plebeian was one of the common people, especially of ancient Rome, "one of the Roman mob"; from Latin ''plebeius'', from ''plebs'' "the common people".

:In the U.S. military academies at [[United States Military Academy|West Point]] and [[United States Naval Academy|Annapolis]], a plebe (from ''pleb'') is a member of the lowest class.

:The archaic meaning of an husbandman is one who tills the soil; a farmer.


"'''When Festus died in 62...'''" 
:Historical amplification drawn from historical texts.
:See linked sources above (Eusebius, Josephus, Suetonius, Tacitus).


"'''Nero Caesar sent Gessius Florus as successor to Albinus'''" 
:See the following articles:
:*[http://virtualreligion.net/iho/florus.html '''Gessius Florus''' (ruled A.D. 64-66) (virtualreligion.net)]
:*[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/6200-florus-gessius '''Florus, Gessius''' (or, incorrectly, Cestius): By: Richard Gottheil, M. Seligsohn (jewishencyclopedia.com)]
:*[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gessius-Florus '''Gessius Florus, Roman procurator''' (britannica.com)] ''read more in'' [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Herod-Agrippa-II#ref244615 '''Herod Agrippa II''' King of Chalcis]
:*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gessius_Florus '''Gessius Florus''' - Wikipedia]


"'''At the same time, in A.D. 63, the temple was completed'''"
:Begun by Herod the Great in 19/20 B.C., the work was not entirely finished until A.D. 63, only 7 years before the destruction of the entire Temple in A.D. 70.
:*[http://www.bible-history.com/jewishtemple/JEWISH_TEMPLEHerods_Temple00000006.htm Herod's Temple (bible-history.com)]
:*[http://www.thorncrownjournal.com/timeofchrist/herod.html Who Were the Herods? by Doug Reed (thorncrownjournal.com)]
:*[http://www.thenagain.info/WebChron/MiddleEast/HerodTemple.html Herod the Great Begins the Third Temple 19/20 BC (thenagain.info)]


See [https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=virtual+3d+tour+of+josephus'+temple+of+jerusalem&qpvt=virtual+3d+tour+of+josephus%27+temple+of+jerusalem&FORM=VDRE '''Virtual 3D Tour of Josephus' Temple of Jerusalem''' (bing.com)]

[The [[Conservative Bible]] translation does not include the history of events in the Roman Empire and in the Church during the years A.D. 63 through 90 as related in the works of Josephus, Suetonius, Tacitus, Cassius Dio, Hegesippus and Eusebius because their writings are not included among the books of the New Testament. See [[Biblical Canon]].]

[The events of A.D. 62 through 63 are not included in the [[Conservative Bible]] New Testament.]

Compare the [[Conservative Bible|Conservative Bible text (conservapedia.com):]]

From Simon Peter, a devoted servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained the same privilege of precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ; much grace and peace is upon you because of your knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.

His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and virtue, which gives us great promises, that by these things you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. In addition to this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, understanding; and to understanding, self-control; and to self-control, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly friendship; and to brotherly friendship, charity. For if these things are in you, and abundantly, then you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in your understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ. But anyone who does not have these things is blind, and cannot see at a distance, and has forgotten that he had his old sins cleaned out.

So instead, brothers, be diligent about making your calling and election secure. If you do these things, you will never fail. For in that way, an entrance will be kept ready for you, and abundantly so, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and are established in the present truth. In fact, I think it only proper, so long as I am in this tent of mine, to stir you up by reminding you, because I know that very shortly I will have to put this tent of mine off, even as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me how. Furthermore, I will try to make sure that you will be able, after my death, to have things things always uppermost in your memories.

Remember: we have not followed any cleverly invented fables, when we made the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ known to you. We were eyewitnesses of His Majesty. Because he received from God the Father both honor and glory, when such a voice as this came to him from the highest glory: "This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased." We heard this Voice That came from heaven, when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

We also have a more certain word of prophecy, and you would do well to take note of it, as you would to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day breaks, and the morning star arises in your hearts. Know this first: no prophecy of Scripture lends itself to any secret or private interpretation. The prophecy did not come in the old time by the will of man. Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

But false prophets were also to be found among the people, just as you will always have false teachers among you. They will, in private, bring in doctrines that are as damnable as they are divisive, and will go so far as to deny the Lord That redeemed them, and bring swift destruction on themselves. Many people will follow their sex-crazed ways, and on their account the Way of Truth will get a bad name. And through covetousness, they, with pretending words, will make merchandise of you. Their judgment will not linger now for long, and their condemnation does not sleep. If God did not spare those of His Messengers who sinned, but threw them down to Tartarus and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be held for trial, and did not spare the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth [man in line], a preacher of righteusness, and brought in the Great Flood upon the world of the ungodly, and turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes, having condemned them to total destruction, to make them an example to those who would live ungodly lives afterward, and delivered only Lot, vexed as he was with the filthy conversation of wicked people, (because, given that this righteous man was living among them, within sight and hearing, they vexed his righteous soul day after day with their unlawful doings.) then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly from a test, and to hold the unjust for the Day of Trial to be punished, but especially those who walk after the flesh in the lust for uncleanness, and despise lordship. They are presumptuous and self-willed, and are not afraid to blaspheme against glorious beings. In contrast, God's Messengers, that are greater in power and might, do not bring railing accusations against them before the Lord.

But these people, acting like wild and brutish animals, made to be taken and destroyed, insult things that they don't understand, and will perish completely in their own corruption, and will receive the reward of unrighteousness, like those tho think it's a game to run riot in the daytime. They are spots and blenishes, making sport of themselves with their own deceptions while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, and cannot stop sinning. They beguile unstable souls. They have exercised a heart with covetous practices, cursed children that they are. They have walked off the right road, and have gone astray, following the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but was rebuked for his iniquity. The dumb donkey, speaking with a man's voice, forbade the madness of the prophet.

These are like dry wells, and clouds blown by a storm. The mist of darkness is reserved for them forever. Because when they speak big, swelling, vain words, they lure others through fleshly desires, through wantonness. The clean ones escape from those who live in error. They promise them liberty, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. By whomever a man is overcome, of that same person he is bought into slavery. And if, after they have avoided the pollutions of the world through understanding of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are entangled in them all over again, and vanquished, then their second ending is worse for them than the beginning. It would have been better for them never to have known the Way of righteousness, than, after they knew it, to turn away from the holy instruction given to them. But everything happens to them according to this old saying: The dog returns to his own vomit, and the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mud.

I am writing this second letter to you now, my loved ones. In both these letters I want to stir up your clean minds by way of remembrance, so that you may remember the words that were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment from us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior. Know this first: in the last days, scoffers will come, who walk after their own lusts.

They will say, "Where is the promise of His Coming? Since the fathers died out, everything continues as it has since the beginning of time!" When they say things like this, this key fact escapes their attention: the heavens existed since long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and in water, by the Word of God. And by that same Word, the world that then existed, perished after being overflowed with water. But the heavens and the earth, which exist now, by that same Word are kept in store, and held for a trial by fire in the Day of Trial, as is the perdition of ungodly men.

But, loved ones, do not be ignorant of this one thing: one day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. The Lord is not slack about His Promises, as some men think they know what slackness is. He is longsuffering toward us, and would rather that no man should perish, but all men come to repentance. But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. In that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will melt with great heat. The earth as well, and all the works in it, will be burned up.

And so, since all these things are going to be destroyed, what sort of persons you should be, in holy conversation and godliness, looking for and even hurrying to the coming of the Day of God, in which the heavens will catch fire and be dissolved, and the elements will melt with great heat? Regardless, we, as His promise dictates, are looking for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness lives.

And so, loved ones, since you are looking for such things, work hard to be found by Him in peace, spotless, and blameless, and reckon this longsuffering of our Lord as your salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul has also written to you, according to the wisdom given to him, as also in all his letters, as he speaks in them of these things. Some things in those letters might be hard to understand—and the unlearned and unstable wrest these things from them, as they do from other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

So you, loved ones, since you know these things before, be careful that you are not also led away with the error of the wicked and thus fall from your own steadfast position. Instead, grow in grace, and in the understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory, both now and forever. Amen.

[[Gospel of Mark (Translated)]]

[[Gospel of Luke (Translated)]]

[[Acts of the Apostles (Translated)]]

== Forty-six ==
{| class="wikitable" style="align:center;"
|-
! style="width:60%;"|Chapter 46
! style="width:40%;"|Bible texts
|- style="text-align:left; background:#ffffec; vertical-align:top;"
| style="text-align:left;"|

'''<big><big><big>A</big></big></big>'''s Paul journeyed back to Rome, Erastus remained at [http://bibleatlas.org/full/corinth.htm Corinth]. He left Trophimus ill at [http://bibleatlas.org/full/miletus.htm Miletus], and finally arrived in Rome. While he was there [[Catechesis|Teaching]] he was taken and put in chains.

When Onesiphorus arrived in Rome he searched for Paul eagerly and found him. He often refreshed Paul, and he was not ashamed of Paul's chains. He had also previously rendered him service at Ephesus.

At Paul's first defense no one stood with him; all deserted him. All in Asia turned away from him, among them Phygelus and Hermogenes. Demas deserted him and went to [http://bibleatlas.org/full/thessalonica.htm Thessalonica], Crescens went to [http://bibleatlas.org/full/galatia.htm Galatia], and Titus to [http://bibleatlas.org/full/dalmatia.htm Dalmatia]. Paul sent Tychicus to [http://bibleatlas.org/full/ephesus.htm Ephesus]. And it seems that Onesiphorus died at this time, for Paul prayed that the Lord grant Onesiphorus to find mercy from the Lord on the [[Last Judgment|Day of the Lord]]. Luke alone remained with him. But the Lord stood by him and gave him strength to proclaim the word fully, so that all the Gentiles might hear it. And so he was rescued from the lion's mouth.

He wrote the following letter:

:'''<big><big><big>P</big></big></big>aul''', an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, '''to Timothy, my beloved child''': Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

:I thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience, how unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy; having been reminded of the sincere faith that is in you; which lived first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and, I am persuaded, in you also.

:For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the charism of God which is in you through the '''laying on of my hands'''. For God did not give us a Spirit of fear, but of power, love, and '''self-control'''. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News. For this, I was appointed as a preacher, an Apostle, and a Teacher of the Gentiles. For this cause I also suffer these things.

:Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.

:'''Hold the pattern of sound words''' which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, '''guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us'''.

:This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me; of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain, but when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently, and found me (the Lord grant to him to find the Lord’s mercy in that day); and in how many things he served at Ephesus, you know very well.

:You therefore, '''my child''', be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, '''[[Apostolic succession|commit the same to faithful men, who will be able to Teach others also]]'''. You therefore must endure hardship, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier on duty entangles himself in the affairs of life, that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier. Also, if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he has competed by the rules. The farmers who labor must be the first to get a share of the crops. Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

:Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the offspring of David, according to my Good News, in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. This saying is trustworthy:
::“For if we died with him, we will also live with him.
::'''''<big>If</big>'' we ''<big>endure</big>'', we will also reign with him'''.
::'''If we [[Apostasy|deny him]], he also will deny us'''.
::If we are faithless, he remains faithful.
::He cannot deny himself.”
:Remind them of these things, '''charging them''' in the sight of the Lord, to avoid [[argument|'''arguing about words''']], to no profit, to the ruin of those who hear.

:Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth. But shun godless, empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness. Such talk will eat away like gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; men who have '''[[Preterism|swerved aside from the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past]]''' and overthrowing the faith of some. However, God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal,
::“The Lord knows those who are his,”
:and,
::“Let every one who names the name of the Lord '''depart from [[Antinomianism|unrighteousness]]'''.”
:Now in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay. Some are for honor, and some for dishonor. '''''<big>If</big>'' anyone therefore purges himself from these''', he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, '''prepared for every good work'''.

:'''Flee from youthful lusts'''; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife. The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle toward all, able to [[Catechesis|Teach]], patient, in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a '''<big>full</big> knowledge of the truth''', and they may recover themselves out of '''the devil’s snare, having been taken captive by him to do his will'''.

:But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, '''[[Homosexuality|without natural affection]]''', unforgiving, slanderers, '''without self-control''', fierce, not lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, conceited, [[Hedonism|lovers of pleasure]] rather than lovers of God; '''holding a form of [[Religion|godliness]], but denying its power'''. Turn away from these, also. For some of these are people who creep into houses, and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Even as [[Jannes and Jambres]] opposed Moses, so do these also oppose the truth; men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith, are rejected. But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.

:But you did follow my Teaching, '''conduct''', purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

:But you '''remain''' in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are '''able''' to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for Teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every '''good work'''.

:I '''command''' you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom: preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; '''reprove, rebuke, and exhort''', with all patience and Teaching. For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves Teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the Truth, and turn aside to [[myth]]s. But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.

:For I am already being offered, and '''the time of my departure has come'''. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. '''I have kept the faith.''' From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing. Be diligent to come to me soon, for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come, and the books, especially the parchments.

:Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him '''according to his deeds''', of whom you also must beware; for he greatly opposed our words.

:At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

:Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick. Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, '''[[Pope Linus|Linus]]''', Claudia, and all the '''brothers'''. The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

Paul showed by example the prize that is given to patience: seven times was he thrown into chains; he was banished; he was stoned; having become a herald, both in the East and in the West, he obtained the noble renown due to his faith; and having preached righteousness to the whole world, and having come to the extremity of the West, and having borne witness before rulers, he departed at length out of the world under [[Nero]], and went to the holy place, having become the greatest example of patience.

What else needs to be said of Paul, who proclaimed the Gospel from Jerusalem to Illyricum and was afterward martyred in Rome under Nero?

Nero was the first Roman emperor to persecute the doctrine of Christianity, particularly at that time, when, after subduing all the East, he exercised his cruelty against all at Rome. Those who knew him, knew that there was scarcely anything great and good that was not condemned by Nero. Thus announcing himself publicly as the chief enemy of God, he was led on by his fury and the ''genius'' of the emperor to slaughter the Apostles. Thus Peter is said to have been crucified under him, and Paul to have been beheaded at Rome.

In 63, [[Matthias the Apostle|the Apostle Matthias]], a witness from the beginning of the baptism of the Lord by John the Baptist to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was chosen by the Holy Spirit in place of [[Judas Iscariot]] as one of [[Twelve Apostles|the Twelve]], and faithfully preached the Gospel of the Lord, was stoned to death in Jerusalem at the instigation of the Jews, and then beheaded. It is said that after he preached the Gospel in Judea, Matthias preached the Gospel of salvation to barbarians and cannibals in the interior of Ethiopia (that is to say, Colchis), at the harbor of the sea of Hyssus, at the mouth of the river Phasis; and that he was crucified and died at Sebastopolis, and was buried there, near the temple of the Sun.

See [https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=virtual+3d+tour+of+josephus'+temple+of+jerusalem&qpvt=virtual+3d+tour+of+josephus%27+temple+of+jerusalem&FORM=VDRE '''Virtual 3D Tour of Josephus' Temple of Jerusalem''' (bing.com)]

'''This chapter''' is the first part of a sixteen-part summary of the intervening years between the [[martyr]]doms of Peter and Paul under Nero and the writing of the New Testament works of the [[Epistle of Jude]], the [[Book of Revelation]] and the Letters of [[John the Apostle]]. Sources are linked below.
:Historians and Bible scholars disagree on the precise dates of the intervening years. But in general they do agree that the entire historical period extends from about A.D. 67 through 90. The summary of the intervening years continues in the next eight chapters Forty-seven through Fifty-four. The concluding chapters Fifty-five and Fifty-six of this ''Harmony of the Gospel'' contain the [[Clement of Rome|First Letter of Clement]] and the Letter of Jude, and the Book of Revelation and the Letters of John.

:Note to the reader:

:The text of this chapter is a redaction of the informative sources listed and linked below, rearranged, chronologically sequenced, collated, condensed, combined and adapted, while seeking to preserve much of their expressive language, and in some instances updating and improving both their translations and the written copy. This accounts for the several apparent repetitions, parallel constructions and duplications in the text, which have been kept to a minimum as far as possible without loss of information. Compare the method proposed by the [[Documentary Hypothesis]]. An attempt has been made here to simplify the wordy, complex, convoluted, often reiterative, turgid literary styles of Josephus and Tacitus.

:Translations from the original languages of any of the scriptures, of the whole Bible itself, and of the works of ancient writers, and parallel and even identical phraseology and wording of legitimate translations and paraphrases in English, both formal and dynamic, are not regarded by legitimate scholars as mutual plagiarisms and violations of copyright restrictions by either the various writers of these source materials among themselves, or by the contributor of this ''Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version)''.
::(For example, the translation of the works of Josephus by William Makepeace Thackeray is not held to be a plagiarized version of the translation of the same works by William Whiston, and the publisher of Whiston's translation is not petitioned for permission by the publisher of Thackeray's translation. Moreover, neither of these translators and neither of these publishers apparently attempted to seek permission from the original author and publisher, Josephus.)
:The historical text presented here likewise represents neither plagiarism nor violation of copyright.

:The reader is invited to access the linked sources below, to observe how the authors of both the representations of the original historical material, and their often copyrighted historical summary accounts of what happened, in many instances closely parallel each other, without their authors apparently seeking permission of other copyright owners, and without their being charged with plagiarism or violation of copyright for what they have written. The same right they have to freely express without permission what occurred in history, and what contemporaries of the times thought about the events, is likewise asserted here.


'''Texts''' 
2 Timothy 4:20 ''adapted'' 2 Timothy 4:16-17 ''adapted'' 2 Timothy 1:15 ''adapted'' 2 Timothy 1:'''17''' ''adapted'' 2 Timothy 1:'''16b''' ''adapted'' 2 Timothy 1:'''18''' ''adapted'' 2 Timothy 4:10-12 ''adapted'' 2 Timothy 1:'''16a''' ''adapted'' '''2 Timothy''' —LXX Numbers 16:5 —LXX Wisdom 5:16 1 Clement 5.5-7 ''adapted'' Ecclesiatical History III, chapter 1: 2b ''adapted'' Ecclesiastical History II, chapter 25, ''adapted'' Ecclesiastical History V, chapter 8, ''adapted''

''Compare'' [http://ebible.org/web/ World English Bible text] [http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/new-testament/ Greek original text] [http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=0&b=1 Latin Vulgate text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrs/ NRSV text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/scofield-reference-notes/ Scofield Reference Bible (1917 Edition)] [[Conservative Bible]] text [http://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/1-1.htm ''multiple versions of any verse''] [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/1-1.htm ''multiple commentaries any passage''] 
[http://biblehub.com/interlinear/ ''interlinear Bible: Hebrew, Greek, English''] [http://bibleatlas.org/ Bible maps (''click initial letter of place name'')] [https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/ '''Bible Encyclopedias''': Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature (studylight.org)] [http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia '''Catholic Encyclopedia''' Catholic Online (catholic.org)] '''[http://calcuworld.com/calendar-calculators/hebrew-calendar-converter/ Hebrew Calendar Converter]''' ''See exact equivalents of Gregorian Calendar dates.'' 
:—in Gregorian Calendar click the cursor in the day, month, or year fields, to highlight selection, then use [Backspace ←] and [←] [→] right and left arrow keys in the day and year fields, and [Backspace ←] and [ ↑ ] [ ↓ ] up and down arrow keys in the month field, then click on [Calculate].

