Calvary Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
Calvary Baptist Church
We exist to glorify God by making disciples of Jesus who love God, love others, and serve the world.
Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two10After this the Lordappointed seventy-two[a]othersand sent them two by twoahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.2He told them,The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.5When you enter a house, first say, Peace to this house.6If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.7Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages.Do not move around from house to house.8When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, The kingdom of Godhas come near to you.10But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say,11Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you.Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodomthan for that town.
Michael Fast delivers a video message and his wife Eva delivers a short presentation on their work in South AsiaActs 11:19-21The Church in Antioch19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killedtraveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch,spreading the word only among Jews.20Some of them, however, men from Cyprusand Cyrene,went to Antiochand began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good newsabout the Lord Jesus.21The Lords hand was with them,and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
The Faith of a Canaanite Woman21Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, Lord, Son of David,have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.24He answered,I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.25The woman came and knelt before him.Lord, help me! she said.26He replied,It is not right to take the childrens bread and toss it to the dogs.27Yes it is, Lord, she said. Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters table.28Then Jesus said to her,Woman, you have great faith!Your request is granted.And her daughter was healed at that moment.
NOTEDue to technical issues during the Sunday service, our live-stream was interrupted. The audio recording was salvaged and partially re-recorded.The Transfiguration28About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and Jameswith him and went up onto a mountain to pray.29As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.30Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.31They spoke about his departure,[a]which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.32Peter and his companions were very sleepy,but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.33As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, Master,it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three sheltersone for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. (He did not know what he was saying.)34While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.35A voice came from the cloud, saying, This is my Son, whom I have chosen;listen to him.36When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
11Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears the Temple Courts12The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.13Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.14Then he said to the tree,May no one ever eat fruit from you again.And his disciples heard him say it.15On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves,16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.17And as he taught them, he said,Is it not written: My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations[a]?But you have made it a den of robbers.[b]18The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him,because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.19When evening came, Jesus and his disciples[c]went out of the city.20In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.21Peter remembered and said to Jesus, Rabbi,look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah27Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them,Who do people say I am?28They replied, Some say John the Baptist;others say Elijah;and still others, one of the prophets.29But what about you?he asked.Who do you say I am?Peter answered, You are the Messiah.30Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.Jesus Predicts His Death31He then began to teach them that the Son of Manmust suffer many thingsand be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,and that he must be killedand after three daysrise again.32He spoke plainlyabout this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.33But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter.Get behind me, Satan!he said.You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.The Way of the Cross34Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said:Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.35For whoever wants to save their life[a]will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.36What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
podcast recording audio quality may sound lower than normalThis week we got to hear from Mark and Cheryl Buchanan. Cheryl gave a short presentation about their work with New Story Community, followed by the message brought by Mark.Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman36When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisees house and reclined at the table.37A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisees house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.38As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet,he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she isthat she is a sinner.40Jesus answered him,Simon, I have something to tell you.Tell me, teacher, he said.41Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[a]and the other fifty.42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?43Simon replied, I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.You have judged correctly,Jesus said.44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon,Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet,but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.45You did not give me a kiss,but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.46You did not put oil on my head,but she has poured perfume on my feet.47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgivenas her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.48Then Jesus said to her,Your sins are forgiven.49The other guests began to say among themselves, Who is this who even forgives sins?50Jesus said to the woman,Your faith has saved you;go in peace.
Jesus Changes Water Into Wine2On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.Jesus motherwas there,2and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.3When the wine was gone, Jesus mother said to him, They have no more wine.4Woman,[a]why do you involve me?Jesus replied.My hourhas not yet come.5His mother said to the servants, Do whatever he tells you.6Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing,each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.[b]7Jesus said to the servants,Fill the jars with water; so they filled them to the brim.8Then he told them,Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.They did so,9and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside10and said, Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.11What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signsthrough which he revealed his glory;and his disciples believed in him.12After this he went down to Capernaumwith his motherand brothersand his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.Jesus Clears the Temple Courts13When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,Jesus went up to Jerusalem.14In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves,and others sitting at tables exchanging money.15So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.16To those who sold doves he said,Get these out of here! Stop turning my Fathers houseinto a market!17His disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal for your house will consume me.[c]18The Jewsthen responded to him, What signcan you show us to prove your authority to do all this?19Jesus answered them,Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.
Paul Boasts About His Sufferings16I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting.17In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would,but as a fool.18Since many are boasting in the way the world does,I too will boast.19You gladly put up withfools since you are so wise!20In fact, you even put up withanyone who enslaves youor exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face.21To my shame I admit that we were too weakfor that!Whatever anyone else dares to boast aboutI am speaking as a foolI also dare to boast about.22Are they Hebrews? So am I.Are they Israelites? So am I.Are they Abrahams descendants? So am I.23Are they servants of Christ?(I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,been in prison more frequently,been flogged more severely,and been exposed to death again and again.24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashesminus one.25Three times I was beaten with rods,once I was pelted with stones,three times I was shipwrecked,I spent a night and a day in the open sea,26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.27I have labored and toiledand have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;I have been cold and naked.28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.29Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?Who is led into sin,and I do not inwardly burn?30If I must boast, I will boastof the things that show my weakness.31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,knowsthat I am not lying.32In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.33But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.Pauls Vision and His Thorn12I must go on boasting.Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelationsfrom the Lord.2I know a man in Christwho fourteen years ago was caught upto the third heaven.Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not knowGod knows.3And I know that this manwhether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows4was caught upto paradiseand heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.5I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.6Even if I should choose to boast,I would not be a fool,because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say,7or because of these surpassingly great revelations.Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,a messenger of Satan,to torment me.8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.9But he said to me,My graceis sufficient for you, for my poweris made perfect in weakness.Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christs power may rest on me.10That is why, for Christs sake, I delightin weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,in persecutions,in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit14When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.15As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.16What are you arguing with them about?he asked.17A man in the crowd answered, Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.19You unbelieving generation,Jesus replied,how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.20So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.21Jesus asked the boys father,How long has he been like this?From childhood, he answered.22It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.23If you can?said Jesus.Everything is possible for one who believes.24Immediately the boys father exclaimed, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene,he rebuked the impure spirit.You deaf and mute spirit,he said,I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, Hes dead.27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.28After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately,Why couldnt we drive it out?29He replied,This kind can come out only by prayer.[a]
This Sunday we had another Calvary stories week and Dave Heinrichs speaks with Leila and Norma.
18And pray in the Spiriton all occasionswith all kinds of prayers and requests.With this in mind, be alert and always keep on prayingfor all the Lords people.19Pray also for me,that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlesslymake known the mysteryof the gospel,20for which I am an ambassadorin chains.Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.Final Greetings21Tychicus,the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing.22I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are,and that he may encourage you.23Peaceto the brothers and sisters,[a]and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.24Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.[b]
The Armor of God10Finally, be strong in the Lordand in his mighty power.11Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devils schemes.12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,but against the rulers, against the authorities,against the powersof this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.13Therefore put on the full armor of God,so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,with the breastplate of righteousness in place,15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.17Take the helmet of salvationand the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God.
13If I speak in the tongues[a]of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.2If I have the gift of prophecyand can fathom all mysteriesand all knowledge,and if I have a faiththat can move mountains,but do not have love, I am nothing.3If I give all I possess to the poorand give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b]but do not have love, I gain nothing.4Love is patient,love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,it is not easily angered,it keeps no record of wrongs.6Love does not delight in evilbut rejoices with the truth.7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,they will cease; where there are tongues,they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.9For we know in partand we prophesy in part,10but when completeness comes,what is in part disappears.11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhoodbehind me.12For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;then we shall see face to face.Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.But the greatest of these is love.
6Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.2Honor your father and motherwhich is the first commandment with a promise3so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.[a]4Fathers,[b]do not exasperate your children;instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respectand fear, and with sincerity of heart,just as you would obey Christ.6Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ,doing the will of God from your heart.7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,8because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do,whether they are slave or free.9And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yoursis in heaven, and there is no favoritismwith him.
Instructions for Christian Households21Submit to one anotherout of reverence for Christ.22Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbandsas you do to the Lord.23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,his body, of which he is the Savior.24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbandsin everything.25Husbands, love your wives,just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her26to make her holy,cleansing[a]her by the washingwith water through the word,27and to present her to himselfas a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wivesas their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.29After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church30for we are members of his body.31For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.[b]32This is a profound mysterybut I am talking about Christ and the church.33However, each one of you also must love his wifeas he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Jesus Has Risen24On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had preparedand went to the tomb.2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightningstood beside them.5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, Why do you look for the living among the dead?6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:7The Son of Manmust be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.8Then they remembered his words.9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with themwho told this to the apostles.11But they did not believethe women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.12Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves,and he went away,wondering to himself what had happened.On the Road to Emmaus13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a]from Jerusalem.14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;16but they were kept from recognizing him.17He asked them,What are you discussing together as you walk along?They stood still, their faces downcast.18One of them, named Cleopas,asked him, Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?19What things?he asked.About Jesus of Nazareth,they replied. He was a prophet,powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.20The chief priests and our rulershanded him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;21but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.And what is more, it is the third daysince all this took place.22In addition, some of our women amazed us.They went to the tomb early this morning23but didnt find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.25He said to them,How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!26Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?27And beginning with Mosesand all the Prophets,he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther.29But they urged him strongly, Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over. So he went in to stay with them.30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke itand began to give it to them.31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him,and he disappeared from their sight.32They asked each other, Were not our hearts burning within uswhile he talked with us on the road and opened the Scripturesto us?33They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together34and saying, It is true! The Lordhas risen and has appeared to Simon.35Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King21As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,Jesus sent two disciples,2saying to them,Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.3If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.4This took place to fulfillwhat was spoken through the prophet:5Say to Daughter Zion,See, your king comes to you,gentle and riding on a donkey,and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.[a]6The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.7They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.8A very large crowd spread their cloakson the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.9The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,Hosanna[b]to the Son of David!Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord![c]Hosanna[d]in the highest heaven!10When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, Who is this?11The crowds answered, This is Jesus, the prophetfrom Nazareth in Galilee.
