God is the one who saves me; I will trust him and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord gives me strength and makes me sing. He has saved me.”You will receive your salvation with joy as you would draw water from a well.
You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. You cannot see him now, but you believe in him. So you are filled with a joy that cannot be explained, a joy full of glory.And you are receiving the goal of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him. Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord makes me very happy; all that I am rejoices in my God. He has covered me with clothes of salvation and wrapped me with a coat of goodness, like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding, like a bride dressed in jewels.
Since we have been made right with God by our faith, we have peace with God. This happened through our Lord Jesus Christ,While we were God’s enemies, he made us his friends through the death of his Son. Surely, now that we are his friends, he will save us through his Son’s life.And not only that, but now we are also very happy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we are now God’s friends again.Sin came into the world because of what one man did, and with sin came death. This is why everyone must die—because everyone sinned.Sin was in the world before the law of Moses, but sin is not counted against us as breaking a command when there is no law.But from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, everyone had to die, even those who had not sinned by breaking a command, as Adam had. Adam was like the One who was coming in the future.But God’s free gift is not like Adam’s sin. Many people died because of the sin of that one man. But the grace from God was much greater; many people received God’s gift of life by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ.After Adam sinned once, he was judged guilty. But the gift of God is different. God’s free gift came after many sins, and it makes people right with God.One man sinned, and so death ruled all people because of that one man. But now those people who accept God’s full grace and the great gift of being made right with him will surely have true life and rule through the one man, Jesus Christ.So as one sin of Adam brought the punishment of death to all people, one good act that Christ did makes all people right with God. And that brings true life for all.One man disobeyed God, and many became sinners. In the same way, one man obeyed God, and many will be made right.who through our faith has brought us into that blessing of God’s grace that we now enjoy. And we are happy because of the hope we have of sharing God’s glory.
I have told you these things so that you can have the same joy I have and so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy.
But you should not be happy because the spirits obey you but because your names are written in heaven.”
At that time people will say, “Our God is doing this! We have waited for him, and he has come to save us. This is the Lord. We waited for him, so we will rejoice and be happy when he saves us.”
The Lord gives me strength and a song. He has saved me.Shouts of joy and victory come from the tents of those who do right: “The Lord has done powerful things.”
Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Every day tell how he saves us.Tell the nations about his glory; tell all peoples the miracles he does.
Skies, sing for joy because the Lord did great things! Earth, shout for joy, even in your deepest parts! Sing, you mountains, with thanks to God. Sing, too, you trees in the forest! The Lord saved the people of Jacob! He showed his glory when he saved Israel.
The payment for sin is death. But God gives us the free gift of life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Always be joyful.Pray continually,and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.
Then we were filled with laughter, and we sang happy songs. Then the other nations said, “The Lord has done great things for them.”The Lord has done great things for us, and we are very glad.
But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
My brothers and sisters, be full of joy in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it will help you to be more ready.
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy.
Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy good food and sweet drinks. Send some to people who have none, because today is a holy day to the Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy of the Lord will make you strong.”
And you became like us and like the Lord. You suffered much, but still you accepted the teaching with the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit.
But let all those who worship you rejoice and be glad. Let those who love your salvation always say, “Praise the greatness of God.”
the people the Lord has freed will return there. They will enter Jerusalem with joy, and their happiness will last forever. Their gladness and joy will fill them completely, and sorrow and sadness will go far away.
You changed my sorrow into dancing. You took away my clothes of sadness, and clothed me in happiness.I will sing to you and not be silent. Lord, my God, I will praise you forever.
I will cover her priests with salvation, and those who worship me will really sing for joy.
And not only that, but now we are also very happy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we are now God’s friends again.
Let the Israelites be happy because of God, their Maker. Let the people of Jerusalem rejoice because of their King.
But it doesn’t matter. The important thing is that in every way, whether for right or wrong reasons, they are preaching about Christ. So I am happy, and I will continue to be happy.
In the same way, I tell you there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes his heart and life, than over ninety-nine good people who don’t need to change.
Good people will be happy in the Lord and will find protection in him. Let everyone who is honest praise the Lord.
But let everyone who trusts you be happy; let them sing glad songs forever. Protect those who love you and who are happy because of you.