[http://www.kalvesmaki.com/LXX/NTChart.htm Table of Old Testament quotes in the New Testament, in English translation, Joel Kalvesmaki 2013 (kalvesmaki.com)]

[http://www.bible.ca/manuscripts/List-of-300-Old-Testament-passage-quotes-in-New-Testament-Septuagint-Codex-Vaticanus-LXX-Masoretic-MT-Jewish-Tanakh-Bible.htm List of 300 Septuagint Old Testament quotations in the New Testament, by Steve Rudd 2017 (bible.ca)]

[[Septuagint#Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament|Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament]]

[http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2501.htm '''Church History (Eusebius)''': The Ecclesiastical History Of Eusebius Pamphilus: Bishop Of Caesarea, In Palestine (newadvent.org)]

[http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ '''The Works of Flavius Josephus''' William Whiston, Translator, 1737 (sacred-texts.com)]

[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6400/6400-h/6400-h.htm '''Suetonius: Twelve Caesars''': The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by C. Suetonius Tranquilus; To which are added His Lives of the Grammarians, Rhetoricians, and Poets. The Translation of Alexander Thomson, M.D., Revised and corrected by T. Forester, Esq., A.M. (Gutenberg.org)]

[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.html '''Tacitus: The Annals''', Written 109 A.C.E. Translated by Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb]

[http://www.roman-emperors.org/epitome.htm '''Sextus Aurelius Victor: Epitome De Caesaribus''' (roman-emperors.org)]

[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/eutropius_breviarium_2_text.htm '''Eutropius: Breviarium''' - Eutropius's Abridgement of Roman History (tertullian.org)]

[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html '''Cassius Dio: Roman History''' Epitome (penelope.uchicago.edu)]

[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/index.html '''Early Christian Writings''' A.D. 30 through 380 (earlychristianwritings.com)] See '''[[Biblical Canon]]''' and '''[[Apocrypha]]'''.

[https://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/ntesources/ntarticles/ctr-nt/mcray-archaeologyacts-ctr.pdf '''Archaeology and the Book of Acts''' John McRay, Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, IL 60187] pdf

Maps of Paul's journeys:
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-travels-before-first-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's travels after his conversion]
*[http://www.apostlepaulthefilm.com/paul/journeys.htm Interactive maps of Paul's journeys]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-first-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's first missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-second-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's second missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-third-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's third missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-fourth-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's fourth missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-fifth-missionary-journey-large-map.html Paul's fifth missionary journey]
*[http://www.biblestudy.org/maps/apostle-paul-all-cities-visited-large-map.html Apostle Paul: all cities visited]

[https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/paul/timeline.cfm '''Timeline of the Apostle Paul''' (blueletterbible.org)] Dating according to the majority of Bible scholars and historians.

"''''The Lord knows those who are his,' and, 'Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness''''" 
:2 Timothy 2:19
:Paul quotes the [[Septuagint]] text, Numbers 16:5


"'''''<big>full</big>'' knowledge of the truth'''" 
:2 Timothy 2:25
:See [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_timothy/2-25.htm interlinear text] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/2_timothy/2-25.htm commentaries].

:In [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/18-26.htm Acts 18:26] Aquilla and Pricilla took Apollos aside "''and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.''" In the case of Apollos, he had been [[Catechesis|taught (instructed)]] about salvation being in Christ Jesus, and he had spoken boldly, being fervent in spirit, and taught accurately from the scriptures about Jesus, but his knowledge of the fullness of the truth was incomplete and defective. However, he had not been ensnared by the Devil to do his will in opposition to the truth of the Gospel, as had happened to many of the party of the circumcisers (Galatians 2:3-5; Acts 15:1-32; Philippians 3:2-3). See [[Ebionites]] and [[Antinomianism]].

:People who have been deceived by [[specious reasoning]] from the scriptures have embraced [[heresy]] because they, like the [[Sadducees]] who presented their distorted reasoning to Jesus, "''err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God''" (Mark 12:24). They do not know the full doctrine of Christianity as taught by "''the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth''" (1 Timothy 3:15), but only a distortion of it. In extreme cases, they persecute and slander many truly devout Christians, speak evil of their leaders and those in authority over them (Jude 8; 2 Peter 2:10-11), and fulfill what Jesus said, "''the hour comes when whoever kills you will think he serves God''"
::(see John 16:2; 2  Peter 1:20 and 3:15-17; 1 John 2:18-19; compare the wars of religion during the 15th-16th-17th-18th centuries in Europe and the United States, fueled by conflicting interpretations of the Bible, for example in the [[Holy Roman Empire]], the [[Thirty Years' War]], and the [[American Civil War]] over the issue of [[slavery]]—see ''[[Slavery in the Bible]]''; see also [[Cult]], and articles on [[Westboro Baptist Church]] and [[Society of St. Pius X]]).
:When they come to a '''full knowledge of the truth''', they come to repentance, to the acknowledging of the truth, and thus recover themselves out of the snare of the devil. See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+2%3A23-26&version=RSVCE 2 Timothy 2:23-26].

:See '''[https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-great-heresies The Great Heresies]''' —list of heresies committed by Catholics.


"'''holding a form of ''godliness'', but denying its power.'''" 
:2 Timothy 3:5 WEB, KJV
:"...holding the form of '''[[religion]]''', but denying the power of it." 2 Timothy 3:5 RSV and others. See [http://biblehub.com/multi/2_timothy/3-5.htm multiple translations of '''2 Timothy 3:5'''] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/1_timothy/3-16.htm multiple translations of '''1 Timothy 3:16''' "''great is the mystery of our religion''"].

:The words ''eusebeia, eusebeo, eusebes,'' and ''eusebos'' (Strong's numbers ''2150, 2151, 2152, 2153'') can be translated as "godliness", "piety", "worship", "religion", "faith", "respect", "devout", "godly". These all have the same basic meaning and intent in the Greek text of the New Testament in the letters of both Paul and Peter. The word ''eulabeia'' in Hebrews 12:28 (Strong's number ''2124'') can be translated as "religious reverence", "piety", "caution", "fear", "dread", as in "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 1:7) and "I shall teach you the fear of the Lord" (Psalm 34:11), meaning devoted service in worship and in deeds in accordance with the law of righteousness as the whole [[religion]] of the soul toward God. The words ''threskeia'' and ''threskos'' in James 1:26-27 (Strong's numbers ''2356'' and ''2357'') are usually translated as "religion", "worship", and "religious", "piety".

:See Strong's Concordance entries: GODLINESS | GODLY | RELIGION Compare the interlinear texts of the following verses:
::[http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/2-2.htm 1 Timothy 2:2] eusebeia εὐσεβείᾳ [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/3-16.htm 1 Timothy 3:16] eusebeias εὐσεβείας —"Great is the mystery of our religion" RSV [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/4-7.htm 1 Timothy 4:7] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/4-8.htm 1 Timothy 4:8] eusebeia εὐσέβεια [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/6-3.htm 1 Timothy 6:3] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/6-5.htm 1 Timothy 6:5] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/6-6.htm 1 Timothy 6:6] eusebeia εὐσέβεια [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_timothy/6-11.htm 1 Timothy 6:11] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_timothy/3-5.htm 2 Timothy 3:5] eusebeias εὐσεβείας [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_timothy/3-12.htm 2 Timothy 3:12] eusebōs εὐσεβῶς [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/titus/1-1.htm Titus 1:1] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/titus/2-12.htm Titus 2:12] eusebōs εὐσεβῶς [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/hebrews/12-28.htm Hebrews 12:28] eulabeias εὐλαβείας [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/james/1-26.htm James 1:26] thrēskos θρησκὸς —''and'' thrēskeia θρησκεία [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/james/1-27.htm James 1:27] thrēskeia θρησκεία —"Religion pure and undefiled is this" [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/1-3.htm 2 Peter 1:3] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/1-6.htm 2 Peter 1:6] eusebeian εὐσέβειαν [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/1-7.htm 2 Peter 1:7] eusebeia εὐσεβείᾳ [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/2-9.htm 2 Peter 2:9] eusebeis εὐσεβεῖς [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_peter/3-11.htm 2 Peter 3:11] eusebeiais εὐσεβείαις

:[[Evangelical Christians|Evangelicals]] and [[Fundamentalism|Fundamentalists]] commonly deny that true Christianity is or ever has been a religion, and firmly assert instead that it is a truly personal and intimate individual relationship with God in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, "in spirit and in truth", wholly trusting in his mercy and forgiveness through the saving power of the blood of Christ shed for the sins of man on the Cross, which no one can merit by any works that can be performed, but only by faith in him, acknowledging guilt and sinfulness before him, asking forgiveness, and simply trusting in him for complete salvation, apart from any works that we can do. "''There is'' therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." ([http://biblehub.com/commentaries/romans/8-1.htm Romans 8:1 KJV]) They strongly warn that religion has no power to save anyone—the Church cannot save anyone—only Christ can [[Salvation|save]]. [https://www.bing.com/search?q=religion+cannot+save+you&form=EDGEAR&qs=PF&cvid=65863b85a9e14e25b09159a379db0ba7&cc=US&setlang=en-US]

:The major [[Christianity|Christian denominations]], Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed, all affirm that a truly devout relationship with God in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, "in spirit and in truth", in trusting '''faith'''-filled worship and charitable deeds, is the essence of the Christian religion: "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, ''and'' to keep oneself unstained from the world." [http://biblehub.com/interlinear/james/1-27.htm James 1:27]. See [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/10-25.htm commentaries on Hebrews 10:25] "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some ''is''; but exhorting ''one another'': and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." KJV (''italics added by the KJV translators.'') Compare [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A34-46&version=RSVCE Matthew 25:34-46] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A8-13&version=RSVCE 2 Peter 3:8-13]. Thus, according to this view, true religion is to keep faith with the Lord, to live a pure and holy life, to regularly assemble together for worship and prayer, and to serve both the needs of the poor and the helpless, and the Christian community as a whole, as the body of Christ and the temple of the living God ("''for '''we''' are the temple of the living God''" ''boldface emphasis added''—[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+6%3A14-18&version=RSVCE 2 Corinthians 6:14-18] — "''And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers.''"—[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A42&version=RSVCE Acts 2:42]). See '''[[Corporal and spiritual works of mercy]]'''. Christians are "baptized into one body". Christ is the head of his body, the church. (Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4-6; 5:23, 30; Colossians 1:18, 24; 2:9-10, 19; 3:15.) See especially [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12%3A12-28&version=RSVCE '''1 Corinthians 12''']. Thus, in this view, Christian religious community is necessary for the Christian. [https://www.bing.com/search?q=christian+community+is+necessary&form=EDGEAR&qs=PF&cvid=50ec2eb6665643108a3e8fd290fb7dc2&cc=US&setlang=en-US]

:See [https://www.gospelway.com/salvation/things-save.php '''Gospel Way: Things That Are Essential to Salvation:''' Are we saved by Grace, Faith, Good Works, or Baptism "Alone"? (gospelway.com)] ''The Protestant evangelical author states emphatically that the Christian religion as a whole, in all of its parts, is essential to salvation''.

:See [https://www.openbible.info/topics/church '''100 Bible verses about Church''' (openbible.info)]

:According to the [[Catholic Church]], Christ saves men through the sanctifying power of the Church. United with Christ as his one body, the Church is sanctified by him; through him and with him in the Holy Spirit she becomes sanctifying. See [http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p3.htm Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC, 811–870].

:See [https://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/outside_the_church.htm Outside the Church There Is No Salvation (ewtn.com)] ''What this statement actually means—it's not what you think!''


"'''From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.'''" 
:2 Timothy 4:8
:An allusion to the [[Septuagint]] text, Wisdom 5:16.


"'''having come to the extremity of the West'''" 
:1 Clement 5:7.
:(See [[Apocrypha]].)
:Whether Clement was speaking of Spain or of Britain is uncertain.

:The Atlantic coast of the [[Iberian Peninsula]] is the most western part of the landmass of Europe, not including the British isles and Ireland. Roman ships out of the Mediterranean also docked at ports on the southeastern coast of Britain. [[Ireland#History|Ireland]] is situated further west of Britain, but that island was not colonized by Rome at the time of the apostles. See [[Pax Romana]].

:See full text of [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/1clement-hoole.html '''1 Clement'''].


"'''In 63, [[Matthias the Apostle|the Apostle Matthias]] ... was stoned to death in Jerusalem at the instigation of the Jews, and then beheaded ... that he was crucified and died at Sebastopolis, and was buried there, near the Temple of the Sun.'''" 
:Traditions regarding the Apostle Saint Matthias are said to be contradictory. Eusebius, ''Ecclesiastical History'' Book II, Chapter 40, says that according to [[Nicephorus]], St. Matthias preached the Gospel in Judea, then in Ethiopia (that is to say, Colchis) and was crucified. Still another tradition maintains that Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem by the Jews, and then beheaded. The ''Synopsis of Dorotheus'' contains the tradition that Matthias preached the Gospel to barbarians and cannibals in the interior of Ethiopia, at the harbor of the sea of Hyssus, at the mouth of the river Phasis; that he died at Sebastopolis, and was buried there, near the Temple of the Sun.
:*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_martyrs List of Christian martyrs - Wikipedia]
:*[https://www.ccel.org/phillips/CN500APOSTLES%20FATE.htm Fate of the Apostles (ccel.org)]
:*[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Timeline_of_Saints Timeline of Saints: Chronological Synaxarion of the Body of the Church (orthodoxwiki.org)]
:*[http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/martyrs/fox101.htm Fox's Book of Martyrs (sacred-texts.com)]—text
:*[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/hegesippus.html Hegesippus (earlychristianwritings.com)] ''The death of James the Just''.
:*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10066a.htm St. Matthias - Catholic Encyclopedia (newadvent.org)]


[The [[Conservative Bible]] translation does not include the history of events in the Roman Empire and in the church during the years A.D. 63 through 90 as related in the works of Josephus, Suetonius, Tacitus, Cassius Dio, Hegesippus and Eusebius because their writings are not included among the books of the New Testament. See [[Biblical Canon]].]

[The events of A.D. 63 related outside of the New Testament are not included in the [[Conservative Bible]] New Testament.]

Compare the [[Conservative Bible|Conservative Bible text (conservapedia.com):]]

Erastus stays in Corinth but when I left Trophimus in Miletum, he was sick.

The first time, no one would stand beside me. Everyone abandoned me. I pray to God that they won't be blamed for it. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so I could spread his gospel to all the Gentiles. So I was saved from the lion's mouth.

You already know that everybody in Asia is turned against me, including Phygellus and Hermogenes.

Demas has abandoned me, as he loves worldliness, and left for Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke stays with me. Take Mark with you, as he will serve your ministry well. I've sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

As a matter of fact, in Rome, he [Onesiphorus] sought me with application until he found me.

Onesiphorus, as he as often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my bounds.

So may the Lord grant him mercy when the time comes, you know very well how he helped me in Ephesus.

May the Lord show mercy on the family of Onesiphorus,

From Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ

To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace, from God the Father and Jesus Christ.

I thank God, whom I serve as my ancestors did, with a pure conscience, that I constantly remember you in my prayers. When I remember your tears, I greatly desire to see you and be filled with joy. I remember the sincere faith that lives in you, that your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice also had.

For this reason, remember to fan into flame the grace of God that I gave when I laid my hands on you. For God did not give us a fearful spirit, but one of power and love, and a logical mind.

Do not be ashamed to testify for our Lord, or of me being his prisoner, but join me in the suffering for the Gospel, by the power of God. God has saved us, and called us to his holy works not because of our deeds, but because of a divine purpose that was given to us by Jesus Christ before the world began. This is apparent to all since the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.

I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher to the world, of this Gospel. For this I suffer but I am not ashamed, because I have faith, and I am sure Jesus Christ will remember what I have done in his name. You should remember these logical words form me, in the faith and love of Jesus Christ, and keep this good thing by the Holy Ghost that resides in us.

You already know that everybody in Asia is turned against me, including Phygellus and Hermogenes.

May the Lord show mercy on the family of Onesiphorus, as he as often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my bounds. As a matter of fact, in Rome, he sought me with application until he found me. So may the Lord grant him mercy when the time comes, you know very well how he helped me in Ephesus.

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Jesus Christ. And the things I told you, among many witnesses, you shall entrust to believers who will be qualified to teach others. Endure the hardships as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No soldier meddles with civilian affairs, he obeys his commanding officer. In the same way, an athlete does not win if he does not follow the rules of the game. The hardworking farmer should have the greater part of his crops. Think about these things, and the Lord shall provide you with insight on them.

Remember that I proclaim that Jesus Christ, descendant of David, was raised from the dead and for this I am chained like a criminal, but the word of God is not. Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they may be saved by Jesus Christ.

This saying rings true: if we die with him, we will live with him. If we suffer, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will also deny us. If we are faithless, he will not, for he can not disown himself. Remind them of these things. Tell them not to fight over words, because this will only cause chaos.

Act as a student of God, one who need not be ashamed because he is telling the truth. Avoid profanity and gossip, because they will lead to atheism. Their words are like a cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are with them. They practice deceit, saying that the resurrection is past. They destroy the faith of some. But the foundation of God is not moved. God knows His children, and He turns them away from the devil.

In a mansion, there are valuable tools and common tools. Some have respectable uses and some have disreputable uses. If a man avoids the disreputable, he will become an honorable and holy tool, useful for God and His servants. Forget the evils of your youth. Embrace righteousness, faith, charity and peace of mind, and open your heart to God.

Avoid long and foolish arguments, they only lead to disorder. A servant of God must avoid arguments. He should be kind, patient and open-minded. He must respectfully teach those that oppose him. God will show them the truth. Then they will escape the trap of the devil, who has made them his servants.