3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality,or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,because these are improper for Gods holy people.4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talkor coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy personsuch a person is an idolaterhas any inheritancein the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a]6Let no one deceive youwith empty words, for because of such things Gods wrathcomes on those who are disobedient.7Therefore do not be partners with them.8For you were oncedarkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light9(for the fruitof the light consists in all goodness,righteousness and truth)10and find out what pleases the Lord.11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,but rather expose them.12It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.13But everything exposed by the lightbecomes visibleand everything that is illuminated becomes a light.14This is why it is said:Wake up, sleeper,rise from the dead,and Christ will shine on you.15Be very careful, then, how you livenot as unwise but as wise,16making the most of every opportunity,because the days are evil.17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lords will is.18Do not get drunk on wine,which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,20always giving thanksto God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Chapter 425Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfullyto your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.26In your anger do not sin[a]:Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,27and do not give the devil a foothold.28Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,doing something useful with their own hands,that they may have something to share with those in need.29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,but only what is helpful for building others upaccording to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,with whom you were sealedfor the day of redemption.31Get rid ofall bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.32Be kind and compassionate to one another,forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.Chapter 5 1Follow Gods example,therefore, as dearly loved children2and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved usand gave himself up for usas a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Instructions for Christian Living17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longerlive as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.18They are darkened in their understandingand separated from the life of Godbecause of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.19Having lost all sensitivity,they have given themselves overto sensualityso as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.20That, however, is not the way of life you learned21when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put offyour old self,which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;23to be made new in the attitude of your minds;24and to put onthe new self,created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Instructions for Christian Living17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longerlive as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.18They are darkened in their understandingand separated from the life of Godbecause of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.19Having lost all sensitivity,they have given themselves overto sensualityso as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.20That, however, is not the way of life you learned21when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put offyour old self,which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;23to be made new in the attitude of your minds;24and to put onthe new self,created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ4As a prisonerfor the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthyof the callingyou have received.2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one anotherin love.3Make every effort to keep the unityof the Spirit through the bond of peace.4There is one bodyand one Spirit,just as you were called to one hope when you were called;5one Lord,one faith, one baptism;6one God and Father of all,who is over all and through all and in all.7But to each one of usgracehas been givenas Christ apportioned it.8This is why it[a]says:When he ascended on high,he took many captivesand gave gifts to his people.[b]9(What does he ascended mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]?10He who descended is the very one who ascendedhigher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)11So Christ himself gavethe apostles,the prophets,the evangelists,the pastors and teachers,12to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christmay be built up13until we all reach unityin the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of Godand become mature,attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.14Then we will no longer be infants,tossed back and forth by the waves,and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.15Instead, speaking the truth in love,we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,that is, Christ.16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, growsand builds itself upin love,as each part does its work.
A Prayer for the Ephesians14For this reason I kneelbefore the Father,15from whom every family[a]in heaven and on earth derives its name.16I pray that out of his glorious richeshe may strengthen you with powerthrough his Spirit in your inner being,17so that Christ may dwell in your heartsthrough faith. And I pray that you, being rootedand established in love,18may have power, together with all the Lords holy people,to grasp how wide and long and high and deepis the love of Christ,19and to know this love that surpasses knowledgethat you may be filledto the measure of all the fullness of God.20Now to him who is ableto do immeasurably more than all we askor imagine, according to his powerthat is at work within us,21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Gods Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles3For this reason I, Paul, the prisonerof Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles2Surely you have heard about the administration of Gods grace that was given to mefor you,3that is, the mysterymade known to me by revelation,as I have already written briefly.4In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insightinto the mystery of Christ,5which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to Gods holy apostles and prophets.6This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirstogether with Israel, members together of one body,and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.7I became a servant of this gospelby the gift of Gods grace given methrough the working of his power.8Although I am less than the least of all the Lords people,this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentilesthe boundless riches of Christ,9and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery,which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of Godshould be made knownto the rulers and authoritiesin the heavenly realms,11according to his eternal purposethat he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.12In him and through faith in him we may approach Godwith freedom and confidence.13I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ11Therefore, remember that formerlyyou who are Gentiles by birth and called uncircumcised by those who call themselves the circumcision (which is done in the body by human hands)12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreignersto the covenants of the promise,without hopeand without God in the world.13But now in Christ Jesus you who oncewere far away have been brought nearby the blood of Christ.14For he himself is our peace,who has made the two groups oneand has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,15by setting aside in his fleshthe law with its commands and regulations.His purpose was to create in himself onenew humanity out of the two, thus making peace,16and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,by which he put to death their hostility.17He came and preached peaceto you who were far away and peace to those who were near.18For through him we both have accessto the Fatherby one Spirit.19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,but fellow citizenswith Gods people and also members of his household,20builton the foundationof the apostles and prophets,with Christ Jesus himselfas the chief cornerstone.21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy templein the Lord.22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.-https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%202%3A11-22version=NIV
Thanksgiving and Prayer15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesusand your love for all Gods people,16I have not stopped giving thanks for you,remembering you in my prayers.17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,may give you the Spirit[a]of wisdomand revelation, so that you may know him better.18I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightenedin order that you may know the hope to which he has calledyou, the richesof his glorious inheritancein his holy people,19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That poweris the same as the mighty strength20he exerted when he raised Christ from the deadand seated him at his right handin the heavenly realms,21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,and every namethat is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.22And God placed all things under his feetand appointed him to be headover everything for the church,23which is his body,the fullness of himwho fills everything in every way.
1Paul, an apostleof Christ Jesus by the will of God,To Gods holy peoplein Ephesus,[a]the faithfulin Christ Jesus:2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,who has blessed us in the heavenly realmswith every spiritual blessing in Christ.4For he chose usin him before the creation of the worldto be holy and blamelessin his sight. In love5he[b]predestinedus for adoption to sonship[c]through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasureand will6to the praise of his glorious grace,which he has freely given us in the One he loves.7In him we have redemptionthrough his blood,the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the richesof Gods grace8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,9he[d]made known to us the mysteryof his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposedin Christ,10to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillmentto bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.11In him we were also chosen,[e]having been predestinedaccording to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purposeof his will,12in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.13And you also were included in Christwhen you heard the message of truth,the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,the promised Holy Spirit,14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritanceuntil the redemptionof those who are Gods possessionto the praise of his glory.
No live streamed service this New Years Eve Sunday morning.Jesus Presented in the Temple 22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord[a]), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: a pair of doves or two young pigeons.[b] 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lords Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss[c] your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel. 33 The childs father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too. 36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[d] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
The Birth of Jesus2In those days Caesar Augustusissued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.2(This was the first census that took place while[a]Quirinius was governor of Syria.)3And everyone went to their own town to register.4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehemthe town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to himand was expecting a child.6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.9An angelof the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.10But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid.I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.11Today in the town of David a Saviorhas been born to you; he is the Messiah,the Lord.12This will be a signto you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,14Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peaceto those on whom his favor rests.15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Lets go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising Godfor all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
The Birth of Jesus Foretold26In the sixth month of Elizabeths pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabrielto Nazareth,a town in Galilee,27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,a descendant of David. The virgins name was Mary.28The angel went to her and said, Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.30But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid,Mary; you have found favor with God.31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,33and he will reign over Jacobs descendants forever; his kingdomwill never end.34How will this be, Mary asked the angel, since I am a virgin?35The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come on you,and the power of the Most Highwill overshadow you. So the holy oneto be born will be called[a]the Son of God.36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a childin her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.37For no word from God will ever fail.38I am the Lords servant, Mary answered. May your word to me be fulfilled. Then the angel left her.
Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son18This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.19Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[b]did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorceher quietly.20But after he had considered this, an angelof the Lord appeared to him in a dreamand said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c]because he will save his people from their sins.22All this took place to fulfillwhat the Lord had said through the prophet:23The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanueld.24When Joseph woke up, he did what the angelof the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.25But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Boaz Marries Ruth4Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gateand sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer[a]he had mentionedcame along. Boaz said, Come over here, my friend, and sit down. So he went over and sat down.2Boaz took ten of the eldersof the town and said, Sit here, and they did so.3Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek.4I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you[b]will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you,and I am next in line.I will redeem it, he said.5Then Boaz said, On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite,the[c]dead mans widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.6At this, the guardian-redeemer said, Then I cannot redeemit because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.7(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemptionand transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandaland gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactionsin Israel.)8So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, Buy it yourself. And he removed his sandal.9Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, Today you are witnessesthat I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon.10I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite,Mahlons widow, as my wife,in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown.Today you are witnesses!11Then the elders and all the people at the gatesaid, We are witnesses.May theLordmake the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah,who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathahand be famous in Bethlehem.12Through the offspring theLordgives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez,whom Tamarbore to Judah.Naomi Gains a Son13So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, theLordenabled her to conceive,and she gave birth to a son.14The womensaid to Naomi: Praise be to theLord,who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer.May he become famous throughout Israel!15He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law,who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons,has given him birth.16Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him.17The women living there said, Naomi has a son! And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse,the father of David.The Genealogy of David18This, then, is the family line of Perez:Perez was the father of Hezron,19Hezron the father of Ram,Ram the father of Amminadab,20Amminadab the father of Nahshon,Nahshon the father of Salmon,[d]21Salmon the father of Boaz,Boaz the father of Obed,22Obed the father of Jesse,and Jesse the father of David.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth%203&version=NIVRuth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor3One day Ruths mother-in-law Naomisaid to her, My daughter, I must find a home[a]for you, where you will be well provided for.2Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relativeof ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.3Wash,put on perfume,and get dressed in your best clothes.Then go down to the threshing floor, but dont let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.4When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.5I will do whatever you say,Ruth answered.6So she went down to the threshing floorand did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.7When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits,he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile.Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down.8In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turnedand there was a woman lying at his feet!9Who are you? he asked.I am your servant Ruth, she said. Spread the corner of your garmentover me, since you are a guardian-redeemer[b]of our family.10TheLordbless you,my daughter, he replied. This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier:You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.11And now, my daughter, dont be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.12Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family,there is another who is more closely related thanI.13Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer,good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as theLordlivesI will do it.Lie here until morning.14So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.15He also said, Bring me the shawlyou are wearing and hold it out. When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he[c]went back to town.16When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, How did it go, my daughter?Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her17and added, He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, Dont go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.18Then Naomi said, Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.
Ruth Meets Boaz in the Grain Field2Now Naomi had a relativeon her husbands side, a man of standingfrom the clan of Elimelek,whose name was Boaz.2And Ruth the Moabitesaid to Naomi, Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grainbehind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.Naomi said to her, Go ahead, my daughter.3So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters.As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.4Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, TheLordbe with you!TheLordbless you! they answered.5Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, Who does that young woman belong to?6The overseer replied, She is the Moabitewho came back from Moab with Naomi.7She said, Please let me glean and gather among the sheavesbehind the harvesters. She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short restin the shelter.8So Boaz said to Ruth, My daughter, listen to me. Dont go and glean in another field and dont go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me.9Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.10At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground.She asked him, Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice mea foreigner?11Boaz replied, Ive been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-lawsince the death of your husbandhow you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not knowbefore.12May theLordrepay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by theLord,the God of Israel,under whose wingsyou have come to take refuge.13May I continue to find favor in your eyes,my lord, she said. You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servantthough I do not have the standing of one of your servants.14At mealtime Boaz said to her, Come over here. Have some breadand dip it in the wine vinegar.When she sat down with the harvesters,he offered her some roasted grain.She ate all she wanted and had some left over.15As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, Let her gather among the sheavesand dont reprimand her.16Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and dont rebukeher.17So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshedthe barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah.[a]18She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left overafter she had eaten enough.19Her mother-in-law asked her, Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz, she said.20TheLordbless him! Naomi said to her daughter-in-law.He has not stopped showing his kindnessto the living and the dead. She added, That man is our close relative;he is one of our guardian-redeemers.[b]21Then Ruth the Moabitesaid, He even said to me, Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.22Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone elses field you might be harmed.23So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barleyand wheat harvestswere finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
Naomi Loses Her Husband and Sons1In the days when the judges ruled,[a]there was a famine in the land.So a man from Bethlehem in Judah,together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a whilein the country of Moab.2The mans name was Elimelek,his wifes name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion.They were Ephrathitesfrom Bethlehem,Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.3Now Elimelek, Naomis husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.4They married Moabite women,one named Orpah and the other Ruth.After they had lived there about ten years,5both Mahlon and Kilionalso died,and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem6When Naomi heard in Moabthat theLordhad come to the aid of his peopleby providing foodfor them, she and her daughters-in-lawprepared to return home from there.7With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.8Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go back, each of you, to your mothers home.May theLordshow you kindness,as you have shown kindness to your dead husbandsand to me.9May theLordgrant that each of you will find restin the home of another husband.Then she kissedthem goodbye and they wept aloud10and said to her, We will go back with you to your people.11But Naomi said, Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?12Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for meeven if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons13would you wait until they grew up?Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitterfor me than for you, because theLords hand has turned against me!14At this they weptaloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-lawgoodbye,but Ruth clung to her.15Look, said Naomi, your sister-in-lawis going back to her people and her gods.Go back with her.16But Ruth replied, Dont urge me to leave youor to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my peopleand your God my God.17Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May theLorddeal with me, be it ever so severely,if even death separates you and me.18When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.19So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem.When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirredbecause of them, and the women exclaimed, Can this be Naomi?20Dont call me Naomi,[b] she told them. Call me Mara,[c]because the Almighty[d]has made my life very bitter.21I went away full, but theLordhas brought me back empty.Why call me Naomi? TheLordhas afflicted[e]me;the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.22So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite,her daughter-in-law,arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvestwas beginning.
