PrisonersofHope
Poetry
FortheLORDheareththepoor,anddespisethnothisprisonersPsalm69:33
Letthesighingoftheprisonercomebeforethee;accordingtothegreatnessofthypowerpreserve thouthosethatareappointedtodie;Psalm79:11
Thisshallbewrittenforthegenerationtocome:andthepeoplewhichshallbecreatedshallpraise theLORDForhehathlookeddownfromtheheightofhissanctuary;fromheavendidtheLORD beholdtheearth;Tohearthegroaningoftheprisoner;toloosethosethatareappointedtodeath; Psalm102:18-20
Bringmysouloutofprison,thatImaypraisethyname:therighteousshallcompassmeabout;for thoushaltdealbountifullywithmePsalm142:7
HappyishethathaththeGodofJacobforhishelp,whosehopeisintheLORDhisGod:Which madeheaven,andearth,thesea,andallthatthereinis:whichkeepethtruthforever:Which executethjudgmentfortheoppressed:whichgivethfoodtothehungry.TheLORDlooseththe prisoners:Psalm146:5-7
Prophets
ThussaithGodtheLORD,hethatcreatedtheheavens,andstretchedthemout;hethatspreadforth theearth,andthatwhichcomethoutofit;hethatgivethbreathuntothepeopleuponit,andspiritto themthatwalktherein:ItheLORDhavecalledtheeinrighteousness,andwillholdthinehand,and willkeepthee,andgivetheeforacovenantofthepeople,foralightoftheGentiles;Toopenthe blindeyes,tobringouttheprisonersfromtheprison,andthemthatsitindarknessoutoftheprison house.Isaiah42:5-7
TheSpiritoftheLordGODisuponme;becausetheLORDhathanointedmetopreachgoodtidings untothemeek;hehathsentmetobindupthebrokenhearted,toproclaimlibertytothecaptives,and theopeningoftheprisontothemthatarebound;Isaiah61:1
Asfortheealso,bythebloodofthycovenantIhavesentforththyprisonersoutofthepitwhereinis nowaterTurnyoutothestronghold,yeprisonersofhope:eventodaydoIdeclarethatIwill renderdoubleuntothee;Zechariah9:11-12
Gospels
ThenshalltheKingsayuntothemonhisrighthand,Come,yeblessedofmyFather,inheritthe kingdompreparedforyoufromthefoundationoftheworld:ForIwasanhungred,andyegaveme meat:Iwasthirsty,andyegavemedrink:Iwasastranger,andyetookmein:Naked,andyeclothed me:Iwassick,andyevisitedme:Iwasinprison,andyecameuntomeThenshalltherighteous answerhim,saying,Lord,whensawwetheeanhungred,andfedthee?orthirsty,andgavethee drink?Whensawwetheeastranger,andtooktheein?ornaked,andclothedthee?Orwhensawwe
theesick,orinprison,andcameuntothee?AndtheKingshallanswerandsayuntothem,VerilyI sayuntoyou,Inasmuchasyehavedoneituntooneoftheleastofthesemybrethren,yehavedoneit untomeMatthew25:34-40
Thensaidheuntothem,Nationshallriseagainstnation,andkingdomagainstkingdom:Andgreat earthquakesshallbeindiversplaces,andfamines,andpestilences;andfearfulsightsandgreatsigns shalltherebefromheaven.Butbeforeallthese,theyshalllaytheirhandsonyou,andpersecuteyou, deliveringyouuptothesynagogues,andintoprisons,beingbroughtbeforekingsandrulersformy name'ssakeAnditshallturntoyouforatestimonyLuke21:10-13
Acts
Thenthehighpriestroseup,andalltheythatwerewithhim,(whichisthesectoftheSadducees,) andwerefilledwithindignation,Andlaidtheirhandsontheapostles,andputtheminthecommon prisonButtheangeloftheLordbynightopenedtheprisondoors,andbroughtthemforth,andsaid, Go,standandspeakinthetempletothepeopleallthewordsofthislife.Acts5:17-20