Heavens and earth, be happy. Mountains, shout with joy, because the Lord comforts his people and will have pity on those who suffer.
Rejoice and be glad, because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did the same evil things to the prophets who lived before you.
But those who do right should be glad and should rejoice before God; they should be happy and glad.
The Lord your God is with you; the mighty One will save you. He will rejoice over you. You will rest in his love; he will sing and be joyful about you.”
You will teach me how to live a holy life. Being with you will fill me with joy; at your right hand I will find pleasure forever.
The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him, and he helps me. I am very happy, and I praise him with my song.
Then young women of Israel will be happy and dance, the young men and old men also. I will change their sadness into happiness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sadness.
But let those who follow you be happy and glad. They love you for saving them. May they always say, “Praise the Lord!”
My dear brothers and sisters, I love you and want to see you. You bring me joy and make me proud of you, so stand strong in the Lord as I have told you.
His anger lasts only a moment, but his kindness lasts for a lifetime. Crying may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
How beautiful is the person who comes over the mountains to bring good news, who announces peace and brings good news, who announces salvation and says to Jerusalem, “Your God is King.”Listen! Your guards are shouting. They are all shouting for joy! They all will see with their own eyes when the Lord returns to Jerusalem.Jerusalem, your buildings are destroyed now, but shout and rejoice together, because the Lord has comforted his people. He has saved Jerusalem.
Hannah prayed: “The Lord has filled my heart with joy; I feel very strong in the Lord. I can laugh at my enemies; I am glad because you have helped me!
“I leave you peace; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
Lord, you have made me happy by what you have done; I will sing for joy about what your hands have done.
Now, brothers and sisters, I say good-bye. Live in harmony. Do what I have asked you to do. Agree with each other, and live in peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.
But you have made me very happy, happier than they are, even with all their grain and new wine.
“God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.
“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest.Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives.They asked him, “Are you the One who is to come, or should we wait for someone else?”The burden that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.”
But the people who trust the Lord will become strong again. They will rise up as an eagle in the sky; they will run and not need rest; they will walk and not become tired.
Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.
and to help the sorrowing people of Jerusalem. I will give them a crown to replace their ashes, and the oil of gladness to replace their sorrow, and clothes of praise to replace their spirit of sadness. Then they will be called Trees of Goodness, trees planted by the Lord to show his greatness.
Praise the Lord, God our Savior, who helps us every day.SelahBlow them away as smoke is driven away by the wind. As wax melts before a fire, let the wicked be destroyed before God.Our God is a God who saves us; the Lord God saves us from death.
I mean that you have been saved by grace through believing. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God.It was not the result of your own efforts, so you cannot brag about it.
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and strong. It enters behind the curtain in the Most Holy Place in heaven,
Yes, I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers,nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Lord is kind and does what is right; our God is merciful.The Lord watches over the foolish; when I was helpless, he saved me.I said to myself, “Relax, because the Lord takes care of you.”
A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life—life in all its fullness.
This is what God told us: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.Whoever has the Son has life, but whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new!
You, Lord, give true peace to those who depend on you, because they trust you.So, trust the Lord always, because he is our Rock forever.
Lord, my God, I will praise you with all my heart, and I will honor your name forever.You have great love for me. You have saved me from death.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many people will see this and worship him. Then they will trust the Lord.
I was put to death on the cross with Christ, and I do not live anymore—it is Christ who lives in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself to save me.
I find rest in God; only he can save me.Do not trust in force. Stealing is of no use. Even if you gain more riches, don’t put your trust in them.God has said this, and I have heard it over and over: God is strong.The Lord is loving. You reward people for what they have done.He is my rock and my salvation. He is my defender; I will not be defeated.
At that time you will say, “Praise the Lord and worship him. Tell everyone what he has done and how great he is.Sing praise to the Lord, because he has done great things. Let all the world know what he has done.
Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking, because you were all called together in one body to have peace. Always be thankful.
So, brothers and sisters, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place without fear because of the blood of Jesus’ death.If the law could make them perfect, the sacrifices would have already stopped. The worshipers would be made clean, and they would no longer have a sense of sin.We can enter through a new and living way that Jesus opened for us. It leads through the curtain—Christ’s body.