A Living Sacrifice12Therefore, I urge you,brothers and sisters, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,holy and pleasing to Godthis is your true and proper worship.2Do not conformto the pattern of this world,but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.Then you will be able to test and approve what Gods will ishis good, pleasingand perfect will.Humble Service in the Body of Christ3For by the grace given meI say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.4For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,5so in Christ we, though many, form one body,and each member belongs to all the others.6We have different gifts,according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying,then prophesy in accordance with your[a]faith;7if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;8if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;if it is giving, then give generously;if it is to lead,[b]do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.Love in Action9Love must be sincere.Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.10Be devoted to one another in love.Honor one another above yourselves.11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,serving the Lord.12Be joyful in hope,patient in affliction,faithful in prayer.13Share with the Lords people who are in need.Practice hospitality.14Bless those who persecute you;bless and do not curse.15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.16Live in harmony with one another.Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c]Do not be conceited.17Do not repay anyone evil for evil.Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.19Do not take revenge,my dear friends, but leave room for Gods wrath, for it is written: It is mine to avenge; I will repay,[d]says the Lord.20On the contrary:If your enemy is hungry, feed him;if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.[e]21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The Prayer of Faith13Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.14Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the eldersof the church to pray over them and anoint them with oilin the name of the Lord.15And the prayer offered in faithwill make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.16Therefore confess your sinsto each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Jesus Anointed at Bethany14Now the Passoverand the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.2But not during the festival, they said, or the people may riot.3While he was in Bethany,reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.4Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, Why this waste of perfume?5It could have been sold for more than a years wages[a]and the money given to the poor. And they rebuked her harshly.6Leave her alone,said Jesus.Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.7The poor you will always have with you,[b]and you can help them any time you want.But you will not always have me.8She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.9Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world,what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.11They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
The Rich and the Kingdom of God17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his kneesbefore him. Good teacher, he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life?18Why do you call me good?Jesus answered.No one is goodexcept God alone.19You know the commandments: You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.[a]20Teacher, he declared, all these I have kept since I was a boy.21Jesus looked at him and loved him.One thing you lack,he said.Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,and you will have treasure in heaven.Then come, follow me.22At this the mans face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,How hard it is for the richto enter the kingdom of God!24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again,Children, how hard it is[b]to enter the kingdom of God!25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.26The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, Who then can be saved?27Jesus looked at them and said,With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.28Then Peter spoke up, We have left everything to follow you!29Truly I tell you,Jesus replied,no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel30will fail to receive a hundred times as muchin this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fieldsalong with persecutionsand in the age to comeeternal life.31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
23Then he said to them all:Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.24For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.
1Paul, an apostleof Christ Jesus by the will of God,and Timothyour brother,2To Gods holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters[a]in Christ:Graceand peace to you from God our Father.[b]Thanksgiving and Prayer3We always thank God,the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,4because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the loveyou have for all Gods people5the faith and love that spring from the hopestored up for you in heavenand about which you have already heard in the true messageof the gospel6that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruitand growing throughout the whole worldjust as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood Gods grace.7You learned it from Epaphras,our dear fellow servant,[c]who is a faithful ministerof Christ on our[d]behalf,8and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.9For this reason, since the day we heard about you,we have not stopped praying for you.We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his willthrough all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[e]10so that you may live a life worthyof the Lord and please himin every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,11being strengthened with all poweraccording to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,12and giving joyful thanks to the Father,who has qualified you[f]to share in the inheritanceof his holy people in the kingdom of light.13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darknessand brought us into the kingdomof the Son he loves,14in whom we have redemption,the forgiveness of sins.The Supremacy of the Son of God15The Son is the imageof the invisible God,the firstbornover all creation.16For in him all things were created:things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;all things have been created through him and for him.17He is before all things,and in him all things hold together.18And he is the headof the body, the church;he is the beginning and the firstbornfrom among the dead,so that in everything he might have the supremacy.19For God was pleasedto have all his fullnessdwell in him,20and through him to reconcileto himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,by making peacethrough his blood,shed on the cross.
Psalm 19[a]For the director of music. A psalm of David.1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.4 Yet their voice[b] goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.7 The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.11 By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.12 But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer
Psalm 23 A psalm of David.
1TheLordis my shepherd,I lack nothing.2He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters,3he refreshes my soul.He guides mealong the right pathsfor his names sake.4Even though I walkthrough the darkest valley,[a]I will fear no evil,for you are with me;your rod and your staff,they comfort me.
5You prepare a tablebefore mein the presence of my enemies.You anoint my head with oil;my cupoverflows.6Surely your goodness and lovewill follow meall the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of theLordforever.
Psalm 91
1Whoever dwells in the shelterof the Most Highwill rest in the shadowof the Almighty.[a]2I will say of theLord, He is my refugeand my fortress,my God, in whom I trust.
3Surely he will save youfrom the fowlers snareand from the deadly pestilence.4He will cover you with his feathers,and under his wings you will find refuge;his faithfulness will be your shieldand rampart.5You will not fearthe terror of night,nor the arrow that flies by day,6nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,nor the plague that destroys at midday.7A thousand may fall at your side,ten thousand at your right hand,but it will not come near you.8You will only observe with your eyesand see the punishment of the wicked.
9If you say, TheLordis my refuge,and you make the Most High your dwelling,10no harmwill overtake you,no disaster will come near your tent.11For he will command his angelsconcerning youto guard you in all your ways;12they will lift you up in their hands,so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.13You will tread on the lion and the cobra;you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14Because he[b]loves me, says theLord, I will rescue him;I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.15He will call on me, and I will answer him;I will be with him in trouble,I will deliver him and honor him.16With long lifeI will satisfy himand show him my salvation.
PSALM 30 A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple.[b]Of David.
1I will exaltyou,Lord,for you lifted me out of the depthsand did not let my enemies gloat over me.2Lordmy God, I called to you for help,and you healed me.3You,Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;you spared me from going down to the pit.
4Singthe praises of theLord, you his faithful people;praise his holy name.5For his angerlasts only a moment,but his favor lasts a lifetime;weepingmay stay for the night,but rejoicing comes in the morning.
6When I felt secure, I said,I will never be shaken.7Lord, when you favored me,you made my royal mountain[c]stand firm;but when you hid your face,I was dismayed.
8To you,Lord, I called;to the Lord I cried for mercy:9What is gained if I am silenced,if I go down to the pit?Will the dust praise you?Will it proclaim your faithfulness?10Hear,Lord, and be merciful to me;Lord, be my help.
11You turned my wailinginto dancing;you removed my sackclothand clothed me with joy,12that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.Lordmy God, I will praiseyou forever.
Psalm 51[a] For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1Have mercyon me, O God,according to your unfailing love;according to your great compassionblot outmy transgressions.2Wash awayall my iniquityand cleanseme from my sin.
3For I know my transgressions,and my sin is always before me.4Against you, you only, have I sinnedand done what is evil in your sight;so you are right in your verdictand justified when you judge.5Surely I was sinfulat birth,sinful from the time my mother conceived me.6Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;you taught me wisdomin that secret place.
7Cleanseme with hyssop,and I will be clean;wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.8Let me hear joy and gladness;let the bonesyou have crushed rejoice.9Hide your face from my sinsand blot outall my iniquity.
10Create in me a pure heart,O God,and renew a steadfast spirit within me.11Do not cast mefrom your presenceor take your Holy Spiritfrom me.12Restore to me the joy of your salvationand grant me a willing spirit,to sustain me.
13Then I will teach transgressors your ways,so that sinnerswill turn back to you.14Deliver mefrom the guilt of bloodshed,O God,you who are God my Savior,and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.15Open my lips, Lord,and my mouth will declare your praise.16You do not delight in sacrifice,or I would bring it;you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.17My sacrifice,O God, is[b]a broken spirit;a broken and contrite heartyou, God, will not despise.
18May it please you to prosper Zion,to build up the walls of Jerusalem.19Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,in burnt offeringsoffered whole;then bullswill be offered on your altar.
Psalm 42[a][b] For the director of music. Amaskil[c]of the Sons of Korah.
1As the deerpants for streams of water,so my soul pantsfor you, my God.2My soul thirstsfor God, for the living God.When can I goand meet with God?3My tearshave been my foodday and night,while people say to me all day long,Where is your God?4These things I rememberas I pour out my soul:how I used to go to the house of Godunder the protection of the Mighty One[d]with shouts of joyand praiseamong the festive throng.
5Why, my soul, are you downcast?Why so disturbedwithin me?Put your hope in God,for I will yet praisehim,my Saviorand my God.
6My soul is downcast within me;therefore I will rememberyoufrom the land of the Jordan,the heights of Hermonfrom Mount Mizar.7Deep calls to deepin the roar of your waterfalls;all your waves and breakershave swept over me.
8By day theLorddirects his love,at nighthis songis with mea prayer to the God of my life.
9I say to God my Rock,Why have you forgottenme?Why must I go about mourning,oppressedby the enemy?10My bones suffer mortal agonyas my foes tauntme,saying to me all day long,Where is your God?
11Why, my soul, are you downcast?Why so disturbed within me?Put your hope in God,for I will yet praise him,my Savior and my God.
Psalm 43[e]
1Vindicate me, my God,and plead my causeagainst an unfaithful nation.Rescue mefrom those who aredeceitful and wicked.2You are God my stronghold.Why have you rejectedme?Why must I go about mourning,oppressed by the enemy?3Send me your lightand your faithful care,let them lead me;let them bring me to your holy mountain,to the place where you dwell.4Then I will goto the altarof God,to God, my joyand my delight.I will praise you with the lyre,O God, my God.
5Why, my soul, are you downcast?Why so disturbed within me?Put your hope in God,for I will yet praise him,my Savior and my God.
