25 “This is why I tell you: do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn't life worth more than food? And isn't the body worth more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren't you worth much more than birds? 27 Can any of you live a bit longer[a] by worrying about it?

28 “And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves. 29 But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. 30 It is God who clothes the wild grass—grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up in the oven. Won't he be all the more sure to clothe you? What little faith you have!

31 “So do not start worrying: ‘Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?’ 32 (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. 33 Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things. 34 So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings.

6 Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart.

6 Humble yourselves, then, under God's mighty hand, so that he will lift you up in his own good time.7 Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you.

1 The Lord is my shepherd;

    I have everything I need.

2 He lets me rest in fields of green grass

    and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water.

3 He gives me new strength.

He guides me in the right paths,

    as he has promised.

4 Even if I go through the deepest darkness,

    I will not be afraid, Lord,

    for you are with me.

Your shepherd's rod and staff protect me.

5 You prepare a banquet for me,

    where all my enemies can see me;

you welcome me as an honored guest

    and fill my cup to the brim.

6 I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life;

    and your house will be my home as long as I live.

4 “Happy are those who mourn;

    God will comfort them!

3 Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father, the God from whom all help comes! 4 He helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God.

31 In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 Certainly not God, who did not even keep back his own Son, but offered him for us all! He gave us his Son—will he not also freely give us all things? 33 Who will accuse God's chosen people? God himself declares them not guilty! 34 Who, then, will condemn them? Not Christ Jesus, who died, or rather, who was raised to life and is at the right side of God, pleading with him for us! 35 Who, then, can separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble do it, or hardship or persecution or hunger or poverty or danger or death? 36 As the scripture says,

“For your sake we are in danger of death at all times;

    we are treated like sheep that are going to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! 38 For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, 39 neither the world above nor the world below—there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.

5 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman officer met him and begged for help: 6 “Sir, my servant is sick in bed at home, unable to move and suffering terribly.”

7 “I will go and make him well,” Jesus said.

8 “Oh no, sir,” answered the officer. “I do not deserve to have you come into my house. Just give the order, and my servant will get well. 9 I, too, am a man under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me. I order this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and I order that one, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and I order my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was surprised and said to the people following him, “I tell you, I have never found anyone in Israel with faith like this. 11 I assure you that many will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of heaven.12 But those who should be in the Kingdom will be thrown out into the darkness, where they will cry and gnash their teeth.” 13 Then Jesus said to the officer, “Go home, and what you believe will be done for you.”

And the officer's servant was healed that very moment.

22 Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 I assure you that whoever tells this hill to get up and throw itself in the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 For this reason I tell you: When you pray and ask for something, believe that you have received it, and you will be given whatever you ask for.

23 ‘Well done, you good and faithful servant!’ said his master. ‘You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!’

1 Don't be worried on account of the wicked;

    don't be jealous of those who do wrong.

2 They will soon disappear like grass that dries up;

    they will die like plants that wither.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good;

    live in the land and be safe.

4 Seek your happiness in the Lord,

    and he will give you your heart's desire.

5 Give yourself to the Lord;

    trust in him, and he will help you;

6 he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun.

7 Be patient and wait for the Lord to act;

    don't be worried about those who prosper

    or those who succeed in their evil plans.

8 Don't give in to worry or anger;

    it only leads to trouble.

9 Those who trust in the Lord will possess the land,

    but the wicked will be driven out.

10 Soon the wicked will disappear;

    you may look for them, but you won't find them;

11 but the humble will possess the land

    and enjoy prosperity and peace.

12 The wicked plot against good people

    and glare at them with hate.

13 But the Lord laughs at wicked people,

    because he knows they will soon be destroyed.

14 The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows

    to kill the poor and needy,

    to slaughter those who do what is right;

15 but they will be killed by their own swords,

    and their bows will be smashed.

16 The little that a good person owns

    is worth more than the wealth of all the wicked,

17 because the Lord will take away the strength of the wicked,

    but protect those who are good.

