Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 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 no word from God will ever fail. But 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. 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. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people. It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
and only later to consider one’s vows. It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin condemns any people. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” The Lord makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him. So that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors. May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Next verse!With image