11Now the whole world had one languageand a common speech.2As people moved eastward,[a]they found a plain in Shinar[b]and settled there. 3They said to each other, Come, lets make bricksand bake them thoroughly. They used brick instead of stone,and tarfor mortar.4Then they said, Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens,so that we may make a namefor ourselves; otherwise we will be scatteredover the face of the whole earth. 5But theLordcame downto see the city and the tower the people were building.6TheLordsaid, If as one people speaking the same languagethey have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.7Come, let usgo downand confuse their language so they will not understand each other. 8So theLordscattered them from there over all the earth,and they stopped building the city.9That is why it was called Babel[c]because there theLordconfused the languageof the whole world.From there theLordscatteredthem over the face of the whole earth.
8But God rememberedNoah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth,and the waters receded.2Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavenshad been closed, and the rainhad stopped falling from the sky.3The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty daysthe water had gone down,4and on the seventeenth day of the seventh monththe ark came to rest on the mountainsof Ararat.5The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible. 6After forty daysNoah opened a window he had made in the ark7and sent out a raven,and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.8Then he sent out a doveto see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground.9But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark.10He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark.11When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.12He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him. 13By the first day of the first month of Noahs six hundred and first year,the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry.14By the twenty-seventh day of the second monththe earth was completely dry. 15Then God said to Noah,16Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives.17Bring out every kind of living creature that is with youthe birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the groundso they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it. 18So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons wives.19All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birdseverything that moves on landcame out of the ark, one kind after another. 20Then Noah built an altar to theLordand, taking some of all the clean animals and cleanbirds, he sacrificed burnt offeringson it.21TheLordsmelled the pleasing aromaand said in his heart: Never again will I curse the groundbecause of humans, even though[a]every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood.And never again will I destroyall living creatures,as I have done.
22As long as the earth endures,seedtime and harvest,cold and heat,summer and winter,day and nightwill never cease.
Gods Covenant With Noah 9Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.2The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands.3Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you.Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. 4But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.5And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting.I will demand an accounting from every animal.And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.
6Whoever sheds human blood,by humans shall their blood be shed;for in the image of Godhas God made mankind.
7As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it. 8Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him:9I now establish my covenant with youand with your descendants after you10and with every living creature that was with youthe birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with youevery living creature on earth.11I establish my covenantwith you:Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. 12And God said, This is the sign of the covenantI am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:13I have set my rainbowin the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.14Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbowappears in the clouds,15I will remember my covenantbetween me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.16Whenever the rainbowappears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenantbetween God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth. 17So God said to Noah, This is the sign of the covenantI have established between me and all life on the earth. The Sons of Noah 18The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth.(Ham was the father of Canaan.)19These were the three sons of Noah,and from them came the people who were scattered over the whole earth. 20Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded[b]to plant a vineyard.21When he drank some of its wine,he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.22Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father nakedand told his two brothers outside.23But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their fathers naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. 24When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him,25he said,
Cursedbe Canaan!The lowest of slaveswill he be to his brothers.
26He also said,
Praise be to theLord, the God of Shem!May Canaan be the slaveof Shem.27May God extend Japheths[c]territory;may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.
28After the flood Noah lived 350 years.29Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.
Wickedness in the World 6When human beings began to increase in number on the earthand daughters were born to them,2the sons of Godsaw that the daughtersof humans were beautiful,and they marriedany of them they chose.3Then theLordsaid, My Spiritwill not contend with[a]humans forever,for they are mortal[b];their days will be a hundred and twenty years. 4The Nephilimwere on the earth in those daysand also afterwardwhen the sons of God went to the daughters of humansand had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. 5TheLordsaw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth,and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.6TheLordregrettedthat he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.7So theLordsaid, I will wipe from the face of the earththe human race I have createdand with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the groundfor I regret that I have made them.8But Noahfound favor in the eyes of theLord. Noah and the Flood 9This is the accountof Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blamelessamong the people of his time,and he walked faithfully with God.10Noah had three sons: Shem,Ham and Japheth. 11Now the earth was corruptin Gods sight and was full of violence.12God saw how corruptthe earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.13So God said to Noah, I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroyboth them and the earth.14So make yourself an ark of cypress[c]wood;make rooms in it and coat it with pitchinside and out.15This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high.[d]16Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit[e]high all around.[f]Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks.17I am going to bring floodwaterson the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.18But I will establish my covenant with you,and you will enter the arkyou and your sons and your wife and your sons wives with you.19You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.20Twoof every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kindof creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.21You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them. 22Noah did everything just as God commanded him. 7TheLordthen said to Noah, Go into the ark, you and your whole family,because I have found you righteousin this generation.2Take with you seven pairs of every kind of cleananimal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate,3and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alivethroughout the earth.4Seven days from now I will send rainon the earthfor forty daysand forty nights,and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made. 5And Noah did all that theLordcommanded him. 6Noah was six hundred years oldwhen the floodwaters came on the earth.7And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons wives entered the arkto escape the waters of the flood.8Pairs of clean and uncleananimals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground,9male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah.10And after the seven daysthe floodwaters came on the earth. 11In the six hundredth year of Noahs life,on the seventeenth day of the second monthon that day all the springs of the great deepburst forth, and the floodgates of the heavenswere opened.12And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. 13On that very day Noah and his sons,Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark.14They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind,everything with wings.15Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark.16The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah.Then theLordshut him in. 17For forty daysthe flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth.18The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water.19They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered.20The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits.[g][h]21Every living thing that moved on land perishedbirds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind.22Everything on dry land that had the breath of lifein its nostrils died.23Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth.Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. 24The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.
There is a timefor everything,and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2a time to be born and a time to die,a time to plant and a time to uproot,3a time to killand a time to heal,a time to tear down and a time to build,4a time to weep and a time to laugh,a time to mourn and a time to dance,5a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,6a time to search and a time to give up,a time to keep and a time to throw away,7a time to tear and a time to mend,a time to be silentand a time to speak,8a time to love and a time to hate,a time for war and a time for peace.
9What do workers gain from their toil?10I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.11He has made everything beautiful in its time.He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a]no one can fathomwhat God has done from beginning to end.12I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.13That each of them may eat and drink,and find satisfactionin all their toilthis is the gift of God.14I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.
15Whatever is has already been,and what will be has been before;and God will call the past to account.[b]
16And I saw something else under the sun:
In the place of judgmentwickedness was there,in the place of justicewickedness was there.
17I said to myself,
God will bring into judgmentboth the righteous and the wicked,for there will be a time for every activity,a time to judge every deed.
18I also said to myself, As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.19Surely the fate of human beingsis like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath[c]; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.20All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.21Who knows if the human spirit rises upwardand if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth? 22So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work,because that is their lot.For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
Cain and Abel 4Adam[a]made love to his wifeEve,and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.[b]She said, With the help of theLordI have brought forth[c]a man.2Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.3In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offeringto theLord.4And Abel also brought an offeringfat portionsfrom some of the firstborn of his flock.TheLordlooked with favor on Abel and his offering,5but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6Then theLordsaid to Cain, Why are you angry?Why is your face downcast?7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;it desires to have you, but you must rule over it. 8Now Cain said to his brother Abel, Lets go out to the field.[d]While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9Then theLordsaid to Cain, Where is your brother Abel? I dont know, he replied. Am I my brothers keeper? 10TheLordsaid, What have you done? Listen! Your brothers blood cries out to me from the ground.11Now you are under a curseand driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brothers blood from your hand.12When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you.You will be a restless wandereron the earth. 13Cain said to theLord, My punishment is more than I can bear.14Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence;I will be a restless wanderer on the earth,and whoever finds me will kill me. 15But theLordsaid to him, Not so[e]; anyone who kills Cainwill suffer vengeanceseven times over. Then theLordput a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.16So Cain went out from theLords presenceand lived in the land of Nod,[f]east of Eden. 17Cain made love to his wife,and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city,and he named it after his sonEnoch.18To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech. 19Lamech marriedtwo women,one named Adah and the other Zillah.20Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock.21His brothers name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instrumentsand pipes.22Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forgedall kinds of tools out of[g]bronze and iron. Tubal-Cains sister was Naamah. 23Lamech said to his wives,
Adah and Zillah, listen to me;wives of Lamech, hear my words.I have killeda man for wounding me,a young man for injuring me.24If Cain is avengedseven times,then Lamech seventy-seven times.
25Adam made love to his wifeagain, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth,[h]saying, God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.26Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on[i]the name of theLord.
3Now the serpentwas more crafty than any of the wild animals theLordGod had made. He said to the woman, Did God really say, You must not eat from any tree in the garden?2The woman said to the serpent, We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,3but God did say, You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.4You will not certainly die, the serpent said to the woman.5For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,knowing good and evil.6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirablefor gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband,who was with her, and he ate it.7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked;so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of theLordGod as he was walkingin the garden in the cool of the day, and they hidfrom theLordGod among the trees of the garden.9But theLordGod called to the man, Where are you?10He answered, I heard you in the garden, and I was afraidbecause I was naked;so I hid.11And he said, Who told you that you were naked?Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?12The man said, The woman you put here with meshe gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.13Then theLordGod said to the woman, What is this you have done?The woman said, The serpent deceived me,and I ate.14So theLordGod said to the serpent, Because you have done this,Cursedare you above all livestockand all wild animals!You will crawl on your bellyand you will eat dustall the days of your life.15And I will put enmitybetween you and the woman,and between your offspring[a]and hers;he will crush[b]your head,and you will strike his heel.16To the woman he said,I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;with painful labor you will give birth to children.Your desire will be for your husband,and he will rule over you.17To Adam he said, Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, You must not eat from it,Cursedis the groundbecause of you;through painful toilyou will eat food from itall the days of your life.18It will produce thorns and thistlesfor you,and you will eat the plants of the field.19By the sweat of your browyou will eat your fooduntil you return to the ground,since from it you were taken;for dust you areand to dust you will return.20Adam[c]named his wife Eve,[d]because she would become the mother of all the living.21TheLordGod made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.22And theLordGod said, The man has now become like one of us,knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of lifeand eat, and live forever.23So theLordGod banished him from the Garden of Edento work the groundfrom which he had been taken.24After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side[e]of the Garden of Edencherubimand a flaming swordflashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
Gen 2:8-98Now theLordGod had planted a garden in the east, in Eden;and there he put the man he had formed.9TheLordGod made all kinds of trees grow out of the groundtreesthat were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of lifeand the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.Gen 2:15-17 15 TheLordGod took the man and put him in the Garden of Edento work it and take care of it.16And theLordGod commanded the man, You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;17but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,for when you eat from it you will certainly die.Gen 3:1-8 Now the serpentwas more crafty than any of the wild animals theLordGod had made. He said to the woman, Did God really say, You must not eat from any tree in the garden?2The woman said to the serpent, We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,3but God did say, You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.4You will not certainly die, the serpent said to the woman.5For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,knowing good and evil.6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirablefor gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband,who was with her, and he ate it.7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked;so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of theLordGod as he was walkingin the garden in the cool of the day, and they hidfrom theLordGod among the trees of the garden.