I will praise the Lord at all times; his praise is always on my lips.Even lions may get weak and hungry, but those who look to the Lord will have every good thing.Children, come and listen to me. I will teach you to worship the Lord.You must do these things to enjoy life and have many happy days.You must not say evil things, and you must not tell lies.Stop doing evil and do good. Look for peace and work for it.The Lord sees the good people and listens to their prayers.But the Lord is against those who do evil; he makes the world forget them.The Lord hears good people when they cry out to him, and he saves them from all their troubles.The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed.People who do what is right may have many problems, but the Lord will solve them all.My whole being praises the Lord. The poor will hear and be glad.He will protect their very bones; not one of them will be broken.Evil will kill the wicked; those who hate good people will be judged guilty.But the Lord saves his servants’ lives; no one who trusts him will be judged guilty.Glorify the Lord with me, and let us praise his name together.
After this the jailer took Paul and Silas home and gave them food. He and his family were very happy because they now believed in God.
One man sinned, and so death ruled all people because of that one man. But now those people who accept God’s full grace and the great gift of being made right with him will surely have true life and rule through the one man, Jesus Christ.
“I tell you the truth, whoever hears what I say and believes in the One who sent me has eternal life. That person will not be judged guilty but has already left death and entered life.
And the Spirit himself joins with our spirits to say we are God’s children.If we are God’s children, we will receive blessings from God together with Christ. But we must suffer as Christ suffered so that we will have glory as Christ has glory.
Those who go to God Most High for safety will be protected by the Almighty.Nothing bad will happen to you; no disaster will come to your home.He has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go.They will catch you in their hands so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.You will walk on lions and cobras; you will step on strong lions and snakes.The Lord says, “Whoever loves me, I will save. I will protect those who know me.They will call to me, and I will answer them. I will be with them in trouble; I will rescue them and honor them.I will give them a long, full life, and they will see how I can save.”I will say to the Lord, “You are my place of safety and protection. You are my God and I trust you.”
And this is eternal life: that people know you, the only true God, and that they know Jesus Christ, the One you sent.
So we do not give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day.We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal glory that is much greater than the troubles.We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever.
So he is able always to save those who come to God through him because he always lives, asking God to help them.
What can I give the Lord for all the good things he has given to me?I will lift up the cup of salvation, and I will pray to the Lord.
So it is with you. When you heard the true teaching—the Good News about your salvation—you believed in Christ. And in Christ, God put his special mark of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit that he had promised.That Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive what God promised for his people until God gives full freedom to those who are his—to bring praise to God’s glory.
Light shines on those who do right; joy belongs to those who are honest.Rejoice in the Lord, you who do right. Praise his holy name.
“So you will go out with joy and be led out in peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees in the fields will clap their hands.
Sing to the Lord and praise his name; every day tell how he saves us.Tell the nations of his glory; tell all peoples the miracles he does,
We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. They are the people he called, because that was his plan.
Lord, you are my God. I honor you and praise you, because you have done amazing things. You have always done what you said you would do; you have done what you planned long ago.
Now this is what the Lord says. He created you, people of Jacob; he formed you, people of Israel. He says, “Don’t be afraid, because I have saved you. I have called you by name, and you are mine.The Lord says, “You are my witnesses and the servant I chose. I chose you so you would know and believe me, so you would understand that I am the true God. There was no God before me, and there will be no God after me.I myself am the Lord; I am the only Savior.I myself have spoken to you, saved you, and told you these things. It was not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses, and I am God,” says the Lord.“I have always been God. No one can save people from my power; when I do something, no one can change it.”This is what the Lord, who saves you, the Holy One of Israel, says: “I will send armies to Babylon for you, and I will knock down all its locked gates. The Babylonians will shout their cries of sorrow.I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”This is what the Lord says. He is the one who made a road through the sea and a path through rough waters.He is the one who defeated the chariots and horses and the mighty armies. They fell together and will never rise again. They were destroyed as a flame is put out.The Lord says, “Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past.Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don’t you see it? I will make a road in the desert and rivers in the dry land.When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you cross rivers, you will not drown. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned, nor will the flames hurt you.Even the wild animals will be thankful to me— the wild dogs and owls. They will honor me when I put water in the desert and rivers in the dry land to give water to my people, the ones I chose.The people I made will sing songs to praise me.“People of Jacob, you have not called to me; people of Israel, you have become tired of me.You have not brought me your sacrifices of sheep nor honored me with your sacrifices. I did not weigh you down with sacrifices to offer or make you tired with incense to burn.So you did not buy incense for me; you did not freely bring me fat from your sacrifices. Instead you have weighed me down with your many sins; you have made me tired of your many wrongs.“I, I am the One who erases all your sins, for my sake; I will not remember your sins.But you should remind me. Let’s meet and decide what is right. Tell what you have done and show you are right.Your first father sinned, and your leaders have turned against me.So I will make your holy rulers unholy. I will bring destruction on the people of Jacob, and I will let Israel be insulted.”This is because I, the Lord, am your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt to pay for you, and I gave Cush and Seba to make you mine.