Know this: The last days will be chaotic times. Men will be proud, selfish, godless, disobedient, ingrateful; perverse, disloyal, deceitful, violent and hateful; treacherous, headstrong, conceited, loving pleasure more than God. They respect God but deny his power. Stay away from these men. They sneak around, seducing silly and sinful women. These are students who never learn the truth. These men oppose the truth just like Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They are corrupt and faithless. But they will fail, because their foolishness is obvious to everyone.

However, you understand my ideas, lifestyle, goals, faith, patience and generosity; the censorship I experienced at Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. God delivered me from it.

Everyone who follows Jesus will suffer persecution. While evil men and liars will become worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you should practice the things you studied, because you know who taught them. You have known about the scriptures since you were a child; you know that they can lead you to Christ. The Bible is the Word of God, useful for teaching, correcting and training; so a man of God can be used for good deeds.

So I entrust you before God and Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and dead when He arrives with his kingdom, preach the truth, whether the times are good or bad. Correct, encourage, and condemn, all with patience and truth. Soon, people will not listen to the truth, but they'll call in teachers to tell them whatever lies they want to hear. They will ignore the truth and listen instead to myths.

Be vigilant in everything, endure your trials, and evangelize. Prove yourself a minister, for I am being made an offering, and it is almost time for me to leave. I have fought courageously and have finished my fight. I have stayed faithful. So there is a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will set upon me on that day. But not only on me, but on all who rejoice at his coming.

Work hard so you can join me soon. Demas has abandoned me, as he loves worldliness, and left for Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke stays with me. Take Mark with you, as he will serve your ministry well. I've sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, the books, and the parchments.

Alexander, the metalworker, attacked me. The Lord judge him justly. Be wary of him. He has attacked our message.

The first time, no one would stand beside me. Everyone abandoned me. I pray to God that they won't be blamed for it. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so I could spread his gospel to all the Gentiles. So I was saved from the lion's mouth. The Lord will always save me from evil attempts and keep me safe right to his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever, Amen.

Say hello to Prisca and Aquila, and Onesiphorus' household.

Erastus stays in Corinth but when I left Trophimus in Miletum, he was sick.

Work hard to arrive before winter. Eubulus says hello, along with Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. His grace be with you. Amen.

== Forty-seven ==
{| class="wikitable" style="align:center;"
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! style="width:60%;"|Chapter 47
! style="width:40%;"|Historical texts
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<big><big><big>I</big></big></big>n A.D. '''63''', while Jesus the son of Ananias continued his melancholy cry in the city, "Woe, woe to Jerusalem!", the Jews completed the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, a work which was begun under Herod king of Judea in 27 B.C.. Ninety years was this temple in building, and now it was finished.

Now, according to Josephus, this Temple at the beginning was built upon a strong hill, anciently called [[Mount Moriah]] and [[Zion|Mount Zion]]. The site was anciently a large threshing floor. At first the plain at the top was hardly sufficient for the holy house and the altar, for the area around it was very uneven, and like a precipice, a cliff; but when king Solomon, who built the Temple, had built a wall to it on its east side, there was then added one colonnade or portico founded on an embankment cast up for it, and on the other parts of it the holy house stood exposed; but in following ages afterward the people added new earthworks, new embankments, and the hill became a larger plain. They then broke down the wall on the north side, and included as much as was enough room afterward for the area around the entire Temple; and when they had built walls on the three sides of the Temple round about, from the bottom of the hill, and had performed a work that was greater than could be hoped for (a work of long ages, exhausting also all their sacred treasures, which were constantly replenished by votive offerings sent to God from the whole habitable earth), they then enclosed their upper courts with porticoes, and they afterward did as well with the lowest court of the Temple. The lowest part of this was erected to a height of four hundred twenty-five feet, in some places more; yet the entire depth of the foundations was not visible, for they brought earth, and filled up the valleys, desiring to make them level with the narrow streets of the city; in which they used massive stones of fifty-six and a half feet; for the vast sums of money they then had, and the generosity of the people, made this attempt of theirs succeed to an incredible degree; and what no one had thought could be accomplished, was, by perseverance and length of time, brought to perfection.

Now, the works above those foundations were not unworthy of such foundations; for all the porticoes were double, double colonnades, and the pillars supporting them were thirty-five and a half feet in height, three stories tall. These pillars were each of one whole stone, and that stone was white marble; and the roofs were adorned with cedar, elaborately carved. The natural magnificence, and excellent polish, and the harmony of joints in these porticoes, presented a sight that was very truly remarkable; nor was the outside adorned with the work of any painter or engraver. The porticoes of the outermost court were forty-two and a half feet broad, while its entire encompassing length around by measure was three thousand nine hundred and sixty feet, three quarters of a mile, including the [[Antonia fortress|tower of Antonia]]; and those entire courts open to the air were paved with stones of all kinds.

After going through these first porticoes, to the second court of the Temple, there was a stone partition all around it, whose height was four and a quarter feet: its construction was very elegant; upon it stood pillars, equidistant from each other, declaring the law of purity, some in Greek, and some in Roman letters, that no foreigner should go inside that sanctuary; for that second court of the Temple was called "the Sanctuary"; and was ascended by fourteen steps from the first court. This second court was foursquare, and had a particular wall of its own around it: although the height of its buildings on the outside was fifty-six and a half feet, this was hidden by the steps, and on the inside its height was only thirty-five and a half feet; for, being built facing a higher part of the hill with steps, it could not be entirely seen further inside, being covered by the hill itself. Beyond these fourteen steps was a distance of fourteen feet, all flat and smooth, where there were other steps, each seven feet apiece, leading to the gates, eight on the north and south sides, that is, four on each side, and of necessity two on the east, ten gates; for since there was a partition built for the women on that side, as the proper place in which they were to worship, there was of necessity a second gate for them: this gate was cut out of its wall, facing the first gate. There was also on the other side one southern and one northern gate, through which was a passage into the Court of the Women; as for the other gates, the women were not allowed to pass through them; nor when they went through their own gate could they go beyond their own wall. This place was allotted equally to the Jewish women of this country and those of other countries, provided they were of the same nation, the people of the '''[[Judaism|Jews]]'''; but the wall was completely built on that side; but then the porticoes between the gates extended from the wall inward, before the chambers; for they were supported by very fine and large pillars. These porticoes were single, and, except for their size, were in no way inferior to those of the lower court.

Now nine of these gates were entirely covered with gold and silver, as were the jambs of their doors and their lintels; but there was one gate outside the inward court of the holy house, which was of Corinthian brass, and greatly excelled those that were only covered with silver and gold. Each gate had two doors, forty-two and a half feet high, and twenty-one and a quarter feet broad. However, within they had large spaces of forty-two and a half feet, and on each side rooms, and those, both in breadth and in length, were built like towers, and their height more than fifty-six and a half feet. Two pillars also supported these rooms, each seventeen feet in circumference. Now the size of the other gateways were equal to each other; but that over the Corinthian gate, which opened on the east facing the gateway of the holy house itself, was much larger; for its height was seventy feet ten inches; and its doors fifty-six and a half feet; and it was adorned in a most costly manner, having much richer and thicker plates of silver and gold than the other. The silver and gold of these nine gates had been poured on them by Alexander, the father of Tiberius. Now fifteen steps led away from the wall of the court of the women to this greater gate; while those that led there from the gates were five steps less.

As to the holy house itself, placed in the midst of the inmost court, that most sacred part of the Temple, it was ascended by twelve steps; and in front its height and its breadth were equal, each a hundred forty-one and a half feet; it was fifty-six and a half feet narrower in back, for in front it had what may be called shoulders on each side, extending twenty-eight feet four inches further. Its first gateway was ninety-nine feet high, and thirty-five and a half feet broad; but this gate had no doors; for it represented the universal visibility of heaven, and that it cannot be excluded from any place. Its front was covered with gold all over, and through it the first and more inward part of the house did all appear; which, as it was very large, so all the parts about the more inward gate appeared to shine to those that saw them; but, as the entire house within was divided into two parts, only the first part of it was open to view. All along its length it extended a hundred twenty-seven and a half feet high, its length seventy feet ten inches, and its breadth twenty-eight feet four inches; but that gate at this end of the first part of the house was, as stated, all covered with gold, as was the whole wall around it; it also had golden vines above it, from which hung clusters of grapes as tall as a man's height; but then, this house, being divided into two parts, the inner part was lower in appearance than the outer, with golden doors of seventy-seven feet eleven inches altitude, and twenty-two and half broad; but before these doors there was a veil equally large. It was a Babylonian curtain, embroidered with blue, fine linen, scarlet, and purple, and of a blending very truly wonderful. This mixture of colors was not without its mystical interpretation, but was a kind of image of the universe; for the scarlet seemed enigmatically to signify fire, the fine flax the earth, the blue the air, and the purple the sea; two of them having colors based on resemblance; but the fine flax and the purple have their origins as their basis, the earth producing the one, and the sea the other. This curtain also had embroidered on it all that was mystical in the heavens, except the [[Constellations|twelve signs of the Zodiac]], representing living creatures.

Any person who entered the Temple immediately stepped onto its floor. This part of the Temple was eighty-five feet in height, and its length the same; while its breadth was only twenty-eight feet four inches: there were no steps within the Temple, but the eighty-five foot length was divided again, the first part of it cut off at fifty-six and a half feet up to the veil, and it had in it three things that were very wonderful and famous among all mankind; the candlestick, the table of show bread, and the altar of incense. Now, the seven lamps signified the seven planets; for seven were springing out of the candlestick. Now, the twelve loaves that were on the table signified the circle of the zodiac and the year; but the altar of incense, by its thirteen kinds of sweet-smelling spices supplied by sea, signified that God is the possessor of all things that are, in both the uninhabitable and habitable parts of the earth, and that they are all to be dedicated to his use. But the second, inmost part of the Temple of all, was twenty-eight feet four inches in length, twenty-eight feet four inches in breadth, no mention of its height. No steps led up to it, but it was level with the holy place. This was also separated from the outer part only by a veil. It too is understood to be eighty-five feet in height. In this there was nothing at all. According to the law, into this second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people; for under the law of Moses almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. It was inaccessible and inviolable, and not to be seen by any; and was called the Holy of Holies.

Now, around the sides of the lower part of the Temple were little houses, with passages from one to another; there were a great many of them, and they were three stories high; there were also entrances into them on each side from the gate of the Temple. But the superior part of the Temple had no such little houses any farther up, because the Temple there was narrower, and fifty-six and a half feet higher, and smaller than the lower parts of it. Josephus gathered or concluded that the whole height, including the eighty-five feet from the floor, amounted to one hundred forty-one and a half feet.

Now the outer face of the Temple in front lacked nothing likely to surprise either men's minds or eyes, for it was covered all over with very heavy plates of gold, which, at the first rising of the sun, reflected a very fiery splendor, and made those who forced themselves to look at it to turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun's own rays. But this Temple appeared to strangers at a distance like a mountain covered with snow; for those parts of it not gilt were exceedingly white. On its top were spikes with sharp points, to prevent any pollution of it by birds sitting on it. Some of its stones were sixty-three and three quarters feet long, seven in height, and eight and a half feet in breadth. Before this Temple stood the altar, twenty-one and a quarter feet high, equal in both length and in breadth, seventy feet ten inches. It was a square figure, with corners like horns; and '''the passage up to it was an imperceptible incline, without steps'''. It was formed without any iron tool, nor did any such iron tool so much as touch it at any time. There was a separating wall of partition, about seventeen inches in height, made of fine stones, and pleasing to the sight; this encompassed the holy house, and the altar, and kept the people on the outside off and away from the priests. Moreover, those who had gonorrhea and leprosy were entirely excluded from the city; also women, when their monthly periods were on them were shut out of the Temple; nor when they were free from that impurity, were they allowed to go beyond the limiting wall already mentioned; men also, who were not thoroughly pure, because of an emission of semen, were prohibited from coming into the inner court of the Temple; no, even the priests themselves who were not pure, were also forbidden to come into it.

Now all those of priestly stock, who could not minister because of some bodily defect, came inside the dividing wall of partition along with those who had no such imperfection, and had their share with them because of their priestly stock, but still used nothing except their own private garments; for no one but he who officiated had on his sacred garments; but then the priests who were without any blemish went up to the altar clothed in fine linen. They abstained chiefly from wine, out of the fear that otherwise they should transgress some rules of their ministry. The high priest also did go up with them; indeed not always, but on the seventh days and new moons, and whenever any Jewish festivals, celebrated every year, happened. When he officiated, he had on a pair of breeches that reached under his private parts to his thighs, and had on an inner garment of linen, together with a blue garment, round, without seam, with fringework, and reaching to the feet. There were also golden bells hung on the fringes, and pomegranates between them. The bells signified thunder, and the pomegranates lightning. But the belt that tied the garment to the breast was embroidered with five rows of various colors of gold, and purple, and scarlet, also fine linen and blue; with these colors the veils of the Temple were embroidered also. Similar embroidery was on the ephod, which was folded once, making it square; but the quantity of gold in it was greater. It was like a stomacher for the breast. There were two golden buttons on it like small shields, which buttoned the ephod to the garment: these buttons enclosed two very large and very excellent sardonyxes on the one part, having the names of the tribes of that nation engraved upon them: on the other part were hung twelve stones, three in a row one way, and four in the other: a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald: a carbuncle, a jasper, and a sapphire: an agate, an amethyst, and a ligure: an onyx, a beryl, and a chrysolite; on every one them was engraved one of the forementioned names of the tribes. A miter also of fine linen surrounded his head, tied by a blue ribbon, around which was another golden crown, in which was engraved the sacred Name; it consists of four vowels. However, the high priest did not wear these garments at other times, but a more plain habit; he only did it when he went into the most sacred part of the Temple, which he did only once a year; on that day when the custom is for all Jews to keep a [[Yom Kippur|fast to God]]. And this much concerning the city and the Temple should be enough.

Now, as to the tower of Antonia, it was situated at the corner of two joined colonnades, porticoes of the court of the Temple; that on the west, and that on the north; it was erected on a rock, seventy feet ten inches high, and was on a great precipice, an immensely steep cliff; it was the work of King Herod, intended as a demonstration of his natural greatness. First, the rock itself was covered over with smooth pieces of stone from its foundation, both for ornament and so that anyone who would either try to get up or to go down it might not be able to get a foothold. Next to this, and before coming to the edifice of the tower itself, there was a wall four and a quarter feet high; but within that wall all the space of the tower of Antonia itself was built up, to the height of fifty-six and a half feet. The inner parts had the largeness and form of a palace, partitioned into all kinds of rooms and other conveniences, such as courts, and places for bathing, and broad areas for [[Bivouac|camps]]; to such an extent that, by having all the conveniences that cities lacked, it might seem to be composed of several cities, but by its magnificence, it seemed to be a palace; and while the entire structure resembled a tower, it also included four other distinct towers at its four corners; and while the others were only seventy feet ten inches high, the one on the southeast corner was ninety-nine feet high, so that from there the whole Temple might be viewed; but on the corner where it was joined to the two porticoes of the Temple, it had passages down to them both, through which the guard went by several ways among the porticoes, with their arms, on the Jewish festivals, in order to watch the people, that they might not there attempt to make any sudden changes in the social order (for a Roman legion always lay in wait there in this tower); for the Temple was a fortress that guarded the city, as the tower of Antonia was a guard to the Temple; and in that tower were the guards of those three—the guards of the city, guards of the Temple and guards of the tower of Antonia. There was also a particular fortress belonging to the upper city, which was Herod's palace; but as for the hill Bezetha, it was divided from the tower of Antonia by a valley; and as that hill on which the tower of Antonia stood was the highest of these three, so was it adjoined to the new city, and was the only place that hindered the sight of the Temple on the north.

During this same period, the Roman-Parthian War of A.D. 58-63 finally ended. Now, about the same time, in A.D. 63, Vespasian obtained from Nero the proconsulate of Africa. He had married one Flavia Domitilla, who bore his sons, Titus and Domitian, and a daughter, Flavia Domitilla. He brought them with him. While in Egypt he was primarily concerned with raising money; and his exorbitant taxations and extortions, coupled with sales of imperial estates to speculators, caused great discontent among the Egyptians. As proconsul of Africa, his extreme financial rigor made him so unpopular that on one occasion the people pelted him with turnips. While there was no ground for suspecting that his motives and policies were for personal financial gain, a reputation for avarice and greed remained with him the rest of his life.

In the [[Levant]], Gessius Florus, appointed by Nero, proved to be far worse than Albinus as [[procurator]] of Judea. He became a [[Corruption|partner]] with the brigands to receive a share of the spoils, and openly showed his lawless wickedness before the nation. He stripped whole cities, ruined entire populations, and eventually compelled the Jews to go to war with the Romans.

|

'''This chapter''' is the second part of a sixteen-part summary of the intervening years between the [[martyr]]doms of Peter and Paul under Nero and the writing of the New Testament works of the [[Epistle of Jude]], the [[Book of Revelation]] and the Letters of [[John the Apostle]]. Sources are linked below.
:Historians and Bible scholars disagree on the precise dates of the intervening years. But in general they do agree that the entire historical period extends from about A.D. 67 through 90. The summary of the intervening years continues in the next seven chapters Forty-eight through Fifty-four. The concluding chapters Fifty-five and Fifty-six of this ''Harmony of the Gospel'' contain the [[Clement of Rome|First Letter of Clement]] and the Letter of Jude, and the Book of Revelation and the Letters of John.

:Note to the reader:

:The text of this chapter is a redaction of the informative sources listed and linked below, rearranged, chronologically sequenced, collated, condensed, combined and adapted, while seeking to preserve much of their expressive language, and in some instances updating and improving both their translations and the written copy. This accounts for the several apparent repetitions, parallel constructions and duplications in the text, which have been kept to a minimum as far as possible without loss of information.

:The reader is invited to access the linked sources below, to observe how the authors of both the representations of the original historical material, and their often copyrighted historical summary accounts of what happened, in many instances closely parallel each other, without their authors apparently seeking permission of other copyright owners, and without their being charged with plagiarism or violation of copyright for what they have written.