Adam and Eve4This is the accountof the heavens and the earth when they were created,when theLordGod made the earth and the heavens.5Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth[a]and no plant had yet sprung up,for theLordGod had not sent rain on the earthand there was no one to work the ground,6but streams[b]came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.7Then theLordGod formeda man[c]from the dustof the groundand breathed into his nostrils the breathof life,and the man became a living being.8Now theLordGod had planted a garden in the east, in Eden;and there he put the man he had formed.9TheLordGod made all kinds of trees grow out of the groundtreesthat were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of lifeand the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.10A riverwatering the garden flowed from Eden;from there it was separated into four headwaters.11The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah,where there is gold.12(The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin[d]and onyx are also there.)13The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.[e]14The name of the third river is the Tigris;it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.15TheLordGod took the man and put him in the Garden of Edento work it and take care of it.16And theLordGod commanded the man, You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;17but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,for when you eat from it you will certainly die.18TheLordGod said, It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.19Now theLordGod had formed out of the ground all the wild animalsand all the birds in the sky.He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man calledeach living creature,that was its name.20So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.But for Adam[f]no suitable helperwas found.21So theLordGod caused the man to fall into a deep sleep;and while he was sleeping, he took one of the mans ribs[g]and then closed up the place with flesh.22Then theLordGod made a woman from the rib[h]he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.23The man said,This is now bone of my bonesand flesh of my flesh;she shall be calledwoman,for she was taken out of man.24That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is unitedto his wife, and they become one flesh.25Adam and his wife were both naked,and they felt no shame.
The Beginning1In the beginningGod createdthe heavensand the earth.2Now the earth was formlessand empty,darkness was over the surface of the deep,and the Spirit of Godwas hoveringover the waters.3And God said,Let there be light, and there was light.4God saw that the light was good,and he separated the light from the darkness.5God calledthe light day, and the darkness he called night.And there was evening, and there was morningthe first day.6And God said,Let there be a vaultbetween the watersto separate water from water.7So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it.And it was so.8God calledthe vault sky.And there was evening, and there was morningthe second day.9And God said, Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place,and let dry groundappear. And it was so.10God calledthe dry ground land, and the gathered watershe called seas.And God saw that it was good.11Then God said, Let the land produce vegetation:seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds. And it was so.12The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kindsand trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.13And there was evening, and there was morningthe third day.14And God said, Let there be lightsin the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night,and let them serve as signsto mark sacred times,and days and years,15and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth. And it was so.16God made two great lightsthe greater lightto governthe day and the lesser light to governthe night.He also made the stars.17God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth,18to govern the day and the night,and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.19And there was evening, and there was morningthe fourth day.20And God said, Let the water teem with living creatures,and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.21So God createdthe great creatures of the seaand every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it,according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.And God saw that it was good.22God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.23And there was evening, and there was morningthe fifth day.24And God said, Let the land produce living creaturesaccording to their kinds:the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind. And it was so.25God made the wild animalsaccording to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.And God saw that it was good.26Then God said, Let usmake mankindin our image,in our likeness,so that they may ruleover the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky,over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a]and over all the creatures that move along the ground.27So God createdmankindin his own image,in the image of Godhe created them;male and femalehe created them.28God blessed them and said to them,Be fruitful and increase in number;fill the earthand subdue it. Rule overthe fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.29Then God said, I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.30And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the groundeverything that has the breath of lifein itI give every green plant for food. And it was so.31God saw all that he had made,and it was very good.And there was evening, and there was morningthe sixth day.2Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.2By the seventh dayGod had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.3Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,because on it he restedfrom all the work of creatingthat he had done.Adam and Eve4This is the accountof the heavens and the earth when they were created,when theLordGod made the earth and the heavens.
The Beginning1In the beginningGod createdthe heavensand the earth.2Now the earth was formlessand empty,darkness was over the surface of the deep,and the Spirit of Godwas hoveringover the waters.3And God said,Let there be light, and there was light.4God saw that the light was good,and he separated the light from the darkness.5God calledthe light day, and the darkness he called night.And there was evening, and there was morningthe first day.6And God said,Let there be a vaultbetween the watersto separate water from water.7So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it.And it was so.8God calledthe vault sky.And there was evening, and there was morningthe second day.9And God said, Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place,and let dry groundappear. And it was so.10God calledthe dry ground land, and the gathered watershe called seas.And God saw that it was good.11Then God said, Let the land produce vegetation:seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds. And it was so.12The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kindsand trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.13And there was evening, and there was morningthe third day.14And God said, Let there be lightsin the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night,and let them serve as signsto mark sacred times,and days and years,15and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth. And it was so.16God made two great lightsthe greater lightto governthe day and the lesser light to governthe night.He also made the stars.17God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth,18to govern the day and the night,and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.19And there was evening, and there was morningthe fourth day.20And God said, Let the water teem with living creatures,and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.21So God createdthe great creatures of the seaand every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it,according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.And God saw that it was good.22God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.23And there was evening, and there was morningthe fifth day.24And God said, Let the land produce living creaturesaccording to their kinds:the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind. And it was so.25God made the wild animalsaccording to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.And God saw that it was good.26Then God said, Let usmake mankindin our image,in our likeness,so that they may ruleover the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky,over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a]and over all the creatures that move along the ground.27So God createdmankindin his own image,in the image of Godhe created them;male and femalehe created them.28God blessed them and said to them,Be fruitful and increase in number;fill the earthand subdue it. Rule overthe fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.29Then God said, I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.30And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the groundeverything that has the breath of lifein itI give every green plant for food. And it was so.31God saw all that he had made,and it was very good.And there was evening, and there was morningthe sixth day.2Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.2By the seventh dayGod had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.3Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,because on it he restedfrom all the work of creatingthat he had done.Adam and Eve4This is the accountof the heavens and the earth when they were created,when theLordGod made the earth and the heavens.
9Then they said to each other, What were doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Lets go at once and report this to the royal palace.
18Then Jesus came to them and said,All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20and teachingthem to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with youalways, to the very end of the age.
The Death of Lazarus11Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany,the village of Mary and her sister Martha.2(This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)3So the sisters sent word to Jesus, Lord, the one you loveis sick.4When he heard this, Jesus said,This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for Gods gloryso that Gods Son may be glorified through it.5Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.6So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,7and then he said to his disciples,Let us go back to Judea.8But Rabbi,they said, a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you,and yet you are going back?9Jesus answered,Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this worlds light.10It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.11After he had said this, he went on to tell them,Our friendLazarus has fallen asleep;but I am going there to wake him up.12His disciples replied, Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.13Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.14So then he told them plainly,Lazarus is dead,15and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.16Then Thomas(also known as Didymus[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus17On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.18Now Bethanywas less than two miles[b]from Jerusalem,19and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.21Lord, Martha said to Jesus, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.22But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.23Jesus said to her,Your brother will rise again.24Martha answered, I know he will rise again in the resurrectionat the last day.25Jesus said to her,I amthe resurrection and the life.The one who believesin me will live, even though they die;26and whoever lives by believingin me will never die.Do you believe this?27Yes, Lord, she replied, I believe that you are the Messiah,the Son of God,who is to come into the world.28After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. The Teacheris here, she said, and is asking for you.29When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.30Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.31When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her,noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.32When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply movedin spirit and troubled.34Where have you laid him?he asked.Come and see, Lord, they replied.35Jesus wept.36Then the Jews said, See how he loved him!37But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind manhave kept this man from dying?Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead38Jesus, once more deeply moved,came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.39Take away the stone,he said.But, Lord, said Martha, the sister of the dead man, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.40Then Jesus said,Did I not tell you that if you believe,you will see the glory of God?41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked upand said,Father,I thank you that you have heard me.42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,that they may believe that you sent me.43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice,Lazarus, come out!44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen,and a cloth around his face.Jesus said to them,Take off the grave clothes and let him go.The Plot to Kill Jesus45Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary,and had seen what Jesus did,believed in him.46But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.47Then the chief priests and the Phariseescalled a meetingof the Sanhedrin.What are we accomplishing? they asked. Here is this man performing many signs.48If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.49Then one of them, named Caiaphas,who was high priest that year,spoke up, You know nothing at all!50You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.51He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation,52and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.53So from that day on they plotted to take his life.54Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea.Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.55When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansingbefore the Passover.56They kept looking for Jesus,and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, What do you think? Isnt he coming to the festival at all?57But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.
This Sunday we had the priviledge of hearing from Team Wawrzniak,Todd and Krystal, who have been working in Indigenous communities to spread the Gospel.
7Ask and it will be given to you;seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.8For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.9Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good giftsto those who ask him!12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
21Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord,will enter the kingdom of heaven,but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22Many will say to me on that day,Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?23Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!
7Do not judge, or you too will be judged.2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.3Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?4How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brothers eye.6Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Treasures in Heaven19Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,where moths and vermin destroy,and where thieves break in and steal.20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.22The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[a]your whole body will be full of light.23But if your eyes are unhealthy,[b]your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!24No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.Do Not Worry25Therefore I tell you, do not worryabout your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.Are you not much more valuable than they?27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[c]?28And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendorwas dressed like one of these.30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe youyou of little faith?31So do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear?32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.33But seek first his kingdomand his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Giving to the Needy6Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.2So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.Prayer5And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standingin the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father,who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.7And when you pray, do not keep on babblinglike pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you needbefore you ask him.9This, then, is how you should pray:Our Fatherin heaven,hallowed be your name,10your kingdomcome,your will be done,on earth as it is in heaven.11Give us today our daily bread.12And forgive us our debts,as we also have forgiven our debtors.13And lead us not into temptation,[a]but deliver us from the evil one.[b]14For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.Fasting16When you fast,do not look somberas the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,18so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Eye for Eye38You have heard that it was said, Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.[a]39But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.40And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.41If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.Love for Enemies43You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor[b]and hate your enemy.44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,45that you may be childrenof your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?Are not even the tax collectors doing that?47And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Divorce31It has been said, Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.[a]32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.Oaths33Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, Do not break your oath,but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.34But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all:either by heaven, for it is Gods throne;35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.37All you need to say is simply Yes or No;anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[b]
27You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.[a]28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.29If your right eye causes you to stumble,gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.30And if your right hand causes you to stumble,cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Murder21You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, You shall not murder,[a]and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.22But I tell you that anyone who is angrywith a brother or sister[b][c]will be subject to judgment.Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, Raca,[d]is answerable to the court.And anyone who says, You fool! will be in danger of the fire of hell.23Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.25Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.26Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
18This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.19Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[b]did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorceher quietly.20But after he had considered this, an angelof the Lord appeared to him in a dreamand said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c]because he will save his people from their sins.22All this took place to fulfillwhat the Lord had said through the prophet:23The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanueld.24When Joseph woke up, he did what the angelof the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.25But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
9[a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloomfor those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan2The people walking in darknesshave seen a great light;on those living in the land of deep darknessa light has dawned.3You have enlarged the nationand increased their joy;they rejoice before youas people rejoice at the harvest,as warriors rejoicewhen dividing the plunder.4For as in the day of Midians defeat,you have shatteredthe yokethat burdens them,the bar across their shoulders,the rod of their oppressor.5Every warriors boot used in battleand every garment rolled in bloodwill be destined for burning,will be fuel for the fire.6For to us a child is born,to us a son is given,and the governmentwill be on his shoulders.And he will be calledWonderful Counselor,Mighty God,EverlastingFather,Prince of Peace.7Of the greatness of his governmentand peacethere will be no end.He will reignon Davids throneand over his kingdom,establishing and upholding itwith justiceand righteousnessfrom that time on and forever.The zealof theLordAlmightywill accomplish this.
