Wednesday, February 5, 2025

^4:7But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest. ⁸For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. ⁹But wisdom is the grey hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. ¹⁰He pleased God, and was beloved of him: so that living among sinners he was translated. ¹¹Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. ¹²For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. ¹³He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: ¹⁴for his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked. ¹⁵This the people saw, and understood not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect unto his chosen.

Brenton LXX, public domain

^10:9I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out and will find pasture. ¹⁰The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. ¹¹“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. ¹³The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care for the sheep. ¹⁴I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own; ¹⁵even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶I have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.

WEB, public domain

^4:1Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ²that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. ³For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries. ⁴They think it is strange that you don’t run with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. ⁵They will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit. ⁷But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer. ⁸And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms. ¹¹If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

WEB, public domain

^13:17Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you. ¹⁸Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things. ¹⁹I strongly urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you sooner. ²⁰Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus, ²¹make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

WEB, public domain

^12:28One of the scribes came and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?” ²⁹Jesus answered, “The greatest is: ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. ³¹The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ³²The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he; ³³and to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from God’s Kingdom.” No one dared ask him any question after that. ³⁵Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? ³⁶For David himself said in the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’ ³⁷Therefore David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?” The common people heard him gladly.

WEB, public domain

^6:17He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, ¹⁸as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits; and they were being healed. ¹⁹All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out of him and healed them all. ²⁰He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for God’s Kingdom is yours. ²¹Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. ²²Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. ²³Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.

WEB, public domain

^4:1Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ²that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. ³For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries. ⁴They think it is strange that you don’t run with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. ⁵They will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit. ⁷But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer. ⁸And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms. ¹¹If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

WEB, public domain

^12:28One of the scribes came and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?” ²⁹Jesus answered, “The greatest is: ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. ³¹The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ³²The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he; ³³and to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from God’s Kingdom.” No one dared ask him any question after that. ³⁵Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? ³⁶For David himself said in the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’ ³⁷Therefore David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?” The common people heard him gladly.

WEB, public domain