Peterthereforewaskeptinprison:butprayerwasmadewithoutceasingofthechurchuntoGodfor him.AndwhenHerodwouldhavebroughthimforth,thesamenightPeterwassleepingbetweentwo soldiers,boundwithtwochains:andthekeepersbeforethedoorkepttheprisonAnd,behold,the angeloftheLordcameuponhim,andalightshinedintheprison:andhesmotePeterontheside, andraisedhimup,saying,AriseupquicklyAndhischainsfellofffromhishandsButhe, beckoninguntothemwiththehandtoholdtheirpeace,declareduntothemhowtheLordhad broughthimoutoftheprison.Andhesaid,GoshewthesethingsuntoJames,andtothebrethren. Andhedeparted,andwentintoanotherplaceActs12:5-7,17
Andwhentheyhadlaidmanystripesuponthem,theycastthemintoprison,chargingthejailorto keepthemsafely:Who,havingreceivedsuchacharge,thrustthemintotheinnerprison,andmade theirfeetfastinthestocks.AndatmidnightPaulandSilasprayed,andsangpraisesuntoGod:and theprisonersheardthemAndsuddenlytherewasagreatearthquake,sothatthefoundationsofthe prisonwereshaken:andimmediatelyallthedoorswereopened,andeveryone'sbandswereloosed. Andthekeeperoftheprisonawakingoutofhissleep,andseeingtheprisondoorsopen,hedrewout hissword,andwouldhavekilledhimself,supposingthattheprisonershadbeenfledButPaulcried withaloudvoice,saying,Dothyselfnoharm:forweareallhere.Thenhecalledforalight,and sprangin,andcametrembling,andfelldownbeforePaulandSilas,Andbroughtthemout,andsaid, Sirs,whatmustIdotobesaved?
Andtheysaid,BelieveontheLordJesusChrist,andthoushaltbesaved,andthyhouse.Andthey spakeuntohimthewordoftheLord,andtoallthatwereinhishouseAndhetookthemthesame hourofthenight,andwashedtheirstripes;andwasbaptized,heandallhis,straightway.Andwhen hehadbroughtthemintohishouse,hesetmeatbeforethem,andrejoiced,believinginGodwithall hishouse.Acts16:23-34
Epistles
AretheyministersofChrist?(Ispeakasafool)Iammore;inlaboursmoreabundant,instripes abovemeasure,inprisonsmorefrequent,indeathsoft2Corinthians11:23
Itherefore,theprisoneroftheLord,beseechyouthatyewalkworthyofthevocationwherewithye arecalled,Withalllowlinessandmeekness,withlongsuffering,forbearingoneanotherinlove; EndeavouringtokeeptheunityoftheSpiritinthebondofpeaceEphesians4:1-3
BenotthouthereforeashamedofthetestimonyofourLord,norofmehisprisoner:butbethou partakeroftheafflictionsofthegospelaccordingtothepowerofGod;Whohathsavedus,and calleduswithanholycalling,notaccordingtoourworks,butaccordingtohisownpurposeand grace,whichwasgivenusinChristJesusbeforetheworldbegan,Butisnowmademanifestbythe appearingofourSaviourJesusChrist,whohathabolisheddeath,andhathbroughtlifeand immortalitytolightthroughthegospel:WhereuntoIamappointedapreacher,andanapostle,anda teacheroftheGentiles2Timothy1:8-11
Paul,aprisonerofJesusChrist,andTimothyourbrother,untoPhilemonourdearlybeloved,and fellowlabourer,Yetforlove'ssakeIratherbeseechthee,beingsuchanoneasPaultheaged,and nowalsoaprisonerofJesusChrist.Philemon1:1,9
Fearnoneofthosethingswhichthoushaltsuffer:behold,thedevilshallcastsomeofyouintoprison, thatyemaybetried;andyeshallhavetribulationtendays:bethoufaithfuluntodeath,andIwill givetheeacrownoflifeRevelation2:10