A prophecyagainst Egypt:See, theLordrides on a swift cloudand is coming to Egypt.The idols of Egypt tremble before him,and the hearts of the Egyptians meltwith fear.2I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptianbrother will fight against brother,neighbor against neighbor,city against city,kingdom against kingdom.3The Egyptians will lose heart,and I will bring their plansto nothing;they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead,the mediums and the spiritists.4I will hand the Egyptians overto the power of a cruel master,and a fierce kingwill rule over them,declares the Lord, theLordAlmighty.5The waters of the river will dry up,and the riverbed will be parched and dry.6The canals will stink;the streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up.The reedsand rushes will wither,7also the plantsalong the Nile,at the mouth of the river.Every sown fieldalong the Nilewill become parched, will blow away and be no more.8The fishermenwill groan and lament,all who cast hooksinto the Nile;those who throw nets on the waterwill pine away.9Those who work with combed flaxwill despair,the weavers of fine linenwill lose hope.10The workers in cloth will be dejected,and all the wage earners will be sick at heart.11The officials of Zoanare nothing but fools;the wise counselorsof Pharaoh give senseless advice.How can you say to Pharaoh,I am one of the wise men,a disciple of the ancient kings?12Where are your wise mennow?Let them show you and make knownwhat theLordAlmightyhas plannedagainst Egypt.13The officials of Zoanhave become fools,the leaders of Memphisare deceived;the cornerstonesof her peopleshave led Egypt astray.14TheLordhas poured into thema spirit of dizziness;they make Egypt stagger in all that she does,as a drunkard staggersaround in his vomit.15There is nothing Egypt can dohead or tail, palm branch or reed.16In that daythe Egyptians will become weaklings.They will shudder with fearat the uplifted handthat theLordAlmighty raises against them.17And the land of Judah will bring terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom Judah is mentioned will be terrified,because of what theLordAlmighty is planningagainst them.18In that dayfive citiesin Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegianceto theLordAlmighty. One of them will be called the City of the Sun.[a]19In that daythere will be an altarto theLordin the heart of Egypt,and a monumentto theLordat its border.20It will be a sign and witnessto theLordAlmighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to theLordbecause of their oppressors, he will send them a saviorand defender, and he will rescuethem.21So theLordwill make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledgetheLord. They will worshipwith sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to theLordand keep them.22TheLordwill strikeEgypt with a plague;he will strike them and heal them. They will turnto theLord, and he will respond to their pleas and healthem.23In that daythere will be a highwayfrom Egypt to Assyria.The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worshiptogether.24In that dayIsrael will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria,a blessing[b]on the earth.25TheLordAlmighty will blessthem, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people,Assyria my handiwork,and Israel my inheritance.
The Fulfillment of the Law 17Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.19Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commandsand teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14You are the light of the world.A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.16In the same way, let your light shine before others,that they may see your good deedsand glorifyyour Father in heaven.
Blessed are the peacemakers,for they will be called children of God.10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11Blessed are you when people insult you,persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.12Rejoice and be glad,because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they will be filled.7Blessed are the merciful,for they will be shown mercy.8Blessed are the pure in heart,for they will see God.9Blessed are the peacemakers,for they will be called children of God.
5Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,2and he began to teach them. The Beatitudes He said:
3Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4Blessed are those who mourn,for they will be comforted.5Blessed are the meek,for they will inherit the earth.
Jesus Begins to Preach 12When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison,he withdrew to Galilee.13Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum,which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali14to fulfillwhat was said through the prophet Isaiah:
15Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,Galilee of the Gentiles16the people living in darknesshave seen a great light;on those living in the land of the shadow of deatha light has dawned.[a]
17From that time on Jesus began to preach,Repent, for the kingdom of heavenhas come near. Jesus Calls His First Disciples 18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee,he saw two brothers, Simon called Peterand his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.19Come, follow me,Jesus said,and I will send you out to fish for people.20At once they left their nets and followed him. 21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them,22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Jesus Heals the Sick 23Jesus went throughout Galilee,teaching in their synagogues,proclaiming the good newsof the kingdom,and healing every disease and sickness among the people.24News about him spread all over Syria,and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed,those having seizures,and the paralyzed;and he healed them.25Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,[b]Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.
The Supremacy of the Son of God 15The Son is the imageof the invisible God,the firstbornover all creation.16For in him all things were created:things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;all things have been created through him and for him.17He is before all things,and in him all things hold together.18And he is the headof the body, the church;he is the beginning and the firstbornfrom among the dead,so that in everything he might have the supremacy.19For God was pleasedto have all his fullnessdwell in him,20and through him to reconcileto himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,by making peacethrough his blood,shed on the cross. 21Once you were alienated from God and were enemiesin your mindsbecause of[a]your evil behavior.22But now he has reconciledyou by Christs physical bodythrough death to present youholy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation23if you continuein your faith, establishedand firm, and do not move from the hopeheld out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven,and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
John 14:27 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubledand do not be afraid. Ephesians 2:10 10For we are Gods handiwork,createdin Christ Jesus to do good works,which God prepared in advance for us to do. Numbers 6:24-26 TheLordbless youand keep you;theLordmake his face shine on youand be gracious to you;theLordturn his facetoward youand give you peace.
14For Christs love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselvesbut for him who died for themand was raised again. 16So from now on we regard no one from a worldlypoint of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,the new creationhas come:[a]The old has gone, the new is here!18All this is from God,who reconciled us to himself through Christand gave us the ministry of reconciliation:19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting peoples sins against them.And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.20We are therefore Christs ambassadors,as though God were making his appeal through us.We implore you on Christs behalf: Be reconciled to God.21God made him who had no sinto be sin[b]for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
1The word of theLordthat cameto Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah,Jotham,Ahazand Hezekiah,kings of Judah,and during the reign of Jeroboamson of Jehoash[a]king of Israel: Hoseas Wife and Children 2When theLordbegan to speak through Hosea, theLordsaid to him, Go, marry a promiscuouswoman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulnessto theLord.3So he married Gomerdaughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4Then theLordsaid to Hosea, Call him Jezreel,because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel.5In that day I will break Israels bow in the Valley of Jezreel. 6Gomerconceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then theLordsaid to Hosea, Call her Lo-Ruhamah (which means not loved),for I will no longer show love to Israel,that I should at all forgive them.7Yet I will show love to Judah; and I will save themnot by bow,sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but I, theLordtheir God,will save them. 8After she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah,Gomer had another son.9Then theLordsaid, Call him Lo-Ammi (which means not my people), for you are not my people, and I am not your God.[b] 10Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted.In the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, they will be called children of the living God.11The people of Judah and the people of Israel will come together;they will appoint one leaderand will come up out of the land,for great will be the day of Jezreel.[c]
The Parable of the Lost Son 11Jesus continued:There was a man who had two sons.12The younger one said to his father, Father, give me my share of the estate.So he divided his propertybetween them. 13Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealthin wild living.14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17When he came to his senses, he said, How many of my fathers hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinnedagainst heaven and against you.19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.20So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.I am no longer worthy to be called your son. 22But the father said to his servants, Quick! Bring the best robeand put it on him. Put a ring on his fingerand sandals on his feet.23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Lets have a feast and celebrate.24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. 25Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.27Your brother has come, he replied, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound. 28The older brother became angryand refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.29But he answered his father, Look! All these years Ive been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.30But when this son of yours who has squandered your propertywith prostitutescomes home, you kill the fattened calf for him! 31My son, the father said, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.
Hebrews 11:23-39 23By faith Moses parents hid him for three months after he was born,because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the kings edict. 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaohs daughter.25He chose to be mistreatedalong with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.26He regarded disgracefor the sake of Christas of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.27By faith he left Egypt,not fearing the kings anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.28By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyerof the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. 29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days. 31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.[a] 32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon,Barak,Samsonand Jephthah,about Davidand Samueland the prophets,33who through faith conquered kingdoms,administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,34quenched the fury of the flames,and escaped the edge of the sword;whose weakness was turned to strength;and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.35Women received back their dead, raised to life again.There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.36Some faced jeers and flogging,and even chains and imprisonment.37They were put to death by stoning;[b]they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword.They went about in sheepskins and goatskins,destitute, persecuted and mistreated38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in cavesand in holes in the ground. 39These were all commendedfor their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, ______ Hebrews 12:1-2 12Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us runwith perseverancethe race marked out for us,2fixing our eyes on Jesus,the pioneerand perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,scorning its shame,and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
2 Timothy 11Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,we will also live with him;12if we endure,we will also reign with him.If we disown him,he will also disown us;13if we are faithless,he remains faithful,for he cannot disown himself. Numbers 2 17Now may the Lords strength be displayed, just as you have declared:18TheLordis slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.19In accordance with your great love, forgivethe sin of these people,just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now. 20TheLordreplied, I have forgiven them,as you asked.
Exodus 14:1-12 14Then theLordsaid to Moses,2Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdoland the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon.3Pharaoh will think, The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.4And I will harden Pharaohs heart,and he will pursue them.But I will gain gloryfor myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am theLord.So the Israelites did this. 5When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled,Pharaoh and his officials changed their mindsabout them and said, What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!6So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him.7He took six hundred of the best chariots,along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them.8TheLordhardened the heartof Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.9The Egyptiansall Pharaohs horsesand chariots, horsemen[a]and troopspursued the Israelites and overtookthem as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon. 10As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and criedout to theLord.11They said to Moses, Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?12Didnt we say to you in Egypt, Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!
Exodus 32:1-14 32 1When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain,they gathered around Aaron and said, Come, make us gods[a]who will go beforeus. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we dont know what has happened to him. 2Aaron answered them, Take off the gold earringsthat your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.3So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.4He took what they handed him and made it into an idolcast in the shape of a calf,fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, These are your gods,[b]Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. 5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, Tomorrow there will be a festivalto theLord.6So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings.Afterward they sat down to eat and drinkand got up to indulge in revelry. 7Then theLordsaid to Moses, Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt,have become corrupt.8They have been quick to turn awayfrom what I commanded them and have made themselves an idolcast in the shape of a calf.They have bowed down to it and sacrificedto it and have said, These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. 9I have seen these people, theLordsaid to Moses, and they are a stiff-neckedpeople.10Now leave me aloneso that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroythem. Then I will make you into a great nation. 11But Moses sought the favorof theLordhis God. Lord, he said, why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?12Why should the Egyptians say, It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth?Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disasteron your people.13Rememberyour servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self:I will make your descendants as numerous as the starsin the sky and I will give your descendants all this landI promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.14Then theLordrelentedand did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
Chapter 10 In the third year of Cyrusking of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar).Its message was trueand it concerned a great war.[a]The understanding of the message came to him in a vision. 2At that time I, Daniel, mournedfor three weeks.3I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips;and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. 4On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bankof the great river, the Tigris,5I looked upand there before me was a man dressed in linen,with a belt of fine goldfrom Uphaz around his waist.6His body was like topaz,his face like lightning,his eyes like flaming torches,his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze,and his voicelike the sound of a multitude. 7I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it,but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves.8So I was left alone,gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left,my face turned deathly paleand I was helpless.9Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. 10A hand touched meand set me trembling on my hands and knees.11He said, Daniel, you who are highly esteemed,consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up,for I have now been sent to you. And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. 12Then he continued, Do not be afraid,Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humbleyourself before your God, your wordswere heard, and I have come in response to them.13But the princeof the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael,one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.14Now I have come to explainto you what will happen to your people in the future,for the vision concerns a time yet to come. 15While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless.16Then one who looked like a man[b]touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak.I said to the one standing before me, I am overcome with anguishbecause of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak.17How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe. 18Again the one who looked like a man touchedme and gave me strength.19Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,he said. Peace!Be strong now; be strong. When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength. 20So he said, Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greecewill come;21but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.(No one supports me against them except Michael,your prince.