'''Texts''' Leviticus 15:16 ''adapted'' Hebrews 9:7, 22 ''adapted'' '''Ecclesiastical History''' Book II, chapter 24 '''Wars''' 6.5.3 [5:300-309] '''Wars''' 5.5.1-8 [5:184-247]

'''Twelve Caesars: Nero''' 8–15 '''Antiquities''' 20.8.2–20.11.1 [20:153–258] '''Wars''' 2.12.8–2.14.3 [2:247–283] '''Twelve Caesars: Vespasian''' 3-4

''Compare'' [http://ebible.org/web/ World English Bible text] [http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/new-testament/ Greek original text] [http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=0&b=1 Latin Vulgate text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrs/ NRSV text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/scofield-reference-notes/ Scofield Reference Bible (1917 Edition)] [[Conservative Bible]] text [http://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/1-1.htm ''multiple versions of any verse''] [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/1-1.htm ''multiple commentaries any passage''] 
[http://biblehub.com/interlinear/ ''interlinear Bible: Hebrew, Greek, English''] [http://bibleatlas.org/ Bible maps (''click initial letter of place name'')] [https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/ '''Bible Encyclopedias''': Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature (studylight.org)] [http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia '''Catholic Encyclopedia''' Catholic Online (catholic.org)] '''[http://calcuworld.com/calendar-calculators/hebrew-calendar-converter/ Hebrew Calendar Converter]''' ''See exact equivalents of Gregorian Calendar dates.'' 
:—in Gregorian Calendar click the cursor in the day, month, or year fields, to highlight selection, then use [Backspace ←] and [←] [→] right and left arrow keys in the day and year fields, and [Backspace ←] and [ ↑ ] [ ↓ ] up and down arrow keys in the month field, then click on [Calculate].

[http://www.kalvesmaki.com/LXX/NTChart.htm Table of Old Testament quotes in the New Testament, in English translation, Joel Kalvesmaki 2013 (kalvesmaki.com)]

[http://www.bible.ca/manuscripts/List-of-300-Old-Testament-passage-quotes-in-New-Testament-Septuagint-Codex-Vaticanus-LXX-Masoretic-MT-Jewish-Tanakh-Bible.htm List of 300 Septuagint Old Testament quotations in the New Testament, by Steve Rudd 2017 (bible.ca)]

[[Septuagint#Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament|Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament]]

[http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2501.htm '''Church History (Eusebius)''': The Ecclesiastical History Of Eusebius Pamphilus: Bishop Of Caesarea, In Palestine (newadvent.org)]

[http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ '''The Works of Flavius Josephus''' William Whiston, Translator, 1737 (sacred-texts.com)]

[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6400/6400-h/6400-h.htm '''Suetonius: Twelve Caesars''': The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by C. Suetonius Tranquilus; To which are added His Lives of the Grammarians, Rhetoricians, and Poets. The Translation of Alexander Thomson, M.D., Revised and corrected by T. Forester, Esq., A.M. (Gutenberg.org)]

[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.html '''Tacitus: The Annals''', Written 109 A.C.E. Translated by Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb]

[http://www.roman-emperors.org/epitome.htm '''Sextus Aurelius Victor: Epitome De Caesaribus''' (roman-emperors.org)]

[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/eutropius_breviarium_2_text.htm '''Eutropius: Breviarium''' - Eutropius's Abridgement of Roman History (tertullian.org)]

[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html '''Cassius Dio: Roman History''' Epitome (penelope.uchicago.edu)]

[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/index.html '''Early Christian Writings''' A.D. 30 through 380 (earlychristianwritings.com)] See '''[[Biblical Canon]]''' and '''[[Apocrypha]]'''.

[https://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/ntesources/ntarticles/ctr-nt/mcray-archaeologyacts-ctr.pdf '''Archaeology and the Book of Acts''' John McRay, Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, IL 60187] pdf

*'''[[Nero]]''' (Conservapedia
*[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nero-Roman-emperor '''Nero: Roman Emperor''' (britannica.com)]
*[http://www.roman-emperors.org/nero.htm '''Nero (54-68 A.D.)''' Herbert W. Benaris, Emory University (roman-emperors.org)]
*[http://www.ancient.eu/Nero/ '''Nero''' by Donald L. Wasson (ancient.eu)]
*[http://www.livius.org/articles/person/nero/ '''Nero - Livius''' (livius.org)]
*[http://www.ancientromanemperors.net/nero.html '''Nero''' (ancientromanemperors.net)]
*[http://www.romanemperors.com/nero.htm '''Nero 54-68 A.D. Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus''' (romanemperors.com)]
*[http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/nero '''Nero''' History (video included) (history.com)]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/nero.shtml '''Nero (34 AD - 68 AD)''' BBC History (bbc.co.uk)]
*[http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/nero.html '''Nero''' PBS (pbs.org)]
*[https://www.thoughtco.com/all-about-nero-119988 '''Nero''' by N. S. Gill (thoughtco.com)]
*[http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/daily-life-and-practice/gold-nero-coin-jerusalem '''Gold Nero Coin Comes to Light in Jerusalem''' Coin of Roman Emperor Nero discovered by the Mount Zion Project (biblicalarchaeology.org)]
*[https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hdn/n/nero.html '''Nero''' - Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament (studylight.org)]
*[https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hdb/n/nero.html '''Nero''' - Holman Bible Dictionary (studylight.org)]
*[http://classic.studylight.org/dic/hbd/view.cgi?number=T4578 '''Nero''' - Holman Bible Dictionary (classic.studylight.org)]
*[http://classic.studylight.org/dic/ebd/view.cgi?number=T2710 '''Nero''' - Easton's Bible Dictionary(studylight.org)]
*[http://classic.studylight.org/enc/isb/view.cgi?number=T6361 '''Nero''' - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (classic.studylight.org)]
*[http://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/mse/n/nero.html '''Nero''' - Bible Encyclopedias (studylight.org)]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10752c.htm '''Nero''' - Catholic Encyclopedia (newadvent.org)]
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nero '''Nero''' - Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)]
*[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6400/6400-h/6400-h.htm#link2H_4_0007 '''Suetonius, ''The Twelve Caesars'', Nero''' (gutenberg.org)]
*[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.9.xiii.html '''Tacitus, ''Annals'', 9. XIII''' - Nero (classics.mit.edu)]

*'''[[Vespasian]]''' (Conservapedia)
*[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vespasian '''Vespasian: Roman Emperor''' (britannica.com)]
*[http://www.roman-emperors.org/vespasia.htm '''Vespasian''' (roman-emperors.org)]
*[http://www.ancient.eu/Vespasian/ '''Vespasian''' by Donald L. Wasson (ancient.eu)]
*[http://www.livius.org/articles/person/vespasian/ '''Vespasian - Livius''' (livius.org)]
*[http://www.ancientromanemperors.net/vespasian.html '''Vespasian''' (ancientromanemperors.net)]
*[http://www.romanemperors.com/vespasian.htm '''Vespasian (69 - 79 A.D.) Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus''' (romanemperors.com)]
*[https://www.thoughtco.com/roman-emperor-vespasian-112477 '''Roman Emperor Vespasian''' by N. S. Gill's Ancient/Classical History Glossary (thoughtco.com)]
*[https://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2009/03/23/The-Imperial-Cult-and-the-Resurrection-of-the-Lord-Jesus.aspx#Article '''Titus Flavius Josephus and the Prophet Jeremiah''' Avishai Margalit contrasts the legacies of a historian and a prophet (biblearchaelogy.org)] ''The article includes information on the emperors of Rome including Vespasian and his family and his successors.''
*[https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hdn/v/vespasian.html '''Vespasian''' - Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament (studylight.org)]
*[https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hbd/v/vespasian.html '''Vespasian''' - Holman Bible Dictionary (studylight.org)]
*[http://classic.studylight.org/dic/hbd/view.cgi?number=T6397 '''Vespasian''' - Holman Bible Dictionary (classic.studylight.org)]
*[https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Vespasian '''Vespasian''' - Encyclopedia of the Bible (biblegateway.com)]
*[http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=12006 '''Vespasian''' (Titus Flavius Vespasianus) - Catholic Online (catholic.org)]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15379a.htm '''Vespasian''' - Catholic Encyclopedia (newadvent.org)]
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespasian '''Vespasian''' - Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)]
*[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6400/6400-h/6400-h.htm#link2H_4_0011 '''Suetonius, ''The Twelve Caesars'': Vespasian''' (gutenberg.org)]
*[http://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/tacitusc/histries/chap8.htm '''Tacitus, ''Histories'', Vespasian''' (ourcivilization.com)]

See also the following resources:
*[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.10.xiv.html '''Tacitus, ''Annals'', 10. XIV''' - Vespasian A.D. 59 - 62 (classics.mit.edu)]
*[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.11.xv.html '''Tacitus, ''Annals'', 11. XV''' - Vespasian A.D. 62 - 65 (classics.mit.edu)]
*[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.12.xvi.html '''Tacitus, ''Annals'', 12. XVI''' - Vespasian A.D. 65, 66 (classics.mit.edu)]
:'''Cassius Dio: [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/64*.html ''Roman History'': Epitome of Book LXIV]'''
*'''Cassius Dio: [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/65*.html ''Roman History'': Epitome of Book LXV]'''
*'''Cassius Dio: [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/66*.html ''Roman History'': Epitome of Book LXVI]'''

"''' In A.D. 63 the Jews completed the rebuilding of the Second Temple ... this Temple at the beginning was built on a strong hill.'''". 
:The description of the completed temple here is from Josephus, ''Wars'', Book 5, Chapter 6.

:Material in ''The Wars of the Jews'', Book 5, Chapters 5 and 6, the descriptions of the city and of the temple provided by Josephus, have been moved and placed in this ''Harmony'' according to a more chronological and historical sequence, as descriptions of them as they were before they were burnt and destroyed, rather than as the historian himself arranged and presented them within the account of the Roman siege, as retrospective reflections on what had been lost.

:See [https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=virtual+3d+tour+of+josephus'+temple+of+jerusalem&qpvt=virtual+3d+tour+of+josephus%27+temple+of+jerusalem&FORM=VDRE '''Virtual 3D Tour of Josephus' Temple of Jerusalem''' (bing.com)]


"''' The lowest part of this was erected to a height of four hundred twenty-five feet '''"
:—literally, "twenty-five cubits" ''Whiston translation''.

:Throughout this version the [[cubit]] (abbrev. cu.) is taken to be seventeen inches, approximately a foot and a half, a length as measured from the tip of the bent elbow to the tip of the middle finger of the average five foot tall Middle Eastern first century male.
:'''2 cu.''' = 17" × 2 = 34" ÷ 12 = 2.83333...ft., about three feet '''3 cu.''' = 17" × 3 = 51" ÷ 12 = 4.25 ft., or four and a quarter feet '''5 cu.''' = 17" × 5 = 85" ÷ 12 = 7.083333...ft., or seven feet '''6 cu.''' = 17" × 6 = 102" ÷ 12 = 8.5 ft., eight and a half feet '''10 cu.''' = 17" × 10 = 170" ÷ 12 = 14.16666...ft., about fourteen feet '''12 cu.''' = 17" × 12 = 204" ÷ 12 = 17 ft., seventeen feet '''15 cu.''' = 17" × 15 = 255" ÷ 12 = 21.25 ft., twenty-one and a quarter feet '''16 cu.''' = 17" × 16 = 272"÷ 12 = 22.66666...ft., about twenty-two and a half feet '''20 cu.''' = 17" × 20 = 340" ÷ 12 = 28.3333...ft., roughly twenty-eight feet four inches '''25 cu.''' = 425" ÷ 12 = 35.416666...ft, about thirty-five and a half feet '''30 cu.''' = 510" ÷ 12 = 42.5 ft. forty-two and a half feet '''40 cu.''' = 680" ÷ 12 = 56.66666667 ft., about fifty-six and a half feet '''45 cu.''' = 765" ÷ 12 = 63.75 ft., sixty-three and three quarters feet '''50 cu.''' = 850" ÷ 12 = 70.83333...ft., about seventy feet ten inches '''55 cu.''' = 935" ÷ 12 = 77.91666...ft., seventy-seven feet eleven inches '''60 cu.''' = 1020" ÷ 12 = 85 ft., eighty-five feet '''70 cu.''' = 1190" ÷ 12 = 99.16666...ft., almost exactly ninety-nine feet and one and a quarter inches, or more simply about ninety-nine feet. '''90 cu.''' = 1530" ÷ 12 = 127.5 ft., a hundred twenty-seven and a half feet '''100 cu.''' = 1700" ÷ 12 = 141.6666...ft., about one hundred forty-one and a half feet '''200 cu.''' = 3400" ÷ 12 = 283.3333...ft., about two hundred three and three quarters feet '''300 cu.''' = 5100" ÷ 12 = 425 ft., four hundred twenty-five feet


"'''while its entire encompassing length around by measure was three thousand nine hundred and sixty feet, three quarters of a mile'''"
:—"its entire compass was, by measure, six furlongs" ''Whiston translation''.

:Throughout this version the [[furlong]] in Whiston's translation of Josephus is taken to be six hundred and sixty feet, one eighth of a mile. One mile is 5280 feet, or 1760 yards, or 8 furlongs. 6 furlongs = 660' × 6 = 3960 ft. ÷ 5280 ft. = 0.75 mi., three quarters of a mile See [http://www.convertunits.com/from/furlongs/to/mile Convert furlongs to miles (convertunits.com)]


"'''the second, inmost part of the Temple of all, was twenty-eight feet four inches in length, twenty-eight feet four inches in breadth. No steps led up to it, but it was level with the holy place. This was also separated from the outer part only by a veil. It too is understood to be eighty-five feet in height. In this there was nothing at all.'''"
:''Wars'' 5.5.5 [219] ''amplified''.
:Josephus takes careful note of the placement of stairs of steps and their size at several places everywhere else in his detailed description of the structure of the whole of the temple area. He says nothing of ''steps'' inside the holy place ''leading up'' to the separating veil and the inner holy of holies. This idea of a stairway of steps within the holy place ascending up to the holy of holies is found nowhere in Josephus, Philo or in the Old Testament books of Kings, nor is it found in the description of the [[Tabernacle|Tabernacle in the Wilderness]] in the books of Moses, but it is a product of the imaginations of artists and builders of models of the [[Temple]] of Solomon, based on the Greek idea that the exact square and the flawless cube are the [[Pythagoras|Pythagorean]] geometric symbols of absolute perfection. These designers place the floor of the holy of holies, a cubical space "twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high" (1 Kings 6:20), twenty-eight feet four inches in length, breadth and height, at a height of twenty cubits, twenty-eight feet four inches elevation above the level of the floor of the holy place, thereby positioning the holy of holies in the middle third of the height of eighty-five feet (85 ÷ 3 = 28.33333....) with its interior ceiling positioned twenty cubits higher at fifty-six feet eight inches elevation above the level of the floor of the holy place (28.33333... × 2 = 56.66666...). This twenty cubit elevation requires (a symbolic number of) steps leading up into the holy of holies.

:The LORD said to Moses, "You shall not go up by steps to my altar." Exodus 20:26. This makes the interior space of the holy of holies twenty cubits wide and twenty cubits long and the interior height of the Temple roof above the floor sixty cubits high, eighty-five feet. David's plans for the Temple (1 Chronicles 28:11) specified the dimensions of the "room for the mercy seat" as "twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high" (1 Kings 6:20). Josephus does not tell the interior height of the holy of holies in the Temple of Jerusalem (re)built by King Herod. We do not know if it had a particular ceiling of its own twenty-eight feet four inches high, twenty cubits above its floor. Josephus does say that the interior length of the Temple was sixty cubits, it was eighty-five feet long, and divided only by the veil.

:[[Mysticism|Mystics]] of all ages have maintained that there is only a thin veil separating the visible reality of existence from the invisible reality of existence where God dwells in eternity. This is the mystical interpretation of the symbolic structure of a seamless, level floor leading from the holy place into the holy of holies behind the veil in the temple.

:[[Hinduism]], [[Mystery religion]]s, [[Gnosticism|Gnostic]] teachings, [[Kabbalah|Qabalism]], [[Manichaeanism]], [[Alchemy]], [[Freemasonry|Masonic symbolism]], [[Rosicrucianism]], the teachings of the [[Theosophical Society]], [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints|Mormonism]] and [[New age movement|New Age]] philosophies all promote the idea of ascending and descending levels of being, attained only by those who are deemed worthy of being initiated into various [[esoteric]] mysteries.

:St. Paul's Letter to the [[Colossians]] is an outstanding response to these deceptive and erroneous doctrines and philosophies. Esotericists who point to Paul's statement in 2 Corinthians 12:2-3 referring to "''the third heaven''" and being "''caught up into Paradise''", and to his reference to the "''mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to his saints''" (Colossians 1:26) and to the comprehension with all the saints of the "''length and breadth and height and depth''" (Ephesians 3:18; see Romans 11:33; 8:38-39) are willingly ignoring the three heavens of Judaism and of the Old Testament Scriptures: the heaven of the sky, the heaven of the stars, and the heaven of God and his throne, the true Paradise of God. See 2 Peter 3:10-18 and Hebrews 12:18-29. Those who are "in Christ" are already "seated in heavenly places" (Ephesians 2:5-6; 2:19-22; 1:3; 3:10). "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men" (Revelation 21:3b). See John 14:23.

:"It too is understood to be eighty-five feet in height. In this there was nothing at all." Those who occupy themselves with symbolic interpretations will note that the height of eighty-five feet is divisible by three: 20 cubits by 20 cubits by 20 cubits surmounted by a second level of 20 cubits by 20 cubits by 20 cubits surmounted by a third level of 20 cubits by 20 cubits by 20 cubits, 28 feet 4 inches by 28 feet 4 inches by 28 feet 4 inches surmounted by a second level of 28 feet 4 inches by 28 feet 4 inches by 28 feet 4 inches surmounted by a third level of 28 feet 4 inches by 28 feet 4 inches by 28 feet 4 inches. This no doubt mystically corresponds to the three heavens of Jewish cosmology, and to the first, second and third stories of height inside the temple. ''See especially the following verses'':
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/ephesians/3-18.htm Ephesians 3:18]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/2_timothy/2-23.htm 2 Timothy 2:23]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_timothy/1-4.htm 1 Timothy 1:4]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/1_timothy/1-6.htm 1 Timothy 1:6]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/titus/1-14.htm Titus 1:14]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/psalms/131-1.htm Psalm 131:1]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/deuteronomy/29-29.htm Deuteronomy 29:29]
:*[http://biblehub.com/multi/colossians/2-8.htm Colossians 2:8] .


"'''into this second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people; for under the law of Moses almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.'''" 
:See Hebrews 9:7 and 22.


"'''and the passage up to it was an imperceptible incline'''" 
:''Wars'' 5.5.6 [225]
:The law of Moses prohibited steps or stairs up to the altar. [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/exodus/20-26.htm Exodus 20:26]


"'''men also, who were not thoroughly pure, because of an emission of semen, were prohibited from coming into the inner court of the Temple'''" 
:See [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/leviticus/15-16.htm commentaries on Leviticus 15:16]


"'''another golden crown, in which was engraved the sacred Name; it consists of four vowels.'''" 
:Four Hebrew characters or letters.
:Translations of Josephus specify that the Name here "consists of four vowels".

