Thursday, December 9, 2027

^2:13But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, ¹⁴to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter. ¹⁶Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, ¹⁷comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word. ^3:1Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you, ²and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith. ³But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. ⁴We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command. ⁵May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and into the perseverance of Christ.

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^4:22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman. ²³However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise. ²⁴These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar. ²⁵For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children. ²⁶But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. ²⁷For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear. Break out and shout, you who don’t travail. For the desolate women have more children than her who has a husband.” ²⁸Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise. ²⁹But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. ³⁰However, what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not inherit with the son of the free woman.” ³¹So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman.

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^21:28But when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.” ²⁹He told them a parable. “See the fig tree and all the trees. ³⁰When they are already budding, you see it and know by your own selves that the summer is already near. ³¹Even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that God’s Kingdom is near. ³²Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things are accomplished. ³³Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.

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^8:16“No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a container or puts it under a bed; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light. ¹⁷For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. ¹⁸Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.” ¹⁹His mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd. ²⁰Some people told him, “Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you.” ²¹But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

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^2:13But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, ¹⁴to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter. ¹⁶Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, ¹⁷comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word. ^3:1Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you, ²and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith. ³But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. ⁴We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command. ⁵May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and into the perseverance of Christ.

WEB, public domain

^18:31He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed. ³²For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on. ³³They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.” ³⁴They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn’t understand the things that were said.

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