My parents and family were my first teachers. They're the ones who gave me the values and principles that guide me out in the world. It's like, God blessed us with family from the very beginning, right? He wanted us to multiply and fill the earth. And it's true, family creates such strong bonds. Even when you're miles apart, you still feel connected. That's why I pray for them, and I often think of this verse: "But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children" (Psalm 103:17).
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree together, to end your divisions, and to be united by the same mind and purpose.
bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.
But if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for the church of God?
I will confirm my covenant as a perpetual covenant between me and you. It will extend to your descendants after you throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and unites with his wife, and they become a new family.
But if someone does not provide for his own, especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also praises her:“Many daughters have done valiantly, but you surpass them all!”
complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose.
If you have no desire to worship the Lord, choose today whom you will worship, whether it be the gods whom your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But I and my family will worship the Lord!”
“Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you.
For I will pour water on the parched ground and cause streams to flow on the dry land. I will pour my spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your children.
I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name.”
May the Lord our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors. May he not abandon us or leave us.
But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers, and is faithful to their descendants,
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the inner rooms of your house; your children will be like olive branches, as they sit all around your table.
Yes, sons are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.Sons born during one’s youth are like arrows in a warrior’s hand.How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! They will not be put to shame when they confront enemies at the city gate.
These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind,and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up.
Again, I tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.He called a child, had him stand among them,For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”
Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power.Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand.Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of righteousness,by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace,and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints.Pray for me also, that I may be given the message when I begin to speak – that I may confidently make known the mystery of the gospel,“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely,for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak.Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you, so that you too may know about my circumstances, how I am doing.I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Grace be with all of those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.“that it may go well with you and that you will live a long time on the earth.”Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but raise them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus,so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works,not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.
Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.
By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of one who lacks wisdom.I saw that thorns had grown up all over it, the ground was covered with weeds, and its stone wall was broken down.When I saw this, I gave careful consideration to it; I received instruction from what I saw:“A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to relax,and your poverty will come like a bandit, and your need like an armed robber.”by knowledge its rooms are filled with all kinds of precious and pleasing treasures.
Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been fathered by God and knows God.
Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and no town or house divided against itself will stand.
so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another.
so I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, rejoice along with your nation, and boast along with the people who belong to you.
Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that – whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent – I should hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,
Then you will call out, and the Lord will respond; you will cry out, and he will reply, ‘Here I am.’ You must remove the burdensome yoke from among you and stop pointing fingers and speaking sinfully.
The one who finds a wife finds what is enjoyable, and receives a pleasurable gift from the Lord.
The Lord protects those residing outside their native land; he lifts up the fatherless and the widow, but he opposes the wicked.
For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body – though many – are one body, so too is Christ.For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit.
Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God.
So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Evil men will soon disappear; you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone.But the oppressed will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity.
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice, set things right, be encouraged, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
May he increase your numbers, yours and your children’s!May you be blessed by the Lord, the creator of heaven and earth!
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”
I appeal to Euodia and to Syntyche to agree in the Lord.May glory be given to God our Father forever and ever. Amen.Give greetings to all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers with me here send greetings.All the saints greet you, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.Yes, I say also to you, true companion, help them. They have struggled together in the gospel ministry along with me and Clement and my other coworkers, whose names are in the book of life.
The Lord will protect you from all harm; he will protect your life.The Lord will protect you in all you do, now and forevermore.
And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,
Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.
But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.
My goal is that their hearts, having been knit together in love, may be encouraged, and that they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.
with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
when you deliver my life from death. You keep my feet from stumbling, so that I might serve God as I enjoy life.
The Lord strengthens and protects me; I trust in him with all my heart. I am rescued and my heart is full of joy; I will sing to him in gratitude.
In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Then, even if some are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without a word by the way you live,For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit.And he must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil.For who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good?But in fact, if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them or be shaken.But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess.Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you.For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil.Because Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring you to God, by being put to death in the flesh but by being made alive in the spirit.In it he went and preached to the spirits in prison,when they see your pure and reverent conduct.
All your children will be followers of the Lord, and your children will enjoy great prosperity.
For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,that is, that we may be mutually comforted by one another’s faith, both yours and mine.
How great is your favor, which you store up for your loyal followers! In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter in you.
When there is no guidance a nation falls, but there is success in the abundance of counselors.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
It is like fine oil poured on the head which flows down the beard – Aaron’s beard, and then flows down his garments.
Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think,
but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek.
Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed! Do not envy evildoers!Evil men will soon disappear; you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone.But the oppressed will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity.Evil men plot against the godly and viciously attack them.The Lord laughs in disgust at them, for he knows that their day is coming.Evil men draw their swords and prepare their bows, to bring down the oppressed and needy, and to slaughter those who are godly.Their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.The little bit that a godly man owns is better than the wealth of many evil men,for evil men will lose their power, but the Lord sustains the godly.The Lord watches over the innocent day by day and they possess a permanent inheritance.They will not be ashamed when hard times come; when famine comes they will have enough to eat.For they will quickly dry up like grass, and wither away like plants.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.
But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Better to be slow to anger than to be a mighty warrior, and one who controls his temper is better than one who captures a city.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing,so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world
But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.
I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called,He, the very one who descended, is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ,until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God – a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature.So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head.From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament. As each one does its part, the body grows in love.So I say this, and insist in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.They are darkened in their understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up.It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful.It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth.It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the godly and the congregation.
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God resides in us, and his love is perfected in us.
So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables.Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean, it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat.
“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God.
In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water.He restores my strength. He leads me down the right paths for the sake of his reputation.