18 The Lord takes care of those who obey him,

    and the land will be theirs forever.

19 They will not suffer when times are bad;

    they will have enough in time of famine.

20 But the wicked will die;

    the enemies of the Lord will vanish like wild flowers;

    they will disappear like smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and never pay back,

    but good people are generous with their gifts.

22 Those who are blessed by the Lord will possess the land,

    but those who are cursed by him will be driven out.

23 The Lord guides us in the way we should go

    and protects those who please him.

24 If they fall, they will not stay down,

    because the Lord will help them up.

25 I am old now; I have lived a long time,

    but I have never seen good people abandoned by the Lord

    or their children begging for food.

26 At all times they give freely and lend to others,

    and their children are a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good,

    and your descendants will always live in the land;

28 for the Lord loves what is right

    and does not abandon his faithful people.

He protects them forever,

    but the descendants of the wicked will be driven out.

29 The righteous will possess the land

    and live in it forever.

30 The words of good people are wise,

    and they are always fair.

31 They keep the law of their God in their hearts

    and never depart from it.

32 Wicked people watch good people

    and try to kill them;

33 but the Lord will not abandon them to their enemy's power

    or let them be condemned when they are on trial.

34 Put your hope in the Lord and obey his commands;

    he will honor you by giving you the land,

    and you will see the wicked driven out.

35 I once knew someone wicked who was a tyrant;

    he towered over everyone like a cedar of Lebanon;

36 but later I passed by, and he wasn't there;

    I looked for him, but couldn't find him.

37 Notice good people, observe the righteous;

    peaceful people have descendants,

38 but sinners are completely destroyed,

    and their descendants are wiped out.

39 The Lord saves the righteous

    and protects them in times of trouble.

40 He helps them and rescues them;

    he saves them from the wicked,

    because they go to him for protection.

3 “Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor;

    the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!

4 “Happy are those who mourn;

    God will comfort them!

5 “Happy are those who are humble;

    they will receive what God has promised!

6 “Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires;

    God will satisfy them fully!

7 “Happy are those who are merciful to others;

    God will be merciful to them!

8 “Happy are the pure in heart;

    they will see God!

9 “Happy are those who work for peace;

    God will call them his children!

10 “Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires;

    the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!

11 “Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted."

1 I look to the mountains;

    where will my help come from?

2 My help will come from the Lord,

    who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let you fall;

    your protector is always awake.

4 The protector of Israel

    never dozes or sleeps.

5 The Lord will guard you;

    he is by your side to protect you.

6 The sun will not hurt you during the day,

    nor the moon during the night.

7 The Lord will protect you from all danger;

    he will keep you safe.

8 He will protect you as you come and go

    now and forever.

27 The man answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind’; and ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’”

1 I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. 2 I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains—but if I have no love, I am nothing. 3 I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned—but if I have no love, this does me no good.

4 Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; 5 love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; 6 love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. 7 Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.

8 Love is eternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass. 9 For our gifts of knowledge and of inspired messages are only partial; 10 but when what is perfect comes, then what is partial will disappear.

11 When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; now that I am an adult, I have no more use for childish ways. 12 What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete—as complete as God's knowledge of me.

13 Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love.

15 “If you love me, you will obey my commandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is in you.

18 “When I go, you will not be left all alone; I will come back to you. 19 In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will see me; and because I live, you also will live. 20 When that day comes, you will know that I am in my Father and that you are in me, just as I am in you.

21 “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them.”

22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “Lord, how can it be that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and my Father and I will come to them and live with them. 24 Those who do not love me do not obey my teaching. And the teaching you have heard is not mine, but comes from the Father, who sent me.

29 Peter and the other apostles answered, “We must obey God, not men.”

1 “Do not be worried and upset,” Jesus told them. “Believe in God and believe also in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so. 3 And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am. 4 You know the way that leads to the place where I am going.”

33 I have told you this so that you will have peace by being united to me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!”