:Since Hebrew writing of the first century consisted of consonantal characters only, by the word "vowels" the text most probably implies "sounds", meaning that that Holy Name was pronounced with four sounds, known to us as the sounds of the four letters ''Yod, He, Vav, He,'' the [[Tetragrammaton]] — '''<big><big> יהוה</big></big>''' — which is actually four Hebrew ''consonants''.


"'''the Roman-Parthian War of A.D. 58 to 63 finally ended.'''" 
:Amplification from history.
:*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman%E2%80%93Parthian_War_of_58%E2%80%9363 '''Roman-Parthian War of 58-63''' (wikipedia.org)]
:*[http://www.wfltd.com/persians/parthia6.htm '''The Parthians''' (wfltd.com)]
:*[http://www.crystalinks.com/Parthian_Empire.html '''Parthian Empire''' (crystalinks.com)]
:*[http://www.ancient.eu/image/567/ '''Map of the Roman-Parthian War 61-63 AD''' (ancient.eu)] ''operations during the latter part of the war''.

:Compare [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/revelation/16-12.htm Revelation 16:12] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/24-6.htm Matthew 24:6]. See [[Revelation, Book of (historical exegesis)#The Sixth Plague: the Irrevocable Parthian Attack and the Roman Response|'''Book of Revelation: The Parthian Attack''']].


"'''Vespasian obtained from Nero the ''proconsulate'' of Africa'''" 
:Nero appointed him proconsul of Africa.
:In ancient Rome, proconsul was a lesser rank than [[consul]]. In the [[Roman Republic]] the title of ''consul'' was conferred on each of the two annually elected chief [[magistrate]]s who jointly exercised the highest authority in the Republic for one year, one over the east and one over the west, and they could not be re-elected for ten years. In the subsequent [[Roman Empire]], the title of consul was retained as a significant title of authority designating a rank immediately below the emperor, and often there were more than two consuls. The man who attained a ''consulate'' was a ''consul''. In both the ancient Roman Republic and the ancient Roman Empire, a ''proconsul'' was usually a former consul, who had consular rank as the governor or military commander of a province, under the immediate authority of a higher ranking consul, or was directly under the authority of the emperor. A man who obtained a ''proconsulate'' was a ''proconsul''. See the following resources:
:*[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/consul Consul (thefreedictionary.com)]
:*[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/proconsul Proconsul (thefreedictionary.com)]
:*[https://www.thoughtco.com/who-were-the-roman-consuls-120821 Who Were the Roman Consuls and How Did They Rule Rome? By N. S. Gill (thoughtco.com)]


"'''Vespasian had married one Flavia Domitilla, who bore his sons Titus and Domitian and a daughter, Flavia Domitilla.'''" 
:Both mother and daughter have the same name. See end paragraph of Britannica article [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vespasian Vespasian], also [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:abo:phi,1348,020:3 Suetonius, ''Twelve Caesars'', Vespasian 3.]


|}

[The events of A.D. 62 through 63 are not included in the [[Conservative Bible]] New Testament.]

== Forty-eight ==
{| class="wikitable" style="align:center;"
|-
! style="width:60%;"|Chapter 48
! style="width:40%;"|Historical texts
|- style="text-align:left; background:#ffffec; vertical-align:top;"
| style="text-align:left;"|

'''<big><big><big>U</big></big></big>'''nderstand this one thing clearly: The works of the world, the flesh and the Devil are opposed to the works of the Kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ. We can plainly see from history how the [[culture]] and [[government]] of the [[Paganism|pagan]] [[Roman Empire]] under the Caesars is opposed to the apostolic doctrine and practice of the [[catholic]] church of Christ under God. While we are like sheep in the midst of wolves, we are not ignorant of the designs of Satan, so that we may be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

About this time, in A.D. 63, Nero developed strange religious enthusiasms and became increasingly attracted to the Teachers and preachers of novel cults. Punishments were inflicted on the Christians, a [[sect]] seen as professing a new and disruptively harmful [[superstition]] unnaturally opposed to human nature, and to the worship of the gods. We were dismissed as fools by [[Stoicism|Stoics]] and [[Epicurus|Epicurians]] alike. The Apostle Peter was martyred under Nero as well as the Apostle Paul.

Nero's vices gradually began to dominate him completely. He no longer tried to trivialize or hide or deny them, but he became more brazen, urged on by the ''genius'' of the emperor. His feasts began to last from noon to midnight. He sometimes drained the artificial lake in the Campus Martius or the other one in the Roman Circus and hold dinner parties there, with prostitutes and dancing girls from all over the city serving as waitresses. Whenever he floated down the Tiber to Ostia or cruised past the city of Baiae, he had a row of temporary brothels erected along the shore, where a number of Roman noblewomen, playing the role of [[Prostitution|madams]], stood waiting to solicit his business.

Nero was not satisfied with seducing freeborn boys and married women. He tried to turn the boy Sporus into a girl by [[castration]], and then later went through a wedding ceremony with him, which the whole court attended, complete with dowry, bridal veil, floral arrangements, musicians and lavishly dressed attendants. Then he brought him home and treated him as a wife. Many joked that the world would have been a happier place if Nero's father Domitius had married that kind of wife, because Nero would never have been born. He dressed Sporus in clothes normally worn by an empress, and took him in his own litter not only to every Greek legislative gathering and fair, but eventually through the market street in Rome called the Sigillaria, so-named because small decorative pottery pieces called sigillaria were typically sold there, and on the final day of the celebration of the Saturnalia gifts like these were exchanged—and there Nero kissed him frequently with a dramatic and loathsome display of amorous passion.

His lust for his own mother Agrippina was notorious, but her enemies, fearing that she would become even more powerful and ruthless than ever, would not permit him to consummate his passion for her; so he found a new mistress who resembled her exactly. It was said that he actually did commit incest with Agrippina herself every time they rode together in the same litter, and the condition of his clothes when he emerged was seen as proof of this.

He invented for himself a game in which he dressed in animal skins, then burst forth suddenly from an artificial cave and attacked the private parts of both men and women bound to stakes; then, when he had reached an aroused peak of frenzy from this, he allowed his freedman Doryphorus to have his way with him and to [[Homosexuality|sodom]]ize him. Doryphorus now married Nero just as Nero had married Sporus, and on the wedding night Nero imitated the screams and moans of a girl losing her virginity. It was said that he was convinced that no one could remain sexually chaste or pure in any respect and that most people concealed their secret vices. It was also said that, if anyone charged with obscene practices confessed to the charge, then Nero forgave him all his other crimes.

He believed that family fortunes were made to be squandered. He deeply admired his uncle Gaius [[Caligula]] merely because he had run through Tiberius's vast fortune, and he himself never hesitated about giving away or wasting money. He was most wasteful in his architectural projects. He built a magnificent house called the Passageway, stretching from the [[Seven hills of Rome|Palatine Hill to the Esquiline Hill]]. He spent eight hundred thousand sesterces a day on the visiting King Tiridates of [[Parthia]], and gave him a parting gift of a hundred million. At dice he would stake four hundred thousand gold pieces on each spot of the winning face of the dice. He never wore the same clothes twice. He went fishing with a net made of gold strung with purple and scarlet cord. It was said that he seldom traveled with a train of less than a thousand carriages. The draft mules were shod with silver, the muleteers wore Canusian wool from Canusium, a town renowned for the quality of its wool, and he was escorted by mounted North African Mazaces, those people most famously known as Mazacian horsemen; his outriders wore jingling bracelets and medallions.

He had long coveted the sites of several granaries, which were solidly built in stone near the Passageway palace. In A.D. '''64''' he knocked down their walls with siege engines, and set fire to their interiors. Pretending to be disgusted by the drab old buildings and narrow, winding streets of Rome, he brazenly [[Arson|set fire]] to the city, causing the infamous [[Burning of Rome]]. During the fire Nero was at his villa at Antium 35 miles from Rome and therefore could not personally be held legally responsible for the burning of the city. Although a number of former [[Consul]]s caught his attendants trespassing on their property with tow and blazing torches, they dared not interfere. This terror lasted six days and seven nights. Many people took shelter in the tombs. A vast number of tenements burned down, houses of famous generals with their trophies, temples dating back to the time of the kingship with others dedicated during the [[Punic Wars|Punic]] and [http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_gallic.html Gallic Wars], and every ancient monument of historical interest that had survived to that time. The Passageway palace also burned. Nero, watching the conflagration from the tower in the Gardens of Maecenas, was enraptured by what he called "the beauty of the flames". He then put on his tragedian's costume, and sang in its entirety from beginning to end ''The Fall of Troy''. Afterward, desiring to collect for himself as much loot as possible, he offered to remove corpses and rubble free of charge, but allowed no one else to search among the ruins, even of his own house. Then he established a fire-relief fund and insistently demanded contributions. This bled the [https://www.dictionary.com/browse/provincial provincials] dry and reduced all private citizens to almost total [[Poverty|beggary]].

Nero’s reputation sank to a new low when he took advantage of the fire’s destruction. Nero had the city reconstructed in the Greek style, and began building a prodigious palace: the Passageway palace had burned, but he rebuilt it and renamed it ''Domus Aurea'', "The Golden House". A triple colonnade or portico ran for a whole mile along it, and a huge one hundred and twenty foot high statue of himself as the sun-god ''Helios'' stood in the entrance hall, twelve stories tall. A vast, enormous pool, more like a sea, was surrounded by buildings resembling cities, and a garden of plowed fields, vineyards, pastures and woodlands full of roaming domestic and wild animals. Parts of this house were overlaid with gold, precious stones and mother-of-pearl. All the dining rooms had ceilings of carved ivory, with sliding panels that allowed a rain of flowers or perfume to suddenly shower down on the guests. The roof of the circular main dining room revolved slowly like the sky, all day and all night. When this was finished and Nero had dedicated it, he said, "Good. Now at last I can begin to live like a human being."

Had the Golden House been finished according to plan, it would have covered a third of Rome. This was not his only building project.

The Roman populace believed that he himself had started the fire in Rome in order to indulge his aesthetic tastes in the city’s subsequent reconstruction. According to ''The Annals'' of the Roman historian [[Tacitus]] and ''The Twelve Caesars'' of the Roman biographer [[Suetonius]], Nero responded to public rumors that he was the arsonist by trying to shift responsibility for the fire onto the Christians, who were popularly thought to engage in many wicked practices, such as
:secret rites of initiation involving water,

:[[incest]]uous marriages between sisters and brothers,

:banquets of feasting on the flesh and blood of a man, or on the flesh and blood of a child,

:the [[treason]]ous [[atheism]] of intolerantly denying the existence of the [[Other gods|gods of Rome]] and denying the [[Deification|divinity of the emperor]],

:the worship of a dead man who had been executed by the Roman authorities and claiming that he alone was the supreme ruler and God,

:and their obvious [[Psychopath|hatred of the human race]] by their refusal to participate in civic festivals and entertainments, to attend plays and public spectacles, or to go to see the games in the arena,

:and the provoking of riots among the populace by their [[Rhetoric|words]].

The historian [[Tacitus]] said that Nero used the Christians as [[scapegoat]]s for the great fire of A.D. 64. He was a young man when he witnessed this. Nero attempted to systematically exterminate all people who professed faith in the new-found Christian religion. Under Nero's evil rule, Romans witnessed the worst atrocities upon his victims. He did not just kill Christians, he made them suffer extremely. Nero enjoyed dipping the Christians in hot tar, and impaling them alive on poles around his palace; he would then light them on fire.

Up to that time, the government had not clearly distinguished Christians from Jews; but by his organized persecution of them in reprisal for the burning of Rome, Nero initiated a precedent for the later Roman state policy of persecution of the Christians, earning him the reputation of [[Antichrist]] and the Beast in the Christian tradition.

When Nero found himself bankrupt and unable to provide either his soldiers' pay or his veterans their benefits, he resorted to bribery and blackmail. He imposed a [[Estate tax|death tax]] of five-sixths of an estate, seized the estates of those he deemed ingrates for not bequeathing him enough, and fined the legal specialists who had dictated and written such wills. He encouraged informants who testified with prejudice to words or deeds of anyone that could be interpreted as ''maiestas'', which is, "debasing the dignity and majesty of the Roman empire": a crime punishable by loss of fortune, estate, freedom and even life. He took back those presents he had given Greek cities in acknowledgement of prizes won at musical or athletic contests, and finally robbed numerous temples of their treasures and melted down the gold and silver images of their gods, including the images of the household gods of Rome.

Nero also abused his power in the government, and committed the management of affairs to those vile wretches, Caius Nymphidius Sabinus and Ofonius Tigellinus, his unworthy freedmen, so that he might the more fully devote himself to his artistic, dramatic and musical endeavors.

In A.D. '''65''', Nero kicked Poppaea to death in a violent beating while she was pregnant. Thus, Poppaea died, and he subsequently married the [[patrician]] lady Statilia Messalina, whose husband he was obliged to murder before he could legally marry her.

Nero had many antagonists by this time. The great conspiracy in 65 to make Gaius Calpurnius Piso emperor reveals the diversity of his enemies—senators, knights, officers, and [[philosopher]]s. That the conspiracy included military officers would have normally been interpreted as an ominous sign, but Nero did not panic. Slaves kept him out of danger by warning him of plots that were hatching among their masters, but he did not altogether abandon his lenient attitude toward the aristocracy. Out of forty-one participants in the Piso conspiracy, only eighteen died, either by his order or from fear, including [[Seneca]] and the poet [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lucan-Roman-author Lucan]; the others were exiled or pardoned.

After two conspiracies, one in Rome, and one in Beneventum, Nero resolved on a wholesale massacre of the nobility. Nothing and no one could restrain Nero from murdering anyone he pleased, on any pretext whatever. Those he ordered to commit suicide were never given more than an hour to settle their affairs.

In addition to the disasters of Nero's reign, in a single autumn thirty thousand deaths from plague were recorded at the Grove of Libitina. In the provinces huge numbers of Romans and their allies were massacred when two important British garrison towns were taken by storm. Proud Roman legions in Armenia were shamefully defeated and put under the yoke. Syria was almost lost at the same time. These humiliations were blamed on the anger of the gods, said to be aroused by the obstinate refusal of Christians to worship them, and only when they were entirely exterminated would the gods be appeased. Such was the state of affairs under the ''genius'' of the emperor.

During this period, [[Titus Flavius Vespasianus|Titus]], the future emperor and son of [[Vespasian]], one of Nero's generals, married twice. His first wife, Arrecina Tertulla, died and he had married the very well-connected Marcia Furnilla; and now about A.D. 65 his only child was born, a daughter, Flavia Julia; but soon afterward he divorced her mother, his second wife, Marcia Furnilla.

Meanwhile, in Judea, Cestius Gallus, the governor, desiring to inform Nero of the power of the city, who otherwise was disposed to scornfully despise that nation, petitioned the high priests, if the thing were possible, to take the number of their whole multitude. So these high priests, on the coming of their feast called the Passover, when they slay their sacrifices from the ninth hour to the eleventh, 3 P.M. to 5 P.M.—but so that a company not less than what they call a ''minyan'' of ten belong to every sacrifice (for it is not lawful for them to feast individually by themselves), and many Jews are twenty in a company—found the number of sacrifices was two hundred fifty-six thousand five hundred; which, by allowing no more than ten who feast together, amounts to about two million seven hundred thousand two hundred persons who were pure and holy; as for those who have leprosy, or gonorrhea, or women having their monthly periods, or those who are otherwise polluted, it is not lawful for them to be '''partakers''' of this sacrifice; nor indeed for any foreigners either, who come to Jerusalem to worship; and not one of these was counted among the whole number of the multitude.

And truly, while Cestius Gallus was governor of the province of Syria, no one dared do so much as send an embassy to him against Florus; but when he came to Jerusalem, on the approach of the feast of Unleavened Bread, a huge throng surrounded him of not fewer than three million: these besought him to commiserate the calamities of their nation, and cried out against Florus as the bane of their land, denouncing him as having ruined the country. Florus, who was at his side, scoffed at the protests, but Cestius promised the people greater moderation from Florus in the future, and he returned to Antioch. Florus accompanied him as far as Caesarea, scheming all the while to provoke the Jews to open revolt.

Now, Eusebius tells us that it is only right to show the gracious kindness of God's Providence in delaying the destruction of the Jews for forty years after their crime against Christ. During that period of time, most of the Apostles were yet still alive and dwelling in Jerusalem, as a bulwark against judgment providing powerful protection for the place, including James himself, "the Just", who is '''called''' the Lord's '''brother''', whom Josephus mentions and Eusebius praises, the first [[Bishop|Episcopos]] of Jerusalem and author of the [[Epistle of James]], who afterward was slain for his witness to the Lord. For God was patient forty years, giving the whole of the people opportunity to finally repent of their misdeeds and thus find pardon and salvation, and also by sending miraculous warnings and signs of what would happen if they failed to repent. Members of the Jerusalem Assembly were then ordered by a prophetic revelation, given to those worthy of it, to leave the city and settle in a city of [http://www.bible-history.com/geography/ancient-israel/perea.html Perea] called Pella. They migrated there from Jerusalem before the war in Judea began, so that it seemed as if, once holy men had deserted the royal capital of the Jews and the whole land of Judea, and this restraint had been removed, as [[Lot]] had removed from Sodom, then the judgment of God might finally fall on them for their crimes against Christ and his Holy Apostles, utterly blotting out all that wicked generation, that upon them might come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom they murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

According to tradition, the two Apostles [[Jude the Apostle|Saint Jude]] and [[Simon the Apostle|Saint Simon Zelotes]] went to evangelize [[Armenia]] and [[Persia]]. Almost all the lands of the then known world, even as far as Britain, have been mentioned; according to the Greeks, Simon, surnamed Zelotes, preached the Gospel on the Black Sea, in Egypt, in Mauritania, Northern Africa, and even in Britain, in which latter country he was crucified, A.D. 74. According to Eusebius, Jude returned to Jerusalem in the year 62, and assisted at the election of his brother, St. Simeon, as Episcopos of Jerusalem. The Abyssinians relate that Saint Simon suffered crucifixion as the Episcopos of Jerusalem, after he had preached the Gospel in Samaria. According to the Latin ''Passio Simonis et Judae'' ("The Passion of Simon and Jude"), Simon labored in Persia, and was there martyred at Suanir. According to another tradition both Jude and Simon were beheaded with an axe in [[Beirut]], in the Roman province of Syria, about A.D. 65. Another tradition attests that they suffered martyrdom in the city of Suanir in the year 47. Still another tradition says that Jude, the brother of James, commonly called Thaddeus, was crucified at Edessa, A.D. 72, and that Simon the Zealot, Episcopos of Jerusalem, was crucified in A.D. 74.

|

'''This chapter''' is the third part of a sixteen-part summary of the intervening years between the [[martyr]]doms of Peter and Paul under Nero and the writing of the New Testament works of the [[Epistle of Jude]], the [[Book of Revelation]] and the Letters of [[John the Apostle]]. Sources are linked below.
:Historians and Bible scholars disagree on the precise dates of the intervening years. But in general they do agree that the entire historical period extends from about A.D. 67 through 90. The summary of the intervening years continues in the next six chapters Forty-nine through Fifty-four. The concluding chapters Fifty-five and Fifty-six of this ''Harmony of the Gospel'' contain the [[Clement of Rome|First Letter of Clement]] and the Letter of Jude, and the Book of Revelation and the Letters of John.

