Thursday, July 3, 2031

^15:17I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God. ¹⁸For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, ¹⁹in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ; ²⁰yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.

²¹But, as it is written, “They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven’t heard will understand.” ²²Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you, ²³but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you, ²⁴whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

²⁵But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints. ²⁶For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem. ²⁷Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in material things. ²⁸When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain. ²⁹I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.

^12:46While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him. ⁴⁷One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.” ⁴⁸But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

^13:1On that day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the seaside. ²Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat and sat; and all the multitude stood on the beach. ³He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow.