Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 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. Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke? Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praise to you—
I whom you have delivered. Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.” Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Blessed are those who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. The one who gets wisdom loves life;
the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper. Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless. Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.