:Note to the reader:

:The text of this chapter is a redaction of the informative sources listed and linked below, rearranged, chronologically sequenced, collated, condensed, combined and adapted, while seeking to preserve much of their expressive language, and in some instances updating and improving both their translations and the written copy. This accounts for the several apparent repetitions, parallel constructions and duplications in the text, which have been kept to a minimum as far as possible without loss of information. Compare the method proposed by the [[Documentary Hypothesis]]. An attempt has been made here to simplify the wordy, complex, convoluted, often reiterative, turgid literary styles of Josephus and Tacitus.

:The reader is invited to access the linked sources below, to observe how the authors of both the representations of the original historical material, and their often copyrighted historical summary accounts of what happened, in many instances closely parallel each other, without their authors apparently seeking permission of other copyright owners, and without their being charged with plagiarism or violation of copyright for what they have written.


'''Twelve Caesars: Nero''' 17–39 '''Antiquities''' 20.8.2–20.9.6 [20:153–218] '''Wars''' 2.12.8–2.14.3 [2:248–283] '''Ecclesiastical History''' Book II, chapter 24 through Book III, chapter 4 '''The Annals: Books [http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.11.xv.html XV],[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.12.xvi.html XVI]''' '''Cassius Dio: Roman History''' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/62*.html Epitome of Book LXII]

''Compare'' [http://ebible.org/web/ World English Bible text] [http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/new-testament/ Greek original text] [http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=0&b=1 Latin Vulgate text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrs/ NRSV text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/scofield-reference-notes/ Scofield Reference Bible (1917 Edition)] [[Conservative Bible]] text [http://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/1-1.htm ''multiple versions of any verse''] [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/1-1.htm ''multiple commentaries any passage''] 
[http://biblehub.com/interlinear/ ''interlinear Bible: Hebrew, Greek, English''] [http://bibleatlas.org/ Bible maps (''click initial letter of place name'')] [https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/ '''Bible Encyclopedias''': Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature (studylight.org)] [http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia '''Catholic Encyclopedia''' Catholic Online (catholic.org)] '''[http://calcuworld.com/calendar-calculators/hebrew-calendar-converter/ Hebrew Calendar Converter]''' ''See exact equivalents of Gregorian Calendar dates.'' 
:—in Gregorian Calendar click the cursor in the day, month, or year fields, to highlight selection, then use [Backspace ←] and [←] [→] right and left arrow keys in the day and year fields, and [Backspace ←] and [ ↑ ] [ ↓ ] up and down arrow keys in the month field, then click on [Calculate].

[http://www.kalvesmaki.com/LXX/NTChart.htm Table of Old Testament quotes in the New Testament, in English translation, Joel Kalvesmaki 2013 (kalvesmaki.com)]

[http://www.bible.ca/manuscripts/List-of-300-Old-Testament-passage-quotes-in-New-Testament-Septuagint-Codex-Vaticanus-LXX-Masoretic-MT-Jewish-Tanakh-Bible.htm List of 300 Septuagint Old Testament quotations in the New Testament, by Steve Rudd 2017 (bible.ca)]

[[Septuagint#Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament|Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament]]

[http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2501.htm '''Church History (Eusebius)''': The Ecclesiastical History Of Eusebius Pamphilus: Bishop Of Caesarea, In Palestine (newadvent.org)]

[http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ '''The Works of Flavius Josephus''' William Whiston, Translator, 1737 (sacred-texts.com)]

[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6400/6400-h/6400-h.htm '''Suetonius: Twelve Caesars''': The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by C. Suetonius Tranquilus; To which are added His Lives of the Grammarians, Rhetoricians, and Poets. The Translation of Alexander Thomson, M.D., Revised and corrected by T. Forester, Esq., A.M. (Gutenberg.org)]

[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.html '''Tacitus: The Annals''', Written 109 A.C.E. Translated by Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb]

[http://www.roman-emperors.org/epitome.htm '''Sextus Aurelius Victor: Epitome De Caesaribus''' (roman-emperors.org)]

[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/eutropius_breviarium_2_text.htm '''Eutropius: Breviarium''' - Eutropius's Abridgement of Roman History (tertullian.org)]

[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html '''Cassius Dio: Roman History''' Epitome (penelope.uchicago.edu)]

[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/index.html '''Early Christian Writings''' A.D. 30 through 380 (earlychristianwritings.com)] See '''[[Biblical Canon]]''' and '''[[Apocrypha]]'''.

See these Conservapedia articles:
:'''[[Nero]], [[Vespasian]], [[Titus Flavius Vespasianus|Titus]].'''

See also the following resources:
:[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6400/6400-h/6400-h.htm#link2H_4_0007 '''The Twelve Caesars: Nero'''] '''The Annals''': Books [http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.9.xiii.html XIII], [http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.10.xiv.html XIV], [http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.11.xv.html XV], [http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.12.xvi.html XVI] [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nero-Roman-emperor '''Nero, Roman Emperor''' (britannica.com)] [http://www.roman-emperors.org/nero.htm '''Nero''' (roman-emperors.org)]

"'''The works of the world, the flesh and the Devil are opposed to the works of the Kingdom of God...'''"
:Compare [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+5%3A16-25&version=RSVCE Galatians 5:16-25]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A15-32&version=RSVCE Romans 1:15-32]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+2%3A11&version=RSVCE 2 Corinthians 2:11]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+10%3A16&version=RSVCE Matthew 10:16]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+4%3A15-17&version=RSVCE Mark 4:15-17]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A1-3&version=RSVCE Ephesians 2:1-3]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+1%3A21-23&version=RSVCE Colossians 1:21-23]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+3%3A8&version=RSVCE 1 John 3:8] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A19-29&version=RSVCE Revelation 2:19-29].


"'''the catholic church of Christ.'''" 
:The word "''catholic''" means "''universal''". See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A18-20&version=RSVCE Matthew 28:18-20], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A15&version=RSVCE Mark 16:15], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A45-47&version=RSVCE Luke 24:45-47], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A14-16&version=RSVCE John 10:14-16], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+1%3A8&version=RSVCE Acts 1:8].

:The earliest known documented use of the word "catholic" from the Greek ''katholikos'' ("''thoroughly whole''") as applied to the [[Christianity|whole Christian Church]] is found in the [[epistles of Ignatius]], dated to about A.D. 110.

:The word "catholic" is also part of the ancient [[Apostles' Creed]]: "I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church."

:The various ancient apostolic Christian denominations, or "Rites", of the self-governing ("''autocephalous''") members of the [[Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox Christian churches]] regard themselves as members of "one, holy, orthodox and catholic church".

:Those ancient Christian Rites which include themselves under the jurisdiction of the Roman Pontiff, the Bishop or Patriarch of Rome, the [[Pope]], regard themselves as members of "the one, holy, catholic and orthodox church" commonly called the [[Catholic Church]]. The Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in the west is most often called the "[[Roman Catholic Church]]."

:Most members of the [[Anglican Communion]] of churches including the [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America]], as well as all those denominations which claim [[apostolic succession]], generically regard themselves as members of the "catholic Christian church" or "Christian catholic church."

:[[Evangelical Christians|Evangelical Protestants]] almost universally identify the word "catholic" with those hated abuses of the 15th and 16th centuries which were erroneously denounced by the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformers]] as being firmly rooted in Catholic doctrines, but were actually ''violations'' of Catholic teaching. They also correctly identify "catholic" with those actual, authentically Catholic and Orthodox doctrines which the Reformers rejected as [[Paganism|pagan]] [[superstition]]s, [[polytheism]], and "doctrines of [[Demon|devil]]s", doctrines traceable all the way back to the 4th, the 2nd, and even the 1st centuries of Christianity, to the period which they, together with the [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] and [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints|Mormons]], identify as the beginning of the '''[[Great Apostasy]]'''. For this reason, those Protestant Christian denominations who use a form of the Apostles' Creed in their worship services have commonly replaced the word "catholic" with the word "Christian", to avoid scandalizing the worshipers, saying instead, "I believe in one, holy, Christian church."

:Those evangelicals who have looked into the historical roots of Christianity and found that the original Apostles' Creed included the word "catholic" sometimes do further research. Many of them, after much study, and influenced by what they have read, have left their churches and entered the Orthodox or Catholic Churches. One example is the conversion of the Anglican Bishop [[John Henry Cardinal Newman|John Newman]], who founded the [https://www.britannica.com/event/Oxford-movement Oxford Movement] in 19th century England, and became a [[Bishop]] and later [[Cardinal]] of the Catholic Church. Many others, studying the history of Christianity, the development of Christian doctrines and the causes of the Protestant Reformation, are fully satisfied that their own denomination reflects the genuine pattern of New Testament Christianity as against the historical developments of what is called apostolic tradition in Orthodoxy and Catholicism, and they remain where they are.

:See [[Invincible ignorance]] and [[Christian apologetics]].


"'''not fewer than three million'''" 
:The number of Jews in Jerusalem during the Passover at the time of Cestius Gallus the governor of Judea under Nero.
:See ''Wars'' 2.14.3. Compare the 1.1 million Jews shut up in Jerusalem at the time of the siege under Titus in A.D. 70 (''Wars'' 5.3.1 and 6.9.3-4).


"'''We were dismissed as fools by [[Stoicism|Stoics]] and [[Epicurus|Epicurians]] alike.'''"
:Not much has changed. Christianity is dismissed as [[Ignorance|folly]] today by [[Liberal]]s, [[Atheism|Atheists]] and [[Secular humanism|Humanists]] alike. See [[Elitism]].


"'''his own litter'''"
:In this context, a "''litter''" is defined as "a vehicle consisting of a couch carried between shafts by men or beasts of burden, and sometimes enclosed for privacy." See ''The Reader's Digest Great Encyclopedic Dictionary'' 1966.

:A litter is similar to but not exactly the same as a sedan chair; however, the two terms are often used as [[synonym]]s. See the following:
:*[https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=images+of+litter+vehicle&qpvt=images+of+litter+(vehicle) Images of litter (vehicle) (bing.com)]
:*[https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=images+of+sedan+chair&qpvt=images+of+sedan+chair Images of sedan chairs (bing.com)]
:*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litter_%28vehicle%29 Litter (vehicle) - Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)]


"'''His lust for his own mother Agrippina was notorious...'''"
:See [[Incest]]. Compare [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+18&version=RSVCE Leviticus 18]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+5&version=RSVCE 1 Corinthians 5].


"'''He invented for himself a game...'''" 
:Suetonius, ''The Twelve Caesars'', Nero 29.

:The inclusion here of the publicly known, moral perversions of the Roman Emperors, showing the contrast between them and Christ Jesus, is morally instructive. [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A18-25&version=RSVCE Romans 1:18-25].

:The historically documented perversions that Nero indulged in are described here in this ''Harmony of the Gospel'' no less explicitly than the biblical descriptions of those equally vile perversions committed by the Israelites at the time of the prophets, so plainly condemned in the Bible, also without any delicacy of expression. (See also the descriptive language in the various equally explicit Conservapedia articles denouncing the resultant moral depravities of [[Atheism#Atheism and morality/ethics|atheism]] and [[homosexuality]] in equally graphic terms.)

:See '''[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+23&version=RSVCE Ezekiel 23]'''; ''also'' [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+13%3A13&version=RSVCE Genesis 13:13]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+19&version=RSVCE Genesis 19]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+18&version=RSVCE Leviticus 18]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+28%3A15-68&version=RSVCE Deuteronomy 28:15-68] (Deuteronomy 28:15-68 has been called "''[[Sadism|sadistic]]''"); [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+19&version=RSVCE Judges 19]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+13&version=RSVCE 2 Samuel 13]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+21&version=RSVCE 2 Kings 21]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song+of+Solomon+7%3A1-4&version=RSVCE Song of Solomon 7:1-4], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song+of+Solomon+7%3A8-9&version=RSVCE 8-9], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song+of+Solomon+7%3A10-12&version=RSVCE 10-12]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+66%3A17&version=RSVCE Isaiah 66:17]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A26-32&version=RSVCE Romans 1:26-32]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+17%3A2-6&version=RSVCE Revelation 17:2-6], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+17%3A16&version=RSVCE 16].

:Because of textual passages like these, the [[Soviet Union]] banned all printing, distribution, and import shipments of the Bible on the pretext that it contained [[pornography]] ([http://www.tyndale.org/tsj05/cooper.html Bible Smuggling During the Cold War - The Tyndale Society]).

:See also the following article responding to Islamic charges that the Bible is pornographic:
::[http://www.answering-islam.org/BibleCom/ez23.html Answering Ahmed Deedat charge that the Bible is pornographic and unworthy of God (answering-islam.org)].

:Compare the following Islamic [[apologetics]] article condemning the Bible:
::[http://www.answering-christianity.org/ac10.htm#links ''Islam: The True Religion Of God Almighty'': X-Rated Pornography in the Bible - Answering Christianity: "Praised Pornography in the Bible - Section" (answering-Christianity.com)]


"'''eight hundred thousand sesterces a day'''" 
:The equivalent of 200,000 denarii.
:In the early Empire, a rate of 4 sesterces, which equals 1 denarius, is suggested as the daily wage by a variety of contemporaneous sources.

:200,000 denarii at the rate of 300 denarii per year for a common seasonal field worker, is roughly equal to the wage paid one seasonal worker for 666 years of labor (200,000 / 300), or the wages of 50 seasonal workers (300 x 50) paid out over a period of almost 14 years (200,000 / 15,000). One million sesterces equals 250,000 days' wages, or 833.4 years' wages for one worker (250,000 / 300), or 16.66 years' total payroll for 50 seasonal laborers (300 dn. / yr. x 50 = 15,000—and 250,000 / 15,000 = 16.66666667 years' payroll). 800,000 sesterces per day for one week of 7 days equals 5 million, 6 hundred thousand sesterces. See article [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/spqr/money-1.htm '''How Much is That in Real Money?''' (globalsecurity.org)]


"'''King Tiridates of Parthia'''" 
:Tiridates I of the Arcasid Dynasty.
:See [http://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/t/Tiridates_I_of_Armenia.htm '''Tiridates I of Armenia''' (cs.mcgill.ca)]


"'''This bled the provincials dry...'''"
:The provincials were the chief political leaders, wealthy leading citizens, large land owners and merchants of the provinces, as distinct from "private citizens".


"'''''Domus Aurea'', The Golden House'''"
:Latin "'''Domvs Avrea'''".
:*[http://the-colosseum.net/history/domusaurea.htm '''Domvs Avrea''' (the-colosseum.net)]
:*[https://www.archaeology.org/issues/187-1509/features/3562-golden-house-of-an-emperor '''Golden House of an Emperor''': How Archaeologists are saving Nero's fabled pleasure palace, By Federico Gurgone - Archaeology: A publication of the Archaeological Institute of America (archaeology.org)]
:*[https://en.wikipedia/wiki/Domus_Aurea '''Domus Aurea''' - Wikipedia]


"'''refusal to participate in civic festivals and entertainments'''"
:Roman civic festivals, entertainments, and games in the arena were all dedicated to the glory of the gods, the Caesars, and the people of Rome, and the [http://www.thefreedictionary.com/tutelary tutelary (guardian) spirit or ''genius'' of the Roman Empire itself]. In a [[Culture|cultural sense]], they were "public celebrations of ''what it means to be Roman'' ! " See [[Patriotism]].

:These civic activities were similar to [[Mardi Gras]], [[Independence Day|Fourth of July]], [[Thanksgiving|Thanksgiving Day]] Parades, and New Year's Eve celebrations, college football victories, Fall Homecoming celebrations and rowdy campus Spring Break Festivities, [[Olympics|Olympics spectacles]], and Election Year [[campaign]] [[Rally|rallies]].

:The mid-20th century saw [[Nazi Party|Nazi]] Nuremberg rallies and ''Party Tag'' (Party Day) celebrations (expressions of pagan State religion), and Russian [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[May Day]] and [[Communist Party of China|Chinese Communist]] military parades (expressions of atheist State religion). Whoever refused to attend was punished. The charge was disloyalty to the State. (Compare [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/22-11.htm Matthew 22:11].)


"'''and the provoking of riots among the populace by their words.'''"
:Compare [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/8-1.htm Acts 8:1], [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/8-3.htm 3]; [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/14-5.htm Acts 14:5], [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/14-19.htm 19]; [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/17-5.htm Acts 17:5]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+19%3A29-34&version=RSVCE Acts 19:29-34]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+21%3A27-31&version=RSVCE Acts 21:27-31], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+19%3A34-35&version=RSVCE 34-35]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+22%3A22-24&version=RSVCE Acts 22:22-24]; [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/28-22.htm Acts 28:22]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+4%3A11-13&version=RSVCE 1 Corinthians 4:11-13]; [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A33-34&version=RSVCE Hebrews 10:33-34].


