Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
who conduct their affairs with justice. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Better a little with the fear of the Lord
than great wealth with turmoil. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.” Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever. A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil. Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. When anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess in what way they have sinned. So then, banish anxiety from your heart
and cast off the troubles of your body,
for youth and vigor are meaningless. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.Next verse!With image