But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. I love you, Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” This is what the Lord says to Israel: “Seek me and live.” Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed. I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. ‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord,
‘I will frown on you no longer,
for I am faithful,’ declares the Lord,
‘I will not be angry forever.’ But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. But those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved. But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.