"'''he would then light them on fire'''" 
:See the following:
:*[http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/christians.htm '''Nero Persecutes the Christians, 64 A.D.''' (eyewitnesstohistory.com)]
:*[http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/martyrs011.htm '''MARTYRS MIRROR: OF THE TEN BLOODY PERSECUTIONS WHICH THE CHRISTIANS SUFFERED UNDER THE HEATHEN EMPERORS OF ROME; THE FIRST OF WHICH BEGAN IN THE REIGN OF NERO, A. D. 66''': THE FIRST PERSECUTION OF THE CHRISTIANS, UNDER NERO, ANNO 66 (homecomers.org/mirror)]
:*[http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/history/1_ch06.htm '''History of the Christian Church - Chapter VI. The Great Tribulation. (Matt. 24:21) § ''The Roman Conflagration and the Neronian Persecution''''' (ccel.org)]


"'''Caius Nymphidius Sabinus and Ofonius Tigellinus'''" ''See the following'':
:*[http://roman-emperors.sites.luc.edu/sabinus.htm '''C. Nymphidius Sabinus (68 A.D.)''', David J. Coffta, Canisius College, DIR ''De Imperitoribus Romanis'' An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors (roman-emperors.org)]
:*[http://www.livius.org/articles/person/ofonius-tigellinus/ '''Ofonius Tigellinus''' (livius.org)]


"'''cases based on the charge of ''maiestas'', debasing the dignity and majesty of the Roman empire.'''"
:Maiestas, literally, ‘greatness’, was used as an abbreviation for the crime of ''maiestas minūta populī Rōmānī,'' ‘the diminution of the majesty of the Roman people’. Compare [[Defamation]] and [[Scandal]].

:Maiestas was first made a law in 58 B.C., which could be deployed against any form of treason, revolt, or failure in public duty. Over a period of 120 years, convicted persons were increasingly liable to the death penalty with no opportunity given to retire into exile; eventually their property was also confiscated for the imperial tax (''fiscus'') and their names were obliterated from public record. No one could be sure of escaping even these last two consequences by committing suicide, since even the dead could be prosecuted. Many of those convicted were guilty of something, but it usually fell short of an attempt to subvert the state. Charges of maiestas were frequently made on apparently trivial grounds or as a complement to other charges, especially extortion and adultery. See: [http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100127113 Oxford Reference: maiestas (oxfordreference.com)]


'''Statilia Messalina''', 
:Third wife of Nero.
:See [https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/research/monetary-history-of-the-world/roman-empire/chronology_-by_-emperor/imperial-rome-julio-claudian-age/statilia-3rd-wife/ '''Statilia third wife of Nero''' (armstrongeconomics.com)]


"'''Titus, the future emperor and son of Vespasian, one of Nero's generals...his only child was born, a daughter, Flavia Julia'''"
:''Twelve Caesars'', Titus 4, Domitian 26.


"'''It is right to show the gracious kindness of God's Providence in delaying the destruction of the Jews for forty years after their crime against Christ.'''"
:Eusebius, ''Ecclesiastical History'', Book III, 7

:Eusebius is using an imprecise, nonliteral semitic figure of speech to denote a long period of time. Exactly 40 years before the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 gives us a literal reckoning of A.D. 30.

:However, in the year A.D. 30, (''[[Date of Creation|Anno Mundi]]'' 3790), the 14th day of Nisan, Passover, is a '''Wednesday''', beginning in the evening at sunset, and extending through the following morning, all the day of the Passover, to the evening ending at sunset—Tuesday evening sunset and all night through all day Wednesday to sunset.

:According to the Christian Gospel, Jesus was crucified on a '''Friday''', the day before the Sabbath (Saturday), and rose again on the third day, on the first day of the week (Sunday): see [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A1&version=RSVCE Matthew 28:1] (''context'' Matthew 27:57–28:1); [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A1-2&version=RSVCE Mark 16:1-2] (''context'' Mark 15:42–16:2); [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A1-2&version=RSVCE Luke 24:1-2] (''context'' Luke 23:54–24:2); [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+19%3A42&version=RSVCE John 19:42] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A1&version=RSVCE 20:1], [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A19&version=RSVCE 19] (''context'' John 19:40–20:20).

:In the year A.D. 33 (''Anno Mundi'' / '''A.M. 3793''') the 14th day of Nisan occurred on '''Friday'''—Thursday sunset, through all day Friday, to Friday sunset, the day of "their crime against Christ". This gives us literally 37 years, which is almost 40 years (exactly 38 years if the major portion of the year A.D. 33 after the Lord's crucifixion is reckoned as "one", and A.D. 70 is reckoned as the 38th year ''after'' A.D. 32). And because Eusebius is referring to the year of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem as being 40 years ''after'' "their crime against Christ", he must be taken as using a nonliteral, semitic, Jewish figure of speech.

:The fall of [[Masada]], which ended the war, did occur exactly 40 years to the day ''after'' "their crime against Christ" (Josephus: "on the fifteenth day of the month Xanthicus [Nisan]"—the day after Passover, A.M. 3833, which was Saturday, 8 April, A.D. 73). And all during that time, the Jews, according to Josephus, had opportunity to repent and surrender to the Romans, and some of them did, but their leaders did not ('''''Wars''''', 5.10.1 [420-423]; 6.3.5 [215-216]; 6.6.1-3 [354]; 7.1.1 [4]; 7.9.1 [398-401]). But Eusebius is not referring to the fall of Masada in his observation of "forty years" in ''Ecclesiastical History'' III, 7, but only to the judgment which fell on Jerusalem. Therefore his statement of the number of years is not to be taken literally.

:See the following articles: [http://catholic-resources.org/Bible/Numbers.htm '''The Symbolism of Numbers in the Bible''', compiled by Felix Just, S.J., PhD. (catholic-resources.org)] [http://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/40.html '''Meaning of Numbers in the Bible: The Number 40''' - Bible Study (biblestudy.org)]


"'''James himself, "the Just", who is called the Lord's brother, whom Josephus mentions and Eusebius praises'''"
:Josephus, ''The Antiquities of the Jews'', Book 20, chapter 9 (''Ant.'' 20.9.1 [200]). Eusebius, ''Ecclesiastical History'', Book II, chapter 23 "The Martyrdom of James who was called the Brother of the Lord" (''EH'' II.23, ''Church History'' 2.23).

:[[Eusebius]] several times significantly states that James is "called" the Lord's brother, while citing earlier passages from [[Hegesippus]] (in the fifth book of his ''Commentaries'') and [[Josephus]] (in the twentieth book of his ''Antiquities'') and Paul (Galatians 1:19) who state that James is the brother of the Lord. See ''Ecclesiastical History'' Book II.1 "''Then also James, called the brother of our Lord''"; Book III.7 "''James himself, the first bishop there, usually called the brother of our Lord''"; Book IV.5 "''The first, then, was James, called the brother of our Lord''"; Book VII.19 "''James being the first that received the dignity of the episcopate at Jerusalem, from the Saviour himself, as the sacred Scriptures show that he was generally called the brother of Christ''". He appears by this means to be indirectly attempting to correct the belief that James was a child naturally born of Mary and Joseph.


"'''also by sending miraculous warnings and signs of what would happen if they failed to repent'''"
:Eusebius ''Ecclesiastical History'' Book III, 7; Josephus, ''Wars'' 6.5.3.


"'''Members of the Jerusalem church were ordered by a prophetic revelation...'''"
:Eusebius, ''Ecclesiastical History'', III, 5


"'''that upon them might come all the righteous blood shed on earth'''"
:See [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+23%3A34-38&version=RSVCE Matthew 23:34-38], also Eusebius, ''Ecclesiastical History'', Book III, chapter 5, adapted here.

:The Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of the living God does not justify the killing of Jews by Christians. This is found nowhere in the New Testament, nor is it found in any of the writings of the Fathers of the Church before the 5th century. See [[Anti-Semitism]].

:Counsel to kill Jews is found in the writings of Martin Luther and the leaders of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, and in the writings and directives of Catholic heads of governments of the 17th and 18th centuries.

:A primary example of 16th century propaganda against the Jews is the character of the moneylender Shylock in [[Shakespeare]]'s drama ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]''.

:See the following articles:
:*[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/Luther_on_Jews.html '''Martin Luther - "The Jews & Their Lies" (1543)''' (jewishvirtuallibrary.org)]
:*[http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=4705 '''The Church and the Jews in the Middle Ages''' (catholicculture.org)]
:*[http://www.premier.org.uk/Blogs/Yeshua-Explored/Anti-semitism-in-the-19th-Century '''Anti-Semitism in the 19th Century''': By Steve Maltz (premier.org)]
:*'''[[Pope Pius XII]] and the [[Holocaust]]'''


"'''According to tradition, the two Apostles [[Jude the Apostle|Saint Jude]] and [[Simon the Apostle|Saint Simon Zelotes]] went to evangelize [[Armenia]] and [[Persia]].'''" 
*[http://www.traditioninaction.org/SOD/j252sd_SimonJude_10_28.html SS. Simon and Jude, Apostles - October 28, Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira (traditioninaction.org)]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13796b.htm St. Simon the Apostle - Catholic Encyclopedia (newadvent.org)]
*[http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Jude_the_Apostle Jude the Apostle - New World Encyclopedia (newworldencylopedia.org)]
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_martyrs List of Christian martyrs - Wikipedia]
*[https://www.ccel.org/phillips/CN500APOSTLES%20FATE.htm Fate of the Apostles (ccel.org)]
*[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Timeline_of_Saints Timeline of Saints: Chronological Synaxarion of the Body of the Church (orthodoxwiki.org)]
*[http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/martyrs/fox101.htm Fox's Book of Martyrs (sacred-texts.com)]


|}

[The events of A.D. 64 through 65 are not included in the [[Conservative Bible]] New Testament.]

== Forty-nine ==
{| class="wikitable" style="align:center;"
|-
! style="width:60%;"|Chapter 49
! style="width:40%;"|Historical texts
|- style="text-align:left; background:#ffffec; vertical-align:top;"
| style="text-align:left;"|

'''<big><big><big>M</big></big></big>'''eanwhile, prolonged military operations by the Roman general '''Corbulo''' in the east eventually led in A.D. '''66''' to a new settlement in Armenia. Tiridates, a claimant to the throne, was recognized as king, but he was compelled to come to Rome to receive his crown from Nero. Despite this success, the provinces were increasingly in a state of unrest, for they were oppressed by governmental exactions, tribute payments, assessments and fees, to cover Nero’s extravagant expenditures on his court, new buildings, and gifts to his favorites. These gifts alone are said to have amounted to more than two billion sesterces, a sum that was several times the annual cost of the army. [[Nerva|Marcus Cocceius Nerva]] is first mentioned as a favorite of Nero, who bestowed upon him triumphal honors in A.D. 66, when he was [[praetor]] elect. The poetry of Nerva, which is noticed with praise by Pliny and Martial, appears to have recommended him to the favor of Nero. Nerva was employed in offices of trust and honor during the later reigns of [[Vespasian]] and [[Titus Flavius Vespasianus|Titus]].

At this time the people of Judea were readily won over by impostors and false prophets, liars against God, but gave no heed or credit to visions and signs which foretold the approaching desolation of judgment. [[Phenomena]] had occurred, which this nation, prone to superstition, but despising all religious rites, did not think it appropriate to respond to with offering and sacrifice. As if struck by stupidity, and possessing neither eyes nor understanding, they ignored the signs of God.

Josephus gives us an account of them. At one time a star, in appearance like a sword, stood over the city, a [[comet]], which was observed for a whole year. And again, before the revolt and before the disturbances that led to the war, when the people had gathered for the feast of Unleavened Bread, on the eighth of the month Xanthicus, in April, at the ninth hour of the night, 3 A.M., a light shone around the altar and the Temple so brilliant that it seemed to be bright day; and this continued for half an hour. This seemed to the ignorant a good sign, but was interpreted by the sacred scribes as portending those events which very soon took place. And the very massive bronze eastern gate of the inner Temple, which rested on iron-bound hinges, with bars sunk deep in the ground, and was closed with difficulty every evening by twenty men, was seen at the sixth hour of the night, 12 A.M. midnight, to open by itself. And not many days after the feast of Unleavened Bread, on the twenty-first of the month Artemisium, in May, a marvelous vision was seen which was beyond belief. The phenomenon might seem to be a fiction if it had not been related by those who actually saw it and the calamities which followed had not corresponded to it. Before the setting of the sun chariots and armed troops were seen on high throughout the whole region, wheeling through the clouds and encircling the cities—armies were observed joining battle in the skies, the fiery gleam of weapons, the Temple illuminated by a sudden radiance from the clouds. And at the feast of Pentecost, when the priests entered the Temple at night, as was their custom, to perform the services, they said at first they perceived a movement, a stir and a noise, the doors of the inner shrine were suddenly thrown open, and then a voice of more than human tone like a great multitude, was heard to cry out, saying, "Let us go hence."

According to the interpretation of the pagan Tacitus, the voice cried out that the Gods were departing. At the same instant there was a mighty stir as of departure.

A few attached a fearful meaning to these events, but most held to a firm conviction that in the ancient records of their priests was contained a prediction of how at this very time the East was to grow powerful, and rulers, coming from Judea, were to acquire universal empire. Josephus says that a certain oracle was found in their sacred writings which declared that at that time a certain person should go forth from their country to rule the world.
:"Ask of me, and I shall give the nations as thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth as thy possession."
The common people, blinded as usual by ambition, had interpreted these mighty destinies as referring to themselves, and they could not be brought to believe the truth even by disasters foretold to them by Christ. Because they refused to love the truth and so be saved, therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false, so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy and faith.

The war in Judea that Florus was scheming to provoke actually began in A.D. 66, the second year of Florus's procuratorship, and the twelfth year of Nero's reign. It was touched off by a Greek who refused to sell to the Jews at any price his land near their synagogue in Caesarea, and to insult them had begun to erect some workshops there which left the Jews only a very narrow passageway to get to their place of worship. Florus stopped some youths who hotheadedly interrupted the construction. Then he accepted a bribe of eight talents from the Jews to stop the builders—but he did nothing and left for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastia,_Nablus Sebaste], leaving the riot to run its course.

The next Sabbath, a local troublemaker mockingly sacrificed some birds over an inverted pot at the synagogue entryway, and was attacked by a youth for this blasphemy. Florus's Master of Horse, commander of his [[cavalry]], removed the pot and attempted to stop the commotion. The Jews then fled with their copy of the [[Torah]] to Narbata, about seven miles away, and sent a delegation to Florus in Sebaste to protest and to remind him of the bribe they had paid him. He then imprisoned them for stealing the copy of their law from Caesarea.

When this news reached Jerusalem, the people restrained their outrage, but Florus, disappointed that they did not riot, and to make them revolt, then took eighteen talents from the Temple, claiming governmental necessity. The people rushed to the Temple shouting insults. Then, instead of preventing war in Caesarea, Florus marched on Jerusalem, expecting to have opportunity to pillage the city. The inhabitants of Jerusalem mocked Florus with applause when he arrived, but he sent a centurion with fifty horsemen to order them to stop, and they went home dejected and in anxiety.

The next morning at the palace, when he summoned the chief priests and leaders to hand over those who had mocked him, or face his vengeance, they said he should rather forgive and not make the many innocent suffer for the few offenders, to preserve both the city and the peace of the nation.

Florus, inflamed, shouted orders to his soldiers to plunder the upper market and kill everyone they encountered. They not only sacked the market, but massacred everyone in the houses. The streets were red with the blood of three thousand six hundred men, women, and children who were slaughtered and '''crucified'''. King Agrippa was away, but his sister Berenice, being in Jerusalem, was so horrified that she several times sent Florus messengers imploring him to stop, and even came before him herself, barefoot and kneeling, to make appeal; but he refused, and she even had to flee into the palace to save her own life.

The next day, the chief priests begged the multitude to stop their lamentations and not to curse Florus, to avoid provoking him further. Out of respect for them the crowd complied. Florus was disappointed, so he tried again. He told the chief priests that to prove they were peaceful the people were to go out and welcome two [[cohort]]s advancing from Caesarea. Then he sent word to the cohorts to completely ignore the greetings of the people, and ordered that, if they ridiculed him, to attack.

When some of the Jewish rebels started shouts against Florus, the troops surrounded and beat them with clubs while the cavalry trampled those who fled. More were crushed to death at the city gates as they ran to get inside. The troops running after them entered with them and tried to seize the Temple and the [[Antonia fortress]]. At the same time Florus and his men burst out of the palace to reach the fortress, intending to pillage it, but they were unable to cut their way through the people blocking the streets, and others from the roofs also assaulted the Romans with stones and various missiles. Florus ordered a return to the palace, and he and his men returned, but the rebels were blocking the porticoes connecting it to the fortress, and he was unable to plunder the Temple treasure.

When order had been restored, Florus then informed the city leaders of Jerusalem that he would leave. On their promise that they would keep the peace, he left one cohort in Jerusalem and returned with the rest of the troops to Caesarea. He then sent a report to Cestius Gallus accusing the Jews of revolting and causing all the crimes and bloodshed. The magistrates of Jerusalem and Berenice also wrote to Cestius about what Florus had done.

Cestius sent a tribune, Neapolitanus, to investigate. On the way he met King Agrippa returning from Egypt and informed him of his mission. A deputation of priests and leaders, arriving at Jamnia to welcome Agrippa, paid their respects and reported what Florus had done to the people. Agrippa concealed his compassion, to avoid supporting their desire for revenge. As they approached Jerusalem the people and the widows ran to them, wailing and lamenting, with many begging Agrippa for relief from Florus, and reporting to Neapolitanus the miseries he had caused. Seeing the city was peaceful, Neapolitanus went to the Temple. He commended the people for their loyalty to Rome, and urged them to maintain the peace. In the Court of the Gentiles he participated in the Temple worship, and then returned to Cestius.

Agrippa did what he could to keep the people from sending a mission to Nero to accuse Florus, to discourage them from war. The people accepted his counsel, and he, and Berenice, and they, all went to the Temple and began rebuilding the demolished galleries. The magistrates collected forty talents from the villages, and the danger of war seemed averted. But when Agrippa urged the people to obey Florus while awaiting the time that Caesar would send a replacement, they threw stones at the king and expelled him from the city. Agrippa withdrew in a fury to his own territory.

Then '''Eleazar, son of the high priest Ananias''', lacking all reverence, and against all tradition and precedent, and opposing the chief priests and experts of the law, persuaded those who offered the ritual sacrifices presented by the people and the Gentiles to accept no offerings from any foreigners. '''He impiously suspended all sacrifice on behalf of the emperor and Rome, while the most rebellious Jews attacked and captured the fortress [[Masada]] and killed the guards.''' The Temple priests and the revolutionary party would not listen to lawful counsel. The leading citizens saw that they could not stop the revolt and that they themselves would be first to suffer Rome's vengeance. They sent a deputation to Florus and a deputation to Agrippa, requesting them to send an army to crush the rebellion. Florus was secretly delighted, and sent them away without an answer. Agrippa immediately sent two thousand calvary to help, and they immediately engaged the rebels.