20While I was speaking and praying, confessingmy sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to theLordmy God for his holy hill21while I was still in prayer, Gabriel,the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.22He instructed me and said to me, Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding.23As soon as you began to pray,a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision: 24Seventy sevensare decreed for your people and your holy cityto finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atonefor wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness,to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. 25Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuildJerusalem until the Anointed One,the ruler,comes, there will be seven sevens, and sixty-two sevens. It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.26After the sixty-two sevens, the Anointed One will be put to deathand will have nothing.The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood:War will continue until the end, and desolationshave been decreed.27He will confirm a covenant with many for one seven.In the middle of the sevenhe will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the templehe will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreedis poured out on him." Verse Link: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=daniel+9%3A20-27version=NIV
9In the first year of Dariusson of Xerxesa, who was made ruler over the Babylonian[b]kingdom2in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of theLordgiven to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventyyears.3So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting,and in sackcloth and ashes. 4I prayed to theLordmy God and confessed:
Lord, the great and awesome God,who keeps his covenant of lovewith those who love him and keep his commandments,5we have sinnedand done wrong.We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned awayfrom your commands and laws.6We have not listenedto your servants the prophets,who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors,and to all the people of the land. 7Lord, you are righteous,but this day we are covered with shamethe people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scatteredus because of our unfaithfulnessto you.8We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame,Lord, because we have sinned against you.9The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving,even though we have rebelled against him;10we have not obeyed theLordour God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.11All Israel has transgressedyour lawand turned away, refusing to obey you. Therefore the cursesand sworn judgmentswritten in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinnedagainst you.12You have fulfilledthe words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster.Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done likewhat has been done to Jerusalem.13Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of theLordour God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.14TheLorddid not hesitate to bring the disasteron us, for theLordour God is righteous in everything he does;yet we have not obeyed him. 15Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty handand who made for yourself a namethat endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong.16Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts,turn awayyour anger and your wrathfrom Jerusalem,your city, your holy hill.Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scornto all those around us. 17Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favoron your desolate sanctuary.18Give ear,our God, and hear;open your eyes and seethe desolation of the city that bears your Name.We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.19Lord, listen! Lord, forgive!Lord, hear and act! For your sake,my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.
The Seventy Sevens 20While I was speaking and praying, confessingmy sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to theLordmy God for his holy hill21while I was still in prayer, Gabriel,the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.22He instructed me and said to me, Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding.23As soon as you began to pray,a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision: 24Seventy sevens[c]are decreed for your people and your holy cityto finish[d]transgression, to put an end to sin, to atonefor wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness,to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.[e] 25Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuildJerusalem until the Anointed One,[f]the ruler,comes, there will be seven sevens, and sixty-two sevens. It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.26After the sixty-two sevens, the Anointed One will be put to deathand will have nothing.[g]The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood:War will continue until the end, and desolationshave been decreed.27He will confirm a covenant with many for one seven.[h]In the middle of the seven[i]he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple[j]he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreedis poured out on him.[k][l]
Simon the Sorcerer 9Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorceryin the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,10and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.11They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery.12But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of Godand the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized,both men and women.13Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracleshe saw. 14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samariahad accepted the word of God,they sent Peter and Johnto Samaria.15When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them;they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them,and they received the Holy Spirit. 18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles hands, he offered them money19and said, Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. 20Peter answered: May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!21You have no part or sharein this ministry, because your heart is not rightbefore God.22Repentof this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.23For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin. 24Then Simon answered, Pray to the Lord for meso that nothing you have said may happen to me. 25After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lordand testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages. Philip and the Ethiopian 26Now an angelof the Lord said to Philip,Go south to the roadthe desert roadthat goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a]eunuch,an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means queen of the Ethiopians). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.29The Spirit toldPhilip, Go to that chariot and stay near it. 30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. Do you understand what you are reading? Philip asked. 31How can I, he said, unless someone explains it to me? So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,so he did not open his mouth.33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.Who can speak of his descendants?For his life was taken from the earth.[b]
34The eunuch asked Philip, Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?35Then Philip beganwith that very passage of Scriptureand told him the good newsabout Jesus. 36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?[37][c]38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away,and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
8In the third year of King Belshazzarsreign, I, Daniel, had a vision,after the one that had already appeared to me.2In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susain the province of Elam;in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal.3I looked up,and there before me was a ramwith two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later.4I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power.It did as it pleasedand became great. 5As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground.6It came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at it in great rage.7I saw it attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it,and none could rescue the ram from its power.8The goat became very great, but at the height of its power the large horn was broken off,and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. 9Out of one of them came another horn, which started smallbut grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land.10It grew until it reachedthe host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earthand trampledon them.11It set itself up to be as great as the commanderof the army of theLord;it took away the daily sacrificefrom theLord, and his sanctuary was thrown down.12Because of rebellion, theLords people[a]and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. 13Then I heard a holy onespeaking, and another holy one said to him, How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilledthe vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfootof theLords people? 14He said to me, It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated. The Interpretation of the Vision 15While I, Daniel, was watching the visionand trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man.16And I heard a mans voice from the Ulaicalling, Gabriel,tell this man the meaning of the vision. 17As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate.Son of man,[b]he said to me, understand that the vision concerns the time of the end. 18While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground.Then he touched me and raised me to my feet. 19He said: I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath,because the vision concerns the appointed timeof the end.[c]20The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.21The shaggy goat is the king of Greece,and the large horn between its eyes is the first king.22The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power. 23In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise.24He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people.25He will cause deceitto prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes.Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power. 26The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true,but sealup the vision, for it concerns the distant future. 27I, Daniel, was worn out. I lay exhaustedfor several days. Then I got up and went about the kings business.I was appalledby the vision; it was beyond understanding.
21You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, You shall not murder,[a]and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.22But I tell you that anyone who is angrywith a brother or sister[b][c]will be subject to judgment.Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, Raca,[d]is answerable to the court.And anyone who says, You fool! will be in danger of the fire of hell. 23Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. 25Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.26Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
7 1 In the first year of Belshazzarking of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visionspassed through his mindas he was lying in bed.He wrotedown the substance of his dream. 2Daniel said: In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heavenchurning up the great sea.3Four great beasts,each different from the others, came up out of the sea. 4The first was like a lion,and it had the wings of an eagle.I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a human being, and the mind of a human was given to it. 5And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, Get up and eat your fill of flesh! 6After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard.And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule. 7After that, in my visionat night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beastterrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large ironteeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampledunderfoot whatever was left.It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. 8While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a littleone, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human beingand a mouth that spoke boastfully. 9As I looked,
thrones were set in place,and the Ancient of Daystook his seat.His clothing was as white as snow;the hair of his head was white like wool.His throne was flaming with fire,and its wheelswere all ablaze.10A river of firewas flowing,coming out from before him.Thousands upon thousands attended him;ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.The court was seated,and the bookswere opened.
11Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking.I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.12(The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.) 13In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man,[a]comingwith the clouds of heaven.He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.14He was given authority,glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him.His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdomis one that will never be destroyed. The Interpretation of the Dream 15I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me.16I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this. So he told me and gave me the interpretationof these things:17The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth.18But the holy peopleof the Most High will receive the kingdomand will possess it foreveryes, for ever and ever. 19Then I wanted to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze clawsthe beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left.20I also wanted to know about the ten hornson its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fellthe horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.21As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them,22until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom. 23He gave me this explanation: The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it.24The ten hornsare ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings.25He will speak against the Most Highand oppress his holy peopleand try to change the set timesand the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.[b] 26But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyedforever.27Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdomsunder heaven will be handed over to the holy peopleof the Most High.His kingdom will be an everlastingkingdom, and all rulers will worshipand obey him. 28This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubledby my thoughts,and my face turned pale,but I kept the matter to myself.
6[a]It pleased Dariusto appoint 120 satrapsto rule throughout the kingdom,2with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel.The satraps were made accountableto them so that the king might not suffer loss.3Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.4At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for chargesagainst Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.5Finally these men said, We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God. 6So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: May King Darius live forever!7The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governorshave all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions den.8Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be alteredin accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.9So King Darius put the decree in writing. 10Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened towardJerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his kneesand prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.11Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.12So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions den? The king answered, The decree standsin accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed. 13Then they said to the king, Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah,pays no attentionto you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.14When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed;he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. 15Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed. 16So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions den.The king said to Daniel, May your God, whom you serve continually, rescueyou! 17A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealedit with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniels situation might not be changed.18Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eatingand without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. 19At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions den.20When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions? 21Daniel answered, May the king live forever!22My God sent his angel,and he shut the mouths of the lions.They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty. 23The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no woundwas found on him, because he had trustedin his God. 24At the kings command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions den,along with their wives and children.And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. 25Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every languagein all the earth:
May you prosper greatly! 26I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverencethe God of Daniel.
For he is the living Godand he endures forever;his kingdom will not be destroyed,his dominion will never end.27He rescues and he saves;he performs signs and wondersin the heavens and on the earth.He has rescued Danielfrom the power of the lions.
28So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus[b]the Persian.
The Writing on the Wall 5King Belshazzargave a great banquetfor a thousand of his noblesand drank wine with them.2While Belshazzar was drinkinghis wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver gobletsthat Nebuchadnezzar his fatherhad taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubinesmight drink from them.3So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them.4As they drank the wine, they praised the godsof gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. 5Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote.6His face turned paleand he was so frightenedthat his legs became weakand his knees were knocking. 7The king summoned the enchanters,astrologers and diviners.Then he said to these wisemen of Babylon, Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck,and he will be made the thirdhighest ruler in the kingdom. 8Then all the kings wise mencame in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.9So King Belshazzar became even more terrifiedand his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled. 10The queen,hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. May the king live forever!she said. Dont be alarmed! Dont look so pale!11There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy godsin him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdomlike that of the gods.Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners.12He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar,was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddlesand solve difficult problems.Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means. 13So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?14I have heard that the spirit of the godsis in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom.15The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it.16Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems.If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck,and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom. 17Then Daniel answered the king, You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else.Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means. 18Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzarsovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor.19Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death;those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled.20But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride,he was deposed from his royal throneand strippedof his glory.21He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereignover all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes. 22But you, Belshazzar, his son,have not humbledyourself, though you knew all this.23Instead, you have set yourself up againstthe Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wivesand your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand.But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your lifeand all your ways.24Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. 25This is the inscription that was written:
mene, mene, tekel, parsin
26Here is what these words mean:
Mene: God has numbered the daysof your reign and brought it to an end. 27Tekel: You have been weighed on the scalesand found wanting. 28Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medesand Persians.