The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I am bringing you good news that will be a great joy to all the people.Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is Christ, the Lord.
The sufferings we have now are nothing compared to the great glory that will be shown to us.
Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth; burst into songs and make music.Make music to the Lord with harps, with harps and the sound of singing.
Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed, because we can trust God to do what he promised.
But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God.They did not become his children in any human way—by any human parents or human desire. They were born of God.
The Lord is not slow in doing what he promised—the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives.
A light shines in the dark for honest people, for those who are merciful and kind and good.It is good to be merciful and generous. Those who are fair in their businesswill never be defeated. Good people will always be remembered.They won’t be afraid of bad news; their hearts are steady because they trust the Lord.
saved us and made us his holy people. That was not because of anything we did ourselves but because of God’s purpose and grace. That grace was given to us through Christ Jesus before time began,
God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again.
Come, let’s sing for joy to the Lord. Let’s shout praises to the Rock who saves us.I was angry with those people for forty years. I said, ‘They are not loyal to me and have not understood my ways.’I was angry and made a promise, ‘They will never enter my rest.’ ”Let’s come to him with thanksgiving. Let’s sing songs to him,
But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done.
So our hope is in the Lord. He is our help, our shield to protect us.We rejoice in him, because we trust his holy name.Lord, show your love to us as we put our hope in you.
God’s power protects you through your faith until salvation is shown to you at the end of time.
Sing to God; sing praises to his name. Prepare the way for him who rides through the desert, whose name is the Lord. Rejoice before him.God is in his holy Temple. He is a father to orphans, and he defends the widows.God gives the lonely a home. He leads prisoners out with joy, but those who turn against God will live in a dry land.
And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts. He gave us his love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us.
The Father has loved us so much that we are called children of God. And we really are his children. The reason the people in the world do not know us is that they have not known him.So we can see who God’s children are and who the devil’s children are: Those who do not do what is right are not God’s children, and those who do not love their brothers and sisters are not God’s children.This is the teaching you have heard from the beginning: We must love each other.Do not be like Cain who belonged to the Evil One and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because the things Cain did were evil, and the things his brother did were good.Brothers and sisters, do not be surprised when the people of the world hate you.We know we have left death and have come into life because we love each other. Whoever does not love is still dead.Everyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderers have eternal life in them.This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters.Suppose someone has enough to live and sees a brother or sister in need, but does not help. Then God’s love is not living in that person.My children, we should love people not only with words and talk, but by our actions and true caring.This is the way we know that we belong to the way of truth. When our hearts make us feel guilty, we can still have peace before God. God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.Dear friends, now we are children of God, and we have not yet been shown what we will be in the future. But we know that when Christ comes again, we will be like him, because we will see him as he really is.
But God shows his great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners.
God saved us from these great dangers of death, and he will continue to save us. We have put our hope in him, and he will save us again.
My dear friends, you have always obeyed God when I was with you. It is even more important that you obey now while I am away from you. Keep on working to complete your salvation with fear and trembling,because God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do what pleases him.
Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope.
A child has been born to us; God has given a son to us. He will be responsible for leading the people. His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.Power and peace will be in his kingdom and will continue to grow forever. He will rule as king on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom. He will make it strong by ruling with justice and goodness from now on and forever. The Lord All-Powerful will do this because of his strong love for his people.