Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground. For, “Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.” Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me. How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
and only later to consider one’s vows. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun. For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
“I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. Fools show their annoyance at once,
but the prudent overlook an insult. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.Next verse!With image