29Then at Belshazzars command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck,and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. 30That very night Belshazzar,kingof the Babylonians, was slain,31and Dariusthe Medetook over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.
4King Nebuchadnezzar, To the nations and peoples of every language,who live in all the earth: May you prosper greatly! 2It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signsand wonders that the Most High Godhas performed for me.
3How great are his signs,how mighty his wonders!His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;his dominion enduresfrom generation to generation.
4I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contentedand prosperous.5I had a dreamthat made me afraid. As I was lying in bed,the images and visions that passed through my mindterrified me.6So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpretthe dream for me.7When the magicians,enchanters, astrologers[b]and divinerscame, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.8Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar,after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy godsis in him.) 9I said, Belteshazzar, chiefof the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy godsis in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me.10These are the visions I saw while lying in bed:I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous.11The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth.12Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches;from it every creature was fed. 13In the visions I saw while lying in bed,I looked, and there before me was a holy one,a messenger,[c]coming down from heaven.14He called in a loud voice: Cut down the treeand trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.15But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth.16Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times[d]pass by for him. 17The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most Highis sovereignover all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliestof people. 18This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me.But you can,because the spirit of the holy godsis in you. Daniel Interprets the Dream 19Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrifiedhim. So the king said, Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you. Belteshazzar answered, My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!20The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth,21with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds22Your Majesty, you are that tree!You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth. 23Your Majesty saw a holy one,a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him. 24This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decreethe Most High has issued against my lord the king:25You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenchedwith the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most Highis sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.26The command to leave the stump of the tree with its rootsmeans that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.27Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed.It may be that then your prosperitywill continue. The Dream Is Fulfilled 28All this happenedto King Nebuchadnezzar.29Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,30he said, Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the gloryof my majesty? 31Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.32You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. 33Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenchedwith the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird. 34At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanitywas restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion;his kingdomendures from generation to generation.35All the peoples of the earthare regarded as nothing.He does as he pleaseswith the powers of heavenand the peoples of the earth.No one can hold backhis handor say to him: What have you done?
36At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom.My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before.37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exaltand glorifythe King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just.And those who walk in pridehe is able to humble.
3King Nebuchadnezzar made an imageof gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide,[a]and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.2He then summoned the satraps,prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officialsto come to the dedication of the image he had set up.3So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it. 4Then the herald loudly proclaimed, Nations and peoples of every language,this is what you are commanded to do:5As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp,pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the imageof gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.6Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. 7Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 8At this time some astrologers[b]came forward and denounced the Jews.9They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, May the king live forever!10Your Majesty has issued a decreethat everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold,11and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.12But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of BabylonShadrach, Meshach and Abednegowho pay no attentionto you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up. 13Furiouswith rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,14and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my godsor worship the imageof gold I have set up?15Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what godwill be able to rescueyou from my hand? 16Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoreplied to him, King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.17If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliverus from it, and he will deliverus[c]from Your Majestys hand.18But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. 19Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seventimes hotter than usual20and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoand throw them into the blazing furnace.21So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.22The kings command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,23and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. 24Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, Werent there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire? They replied, Certainly, Your Majesty. 25He said, Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods. 26Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God,come out! Come here! So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire,27and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal adviserscrowded around them.They saw that the firehad not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. 28Then Nebuchadnezzar said, Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angeland rescuedhis servants! They trustedin him and defied the kings command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.29Therefore I decreethat the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble,for no other god can savein this way. 30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
14When Arioch, the commander of the kings guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact.15He asked the kings officer, Why did the king issue such a harsh decree? Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel.16At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. 17Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.18He urged them to plead for mercyfrom the God of heavenconcerning this mystery,so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.19During the night the mysterywas revealed to Daniel in a vision.Then Daniel praised the God of heaven20and said:
Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;wisdom and powerare his.21He changes times and seasons;he deposeskings and raises up others.He gives wisdomto the wiseand knowledge to the discerning.22He reveals deep and hidden things;he knows what lies in darkness,and lightdwells with him.23I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:You have given me wisdomand power,you have made known to me what we asked of you,you have made known to us the dream of the king.
1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakimking of Judah, Nebuchadnezzarking of Babyloncame to Jerusalem and besieged it.2And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carriedoff to the temple of his god in Babylonia[a]and put in the treasure house of his god. 3Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the kings service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility4young men without any physical defect, handsome,showing aptitude for every kind of learning,well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the kings palace. He was to teach them the languageand literature of the Babylonians.[b]5The king assigned them a daily amount of food and winefrom the kings table.They were to be trained for three years,and after that they were to enter the kings service. 6Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel,Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.7The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar;to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. 8But Daniel resolved not to defilehimself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.9Now God had caused the official to show favorand compassionto Daniel,10but the official told Daniel, I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your[c]food and drink.Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you. 11Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,12Please testyour servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.13Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.14So he agreed to this and testedthem for ten days. 15At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.16So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. 17To these four young men God gave knowledge and understandingof all kinds of literature and learning.And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. 18At the end of the timeset by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.19The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the kings service.20In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magiciansand enchanters in his whole kingdom. 21And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
11Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb12and saw two angels in white,seated where Jesus body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13They asked her, Woman, why are you crying? They have taken my Lord away, she said, and I dont know where they have put him.14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there,but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15He asked her,Woman, why are you crying?Who is it you are looking for? Thinking he was the gardener, she said, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him. 16Jesus said to her,Mary. She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic,Rabboni!(which means Teacher). 17Jesus said,Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothersand tell them, I am ascending to my Fatherand your Father, to my God and your God. 18Mary Magdalenewent to the discipleswith the news: I have seen the Lord! And she told them that he had said these things to her. Jesus Appears to His Disciples 19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders,Jesus came and stood among them and said,Peacebe with you!20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.The disciples were overjoyedwhen they saw the Lord. 21Again Jesus said,Peace be with you!As the Father has sent me,I am sending you.22And with that he breathed on them and said,Receive the Holy Spirit.23If you forgive anyones sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. Jesus Appears to Thomas 24Now Thomas(also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.25So the other disciples told him, We have seen the Lord! But he said to them, Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side,I will not believe. 26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said,Peacebe with you!27Then he said to Thomas,Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. 28Thomas said to him, My Lord and my God! 29Then Jesus told him,Because you have seen me, you have believed;blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. The Purpose of Johns Gospel 30Jesus performed many other signsin the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.31But these are written that you may believe[b]that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,and that by believing you may have life in his name.
28After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.29As he approached Bethphage and Bethanyat the hill called the Mount of Olives,he sent two of his disciples, saying to them,30Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.31If anyone asks you, Why are you untying it? say, The Lord needs it. 32Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them.33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, Why are you untying the colt? 34They replied, The Lord needs it. 35They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it.36As he went along, people spread their cloakson the road. 37When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives,the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord![a]
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!
39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, Teacher, rebuke your disciples! 40I tell you,he replied,if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out. 41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it42and said,If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peacebut now it is hidden from your eyes.43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls.They will not leave one stone on another,because you did not recognize the time of Gods comingto you.
31When the Son of Man comesin his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separatethe people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdomprepared for you since the creation of the world.35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,36I needed clothes and you clothed me,I was sick and you looked after me,I was in prison and you came to visit me. 37Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? 40The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
Thanks for Their Gifts 10I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me.Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be contentwhatever the circumstances.12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,whether living in plenty or in want.13I can do all this through him who gives me strength. 14Yet it was good of you to sharein my troubles.15Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early daysof your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia,not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only;16for even when I was in Thessalonica,you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.17Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.18I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditusthe gifts you sent. They are a fragrantoffering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.19And my God will meet all your needsaccording to the riches of his gloryin Christ Jesus. 20To our God and Fatherbe glory for ever and ever. Amen. Final Greetings 21Greet all Gods people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with mesend greetings.22All Gods peoplehere send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesars household. 23The grace of the Lord Jesus Christbe with your spirit.Amen.[a]
1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! 2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,but I press on to take holdof that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behindand straining toward what is ahead,14I press ontoward the goal to win the prizefor which God has calledme heavenward in Christ Jesus. Following Pauls Example 15All of us, then, who are matureshould take such a view of things.And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.16Only let us live up to what we have already attained. 17Join together in following my example,brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.18For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears,many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.19Their destinyis destruction, their god is their stomach,and their glory is in their shame.Their mind is set on earthly things.20But our citizenshipis in heaven.And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,21who, by the powerthat enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodiesso that they will be like his glorious body.
3Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again,and it is a safeguard for you.2Watch out for those dogs,those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.3For it is we who are the circumcision,we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus,and who put no confidence in the flesh4though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:5circumcisedon the eighth day, of the people of Israel,of the tribe of Benjamin,a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;6as for zeal,persecuting the church;as for righteousness based on the law,faultless. 7But whatever were gains to me I now consider lossfor the sake of Christ.8What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowingChrist Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,but that which is through faith in[a]Christthe righteousnessthat comes from God on the basis of faith.10I want to knowChristyes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings,becoming like him in his death,11and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrectionfrom the dead.
19I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothyto you soon,that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you.20I have no one else like him,who will show genuine concern for your welfare.21For everyone looks out for their own interests,not those of Jesus Christ.22But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his fatherhe has served with me in the work of the gospel.23I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.24And I am confidentin the Lord that I myself will come soon. 25But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-workerand fellow soldier,who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.26For he longs for all of youand is distressed because you heard he was ill.27Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him,so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety.29So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him,30because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyednot only in my presence, but now much more in my absencecontinue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,13for it is God who works in youto will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 14Do everything without grumblingor arguing,15so that you may become blamelessand pure, children of Godwithout fault in a warped and crooked generation.[a]Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky16as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christthat I did not runor labor in vain.17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offeringon the sacrificeand service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a]God,did not consider equality with Godsomething to be used to his own advantage;7rather, he made himself nothingby taking the very nature[b]of a servant,being made in human likeness.8And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himselfby becoming obedient to deatheven death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted himto the highest placeand gave him the name that is above every name,10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.
18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,19for I know that through your prayersand Gods provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christwhat has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[a]20I eagerly expectand hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courageso that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,whether by life or by death.21For to me, to live is Christand to die is gain.22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!23I am torn between the two: I desire to departand be with Christ,which is better by far;24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,26so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
12Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[a]that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[b]and to everyone else that I am in chainsfor Christ.14And because of my chains,most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. 15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.16The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition,not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
1Paul and Timothy,servants of Christ Jesus, To all Gods holy peoplein Christ Jesus at Philippi,together with the overseersand deacons[a]: 2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3I thank my God every time I remember you.4In all my prayers for all of you, I always praywith joy5because of your partnershipin the gospel from the first dayuntil now,6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completionuntil the day of Christ Jesus. 7It is rightfor me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heartand, whether I am in chainsor defendingand confirming the gospel, all of you share in Gods grace with me.8God can testifyhow I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9And this is my prayer: that your lovemay abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,11filled with the fruit of righteousnessthat comes through Jesus Christto the glory and praise of God.
Welcome to our Good Friday service where we will spend some time meditating on and contemplating the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.