For seven days neither side prevailed, and then a fierce attack by the ''sicarii'' under a base-born Jew named '''Menahem''' from within the Temple overpowered the royal troops, forcing them to retreat from the upper city. The residence of the high priest, and the palace of Agrippa, and the public archives containing the records of creditors, were set on fire. The chief priests and leaders hid in sewers or fled with the king's troops to Herod's upper palace and shut the gates. Then the attackers assaulted the upper palace.

Menahem took his followers to Masada, stripped the armory there, and returned to direct the siege. As the siege continued day and night, many of the attackers were killed by arrows and stones. '''After two days of attacks, the fortress Antonia was captured. The garrison soon sued for terms. The rebels granted safe passage to the royal troops, who withdrew. Their despondent Roman allies retreated to Herod's three towers, Hippicus, Phasael, and Mariamme. Menahem's men killed everyone in the palace. They killed the garrison, and torched it.''' Ananias the high priest and his brother Ezechias were apprehended near the canal in the palace and put to death.

The low-born Menahem began to be an unbearable tyrant over the people. He was wearing royal robes when he was attacked in the Temple by the higher-born Eleazar and his party, who had revolted from the Roman tyranny. They killed every one they caught, and dragged Menahem to public execution, and put him to death by multiple tortures.

Another '''Eleazar, son of Simon''', a relative, escaped with a few others and became the [[despot]] ruler of Masada. '''Metilius, commander of the Roman garrison, concerned for the lives of his men, and being hard pressed by this Eleazar's siege, asked to be spared if he and his men surrendered arms and property. This was agreed. But as soon as they came down and laid down their arms, they were massacred''', and Metilius alone escaped death by promising to become a Jew and be circumcised. This took place on the Sabbath.

War was now inevitable; for at the same time the Caesareans slaughtered all the Jews in Caearea, twenty thousand in one hour.

The whole province became a horror of bloody reprisals and slaughter, Jews against Jews who had armed themselves in defense against attack, Greeks and Romans killing Jews, and Jews killing them, in city after city, even in Egypt. Agrippa attempted to negotiate with the Jews in Jerusalem, but his emissaries were slain. Cestius, Florus and Tyrannius Priscus alternately gained and lost against the Jews. Ten thousand five hundred Jews were massacred by the people of Damascus.

'''Simon, son of Giora''', caused such havoc in his own territory that Ananus, the ex-high priest, and his leaders sent an army against him. He fled with his marauding band of revolutionaries to Masada and plundered Idumea instead, where the people had to protect themselves by raising an army.

At this time '''[[Josephus]]''' son of Matthias, in favor with many of the people, became chief general and governor of the Jews in Galilee.

[http://www.biblicalcyclopedia.com/J/john-of-gischala.html '''John of Gischala'''] then seized power in Jerusalem, and after plotting to turn the people against Josephus by accusing him of plotting to become an absolute tyrant, he was discovered to be a treacherous schemer and fled to his town of Gischala. Many Galileans wanted to burn him and the town, but Josephus offered his partisans five days to abandon his cause. Three thousand of them joined Josephus. But John sent emissaries to Jerusalem, still warning that Josephus would become a tyrant. Josephus meanwhile reproached all the rebels for their rebellion. Using various stratagems multiple times to make them think he had superior forces, he promised pardon to any who would assist him. Various leaders were thus enticed to come over to him; and, being unwilling to put anyone to death, once he had them all, he imprisoned them. Galilee became quiet, and the Jews began making preparations for the impending struggle against Rome. The walls of Jerusalem were repaired and engines of war were constructed. Weapons and armor were forged and the young were trained for combat.

'''This chapter''' is the fourth part of a sixteen-part summary of the intervening years between the [[martyr]]doms of Peter and Paul under Nero and the writing of the New Testament works of the [[Epistle of Jude]], the [[Book of Revelation]] and the Letters of [[John the Apostle]]. Sources are linked below.
:Historians and Bible scholars disagree on the precise dates of the intervening years. But in general they do agree that the entire historical period extends from about A.D. 67 through 90. The summary of the intervening years continues in the next five chapters Fifty through Fifty-four. The concluding chapters Fifty-five and Fifty-six of this ''Harmony of the Gospel'' contain the [[Clement of Rome|First Letter of Clement]] and the Letter of Jude, and the Book of Revelation and the Letters of John.

:Note to the reader:

:The text of this chapter is a redaction of the informative sources listed and linked below, rearranged, chronologically sequenced, collated, condensed, combined and adapted, while seeking to preserve much of their expressive language, and in some instances updating and improving both their translations and the written copy. This accounts for the several apparent repetitions, parallel constructions and duplications in the text, which have been kept to a minimum as far as possible without loss of information.


Galatians 5:16-25 ''adapted'' Romans 1:15-32 ''adapted'' 2 Corinthians 2:11 ''adapted''

'''Twelve Caesars: Nero''' 36 '''Antiquities''' 20.8.10 [20:185–188] '''Wars''' 2.14.1–2.2.22 [2:271–649] '''Ecclesiastical History''' Book II, chapters 22-23.

''Compare'' [http://ebible.org/web/ World English Bible text] [http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/new-testament/ Greek original text] [http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=0&b=1 Latin Vulgate text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrs/ NRSV text] [http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/scofield-reference-notes/ Scofield Reference Bible (1917 Edition)] [[Conservative Bible]] text [http://biblehub.com/multi/matthew/1-1.htm ''multiple versions of any verse''] [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/1-1.htm ''multiple commentaries any passage''] 
[http://biblehub.com/interlinear/ ''interlinear Bible: Hebrew, Greek, English''] [http://bibleatlas.org/ Bible maps (''click initial letter of place name'')] [https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/ '''Bible Encyclopedias''': Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature (studylight.org)] [http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia '''Catholic Encyclopedia''' Catholic Online (catholic.org)] '''[http://calcuworld.com/calendar-calculators/hebrew-calendar-converter/ Hebrew Calendar Converter]''' ''See exact equivalents of Gregorian Calendar dates.'' 
:—in Gregorian Calendar click the cursor in the day, month, or year fields, to highlight selection, then use [Backspace ←] and [←] [→] right and left arrow keys in the day and year fields, and [Backspace ←] and [ ↑ ] [ ↓ ] up and down arrow keys in the month field, then click on [Calculate].

[http://www.kalvesmaki.com/LXX/NTChart.htm Table of Old Testament quotes in the New Testament, in English translation, Joel Kalvesmaki 2013 (kalvesmaki.com)]

[http://www.bible.ca/manuscripts/List-of-300-Old-Testament-passage-quotes-in-New-Testament-Septuagint-Codex-Vaticanus-LXX-Masoretic-MT-Jewish-Tanakh-Bible.htm List of 300 Septuagint Old Testament quotations in the New Testament, by Steve Rudd 2017 (bible.ca)]

[[Septuagint#Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament|Table of LXX quotes and allusions in the New Testament]]

[http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2501.htm '''Church History (Eusebius)''': The Ecclesiastical History Of Eusebius Pamphilus: Bishop Of Caesarea, In Palestine (newadvent.org)]

[http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ '''The Works of Flavius Josephus''' William Whiston, Translator, 1737 (sacred-texts.com)]

[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6400/6400-h/6400-h.htm '''Suetonius: Twelve Caesars''': The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by C. Suetonius Tranquilus; To which are added His Lives of the Grammarians, Rhetoricians, and Poets. The Translation of Alexander Thomson, M.D., Revised and corrected by T. Forester, Esq., A.M. (Gutenberg.org)]

[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.html '''Tacitus: The Annals''', Written 109 A.C.E. Translated by Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb]

[http://www.roman-emperors.org/epitome.htm '''Sextus Aurelius Victor: Epitome De Caesaribus''' (roman-emperors.org)]

[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/eutropius_breviarium_2_text.htm '''Eutropius: Breviarium''' - Eutropius's Abridgement of Roman History (tertullian.org)]

[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html '''Cassius Dio: Roman History''' Epitome (penelope.uchicago.edu)]

[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/index.html '''Early Christian Writings''' A.D. 30 through 380 (earlychristianwritings.com)] See '''[[Biblical Canon]]''' and '''[[Apocrypha]]'''.

See the Conservapedia article '''[[Nero]]'''

See also the following resources:
*'''Cassius Dio: Roman History''' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/63*.html Epitome of Book LXIII]
*[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6400/6400-h/6400-h.htm#link2H_4_0007 '''The Twelve Caesars: Nero''']
*'''The Annals: Books [http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.10.xiv.html XIV], [http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.11.xv.html XV],[http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.12.xvi.html XVI]'''
*[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nero-Roman-emperor '''Nero, Roman Emperor''' (britannica.com)]
*[http://www.roman-emperors.org/nero.htm '''Nero''' (roman-emperors.org)]

"'''Tiridates...was compelled to come to Rome to receive his crown from Nero.'''"
:Suetonius, ''The Twelve Caesars'', Nero 13.


"'''The provinces...were oppressed by governmental exactions, tribute payments, assessments and fees'''"
:Suetonius, ''The Twelve Caesars'', Nero 31-32.


"'''At this time the people of Judea were readily won over by impostors and false prophets...'''"
:'''Wars''', Book 6, chapter 5.3 [288] (Wars 6.5.3 [288]) See '''2 Timothy 4:3'''.


"'''a star, in appearance like a sword, stood over the city, a comet'''"
:The comet of A.D. 66.
:*[http://www.ianridpath.com/halley/halley7.htm A Brief History of Halley's Comet (ianridpath.com)]
:*[https://www.academia.edu/12856350/Comet_Halley_of_A.D._66_and_the_Beast_that_Rises_Out_of_the_Sea_Revelation_Ch._13_ Comet Halley of A.D. 66 and the Beast that Rises Our of the Sea, Revelation Ch. 13 (academia.edu)]
:*[http://bristolastrosoc.org.uk/www/media/Publications_BAS_Documents/the_star_of_bethlehem.pdf The Star of Bethlehem and the Comet of A.D. 66 (bristolastrosoc.org)]
:*[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/234494997_The_Star_of_Bethlehem_and_the_comet_of_AD_66 The Star of Bethlehem and the Comet of AD 66 (researchgate.net)]
:*[http://www.livius.org/articles/concept/roman-jewish-wars/roman-jewish-wars-3/ Jewish War (66-70) - Livius] "At the end of 64, there had been a comet (Tacitus, ''Annals'' 15.47), which must have made a discontent populace even more discontent."


"'''According to the interpretation of the pagan Tacitus, the voice cried out that the Gods were departing.'''"
:See [http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/histories.5.v.html '''Tacitus, The Histories, Book V'''.]

:A naturalistic explanation of this phenomenon might propose a mild earth tremor, causing the huge doors of the temple to move and producing sounds like the shuffling movement of the hundreds of feet of a crowd and a subterranean noise similar to the sound of human voices, interpreted after the fact as a sign presaging the war. This is not impossible, given the fact that Jerusalem is on the African-Syrian tectonic fault-line and throughout its history has experienced numerous quakes and tremors, several of them mentioned in the Bible.

:"earthquake" —1 Kings 19:11-13 "''a still small voice''"; Amos 1:1; Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 27:51; 28:2; Acts 16:26

:"was stirred / shook / shaken" —Genesis 19:25 "''overthrew''"; Judges 5:4; Matthew 21:10; Acts 4:31


"'''A few attached a fearful meaning to these events''', but most held to a firm conviction..."
:'''Wars''' 6.5.3 [295, 315]


"'''Josephus gives us an account of them.'''"
:'''Wars''' 6.5.3 [289-300]


"'''The war in Judea that Florus was scheming to provoke'''...was touched off by a Greek who refused to sell to the Jews at any price his land near their synagogue"
:'''Wars''' 2.14.4 [285]


"'''When this news reached Jerusalem, the people restrained their outrage''', but Florus...then took eighteen talents from the Temple, claiming governmental necessity." 
:'''Wars''' 2.14.5-6 [289-294]


"'''The next day, the chief priests begged the multitude to stop''' their lamentations and not to curse Florus, to avoid provoking him further."
:'''Wars''' 2.15.2 [315]


"'''Cestius sent a tribune, Neapolitanus, to investigate.'''"
:'''Wars''' 2.16.1 [335]


"'''Agrippa did what he could to keep the people''' from sending a mission to Nero..."
:'''Wars''' 2.16.3-5 [342-402]


"'''Then Eleazar, son of the high priest Ananias, lacking all reverence'''...impiously suspended all sacrifice on behalf of the emperor and Rome" 
:'''Wars''' 2.17.2 [409]

:See also [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5521-eleazar '''Eleazar - Jewish Encyclopedia 4. Eleazar, son of Ananias the high priest''' ''who refused the offerings of the Gentiles'' '''6. Leader of the Zealots, in the war against the Romans''', who would not submit to John of Gischala'' (jewishencyclopedia.com)]


"'''Menahem took his followers to Masada, stripped the armory there''', and returned to direct the siege."
:'''Wars''' 2.17.8 [433-434]


"'''the fortress Antonia was captured. The garrison soon sued for terms. The rebels granted safe passage to the royal troops, who withdrew. Their despondent Roman allies retreated to Herod's three towers, Hippicus, Phasael, and Mariamme. Menahem's men killed everyone in the palace. They killed the garrison, and torched it. 
:The first of two disastrous defeats of the Romans in Judea in A.D. 66, referred to in the next chapter Fifty.


"'''Another Eleazar, a relative, escaped with a few others''' and became the [[despot]] ruler of [[Masada]]."
:'''Wars''' 2.17.9 [433-447]


"'''Metilius, commander of the Roman garrison, concerned for the lives of his men, and being hard pressed by this Eleazar's siege, asked to be spared if he and his men surrendered arms and property. This was agreed. But as soon as they came down and laid down their arms, they were massacred'''". 
:The second of two disastrous defeats of the Romans in Judea in A.D. 66, referred to in the next chapter Fifty, which provoked Nero into sending Vespasian to put down the rebellion and subdue the Jews.


"'''Simon, son of Giora, caused such havoc in his own territory that Ananus''', the ex-high priest, and his leaders sent an army against him."
:'''Wars''' 2.19.2 [469-447]; 4.9.3 [503-508]


"'''At this time Josephus became the chief general and governor of the Jews in Galilee'''"
:The details of his rise to power as general and governor of the Jews in Galilee are related by him in his work '''''The Wars of the Jews'' 2.20.3–2.21.10'''


"'''John of Gischala then seized power in Jerusalem''', and after plotting to turn the people against Josephus..."
:'''Wars''' 2.21.1-2 [585-589]; 2.21.7 [622]; 4.9.3 [503-508]

:This paragraph is a brief statement pertaining to the extensive textual content of '''Wars 2.21.1–4.9.3'''.

:For similar condensations of texts in the Bible compare for example:
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+2%3A1-10&version=RSVCE 1 Kings 2:1-10] (condensed) and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Chronicles+28-29&version=RSVCE 1 Chronicles chapters 28–29] (expanded)
:*[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Maccabees+1%3A10-62&version=RSVCE 1 Maccabees 1:10-62] (condensed) and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Maccabees+3%3A1-6%3A11&version=RSVCE 2 Maccabees chapters 3:1–6:11] (expanded)

:See the following links for complete textual content of Wars 2.18.1–4.9.12.
:Access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-2/chapter-18.html '''Wars Book II''' Chapter 18] access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-2/chapter-19.html '''Wars Book II''' Chapter 19] access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-2/chapter-20.html '''Wars Book II''' Chapter 20] access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-2/chapter-21.html '''Wars Book II''' Chapter 21] access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-2/chapter-22.html '''Wars Book II''' Chapter 22]

:Access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-3/ '''Wars Book III''' Chapters 1 through 10]

:Access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-4/chapter-1.html '''Wars Book IV''' Chapter 1] access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-4/chapter-2.html '''Wars Book IV''' Chapter 2] access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-4/chapter-3.html '''Wars Book IV''' Chapter 3] access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-4/chapter-4.html '''Wars Book IV''' Chapter 4] access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-4/chapter-5.html '''Wars Book IV''' Chapter 5] access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-4/chapter-6.html '''Wars Book IV''' Chapter 6] access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-4/chapter-7.html '''Wars Book IV''' Chapter 7] access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-4/chapter-8.html '''Wars Book IV''' Chapter 8] access [https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/war-of-the-jews/book-4/chapter-9.html '''Wars Book IV''' Chapter 9]


[The events of A.D. 66 are not included in the [[Conservative Bible]] New Testament.]

[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) longer form Chapters 50-56|Continue]]

[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) longer form|Index]]

[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version)|Return to Main article]]

----
Original Conservapedia Edition revised and completed 5/19/2018 vigil of [[Pentecost]]—developed by Michael Paul Heart and the editors of Conservapedia.

Theo Stevenson

2018-11-07T14:24:22Z

StrawberryLavender: Created page with "'''Theodore John''' '''Theo''' '''Stevenson''' (born 27 February 1998) is an English actor who appeared in ''Horrid Henry: The Movie'', ''Millie Inbetween'' and ''Huma..."

'''Theodore John''' '''Theo''' '''Stevenson''' (born 27 February 1998) is an [[English]] [[actor]] who appeared in ''Horrid Henry: The Movie'', ''Millie Inbetween'' and ''Humans''.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevenson, Theo}}
[[Category:Actors]]

Georgie Henley

2018-11-07T14:20:55Z

StrawberryLavender: Try again!

'''Georgina Helen Henley''' (born 9 July 1995) is an [[English]] [[actress]], who appeared in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' as ''Lucy Pevensie''.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Henley, Georgie}}
[[Category:Actresses]]

User talk:1990'sguy

2018-11-07T14:12:23Z

StrawberryLavender:

Anna Popplewell

2018-11-07T14:09:59Z

StrawberryLavender:

'''Anna Katherine Popplewell''' (born 16 December 1988) is an [[English]] [[film]], [[television]] and [[theatre]] [[actress]]. She appeared in ''The Chronicles of Narnia film series'', ''Halo 4: Forward Until Dawn'' and ''Reign''.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Popplwell, Anna}}
[[Category:Actresses]]

Anna Popplewell

2018-11-07T14:09:39Z

StrawberryLavender: Added picture of Popplewell, surely there is nothing wrong with that

[[File:Anna Popplewell 2013.jpg|right]]
'''Anna Katherine Popplewell''' (born 16 December 1988) is an [[English]] [[film]], [[television]] and [[theatre]] [[actress]]. She appeared in ''The Chronicles of Narnia film series'', ''Halo 4: Forward Until Dawn'' and ''Reign''.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Popplwell, Anna}}
[[Category:Actresses]]

Anna Popplewell

2018-11-07T14:07:04Z

StrawberryLavender: No copyright violation this time. In own words...