5 Now that we have been put right with God through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 He has brought us by faith into this experience of God's grace, in which we now live. And so we boast[ of the hope we have of sharing God's glory! 3 We also boast of our troubles, because we know that trouble produces endurance, 4 endurance brings God's approval, and his approval creates hope. 5 This hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to us.

25 At that time Jesus said, “Father, Lord of heaven and earth! I thank you because you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned. 26 Yes, Father, this was how you were pleased to have it happen.

27 “My Father has given me all things. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. 30 For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.”

5 Jesus said to them, “Watch out, and don't let anyone fool you. 6 Many men, claiming to speak for me, will come and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will fool many people. 7 And don't be troubled when you hear the noise of battles close by and news of battles far away. Such things must happen, but they do not mean that the end has come. 8 Countries will fight each other; kingdoms will attack one another. There will be earthquakes everywhere, and there will be famines. These things are like the first pains of childbirth.

9 “You yourselves must watch out. You will be arrested and taken to court. You will be beaten in the synagogues; you will stand before rulers and kings for my sake to tell them the Good News. 10 But before the end comes, the gospel must be preached to all peoples. 11 And when you are arrested and taken to court, do not worry ahead of time about what you are going to say; when the time comes, say whatever is then given to you. For the words you speak will not be yours; they will come from the Holy Spirit. 12 Men will hand over their own brothers to be put to death, and fathers will do the same to their children. Children will turn against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me. But whoever holds out to the end will be saved.

39 He went a little farther on, threw himself face downward on the ground, and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, take this cup of suffering from me! Yet not what I want, but what you want.”

3 We also boast of our troubles, because we know that trouble produces endurance, 4 endurance brings God's approval, and his approval creates hope. 5 This hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to us.

9 But his answer was: “My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak.” I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ's power over me. 10 I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

14 Are any among you sick? They should send for the church elders, who will pray for them and rub olive oil on them in the name of the Lord. 15 This prayer made in faith will heal the sick; the Lord will restore them to health, and the sins they have committed will be forgiven.

12 My dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful test you are suffering, as though something unusual were happening to you. 13 Rather be glad that you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may be full of joy when his glory is revealed.

18 be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.

15 Let us, then, always offer praise to God as our sacrifice through Jesus, which is the offering presented by lips that confess him as Lord.

28 “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. 30 For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.”

58 So then, my dear friends, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord's service is ever useless.

9 So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest. 10 So then, as often as we have the chance, we should do good to everyone, and especially to those who belong to our family in the faith.

1 Be merciful to me, O God,

    because of your constant love.

Because of your great mercy

    wipe away my sins!

2 Wash away all my evil

    and make me clean from my sin!

3 I recognize my faults;

    I am always conscious of my sins.

4 I have sinned against you—only against you—

    and done what you consider evil.

So you are right in judging me;

    you are justified in condemning me.

5 I have been evil from the day I was born;

    from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful.

6 Sincerity and truth are what you require;

    fill my mind with your wisdom.

7 Remove my sin, and I will be clean;

    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;

    and though you have crushed me and broken me,

    I will be happy once again.

9 Close your eyes to my sins

    and wipe out all my evil.

10 Create a pure heart in me, O God,

    and put a new and loyal spirit in me.

11 Do not banish me from your presence;

    do not take your holy spirit away from me.

12 Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation,

    and make me willing to obey you.

13 Then I will teach sinners your commands,

    and they will turn back to you.

14 Spare my life, O God, and save me,

    and I will gladly proclaim your righteousness.

15 Help me to speak, Lord,

    and I will praise you.

16 You do not want sacrifices,

    or I would offer them;

you are not pleased with burnt offerings.

17 My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God;

    you will not reject a humble and repentant heart.

18 O God, be kind to Zion and help her;

    rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then you will be pleased with proper sacrifices

    and with our burnt offerings;

    and bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? “Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

When they came to a place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.

“And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.”

“Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.