Saturday, January 25, 2031

^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.

^10:1“Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber. ²But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.”

⁶Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them. ⁷Jesus therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door. ⁸All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 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.

^5:14We exhort you, brothers: Admonish the disorderly; encourage the faint-hearted; support the weak; be patient toward all. ¹⁵See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good for one another and for all. ¹⁶Always rejoice. ¹⁷Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. ¹⁹Don’t quench the Spirit. ²⁰Don’t despise prophecies. ²¹Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. ²²Abstain from every form of evil. ²³May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

^12:7But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all. ⁸For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, ¹⁰and to another workings of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of languages, and to another the interpretation of languages. ¹¹But the one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.

^17:3Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. ⁴If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” ⁵The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” ⁶The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. ⁷But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say when he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down at the table’?

⁸Wouldn’t he rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink’? ⁹Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not. ¹⁰Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’”

^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.

^6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace, ¹⁶above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

^5:14We exhort you, brothers: Admonish the disorderly; encourage the faint-hearted; support the weak; be patient toward all. ¹⁵See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good for one another and for all. ¹⁶Always rejoice. ¹⁷Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. ¹⁹Don’t quench the Spirit. ²⁰Don’t despise prophecies. ²¹Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. ²²Abstain from every form of evil. ²³May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

^4:1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. ³The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” ⁴But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.’” ⁵Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don’t dash your foot against a stone.’”

⁷Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’” ⁸Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹He said to him, “I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.” ¹⁰Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’” ¹¹Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.

^17:3Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. ⁴If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” ⁵The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” ⁶The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. ⁷But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say when he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down at the table’?

⁸Wouldn’t he rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink’? ⁹Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not. ¹⁰Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’”