Nowmay our Godand FatherHimselfand Jesusour Lorddirectour wayto you;
For You are our Father,thoughAbrahamdoes not knowus And Israeldoes not recognizeus. You, O LORD,are our Father,Our Redeemerfrom of oldis Your name.
"With weepingthey will come,And by supplicationI will leadthem; I will make them walkby streamsof waters,On a straightpathin which they will not stumble;For I ama fatherto Israel,And Ephraimis My firstborn."
"'A sonhonors[his] father,and a servanthis master.Then ifI am a father,whereis My honor?And ifI am a master,whereis My respect?'saysthe LORDof hoststo you, O priestswho despiseMy name.But you say,'Howhave we despisedYour name?'
"For ifyou forgiveothersfor their transgressions,your heavenlyFatherwill alsoforgiveyou.
sothat your fastingwill not be noticedby men,but by your Fatherwhois in secret;and your Fatherwhosees[what is done] in secretwill rewardyou.
"Lookat the birdsof the air,that they do not sow,norreapnorgatherinto barns,and [yet] your heavenlyFatherfeedsthem. Are you not worthmuchmorethan they?
"For the Gentileseagerly seekallthese things;for your heavenlyFatherknowsthat you needallthese things.
sothat your givingwill be in secret;and your Fatherwho sees[what is done] in secretwill rewardyou.
"But you, whenyou pray,gointo your inner room,closeyour doorand prayto your Fatherwhois in secret,and your Fatherwhosees[what is done] in secretwill rewardyou.
THE VOICEOF ONE CRYINGIN THE WILDERNESS,'MAKE READYTHE WAYOF THE LORD,MAKEHIS PATHSSTRAIGHT.'"
"For allthese thingsthe nationsof the worldeagerly seek;but your Fatherknowsthat you needthese things.
"Do not be afraid,littleflock,for your Fatherhas chosen gladlyto giveyou the kingdom.
Jesussaidto her, "Stopclingingto Me, for I have not yetascendedto the Father;but goto My brethrenand sayto them, 'I ascendto My Fatherand your Father,and My Godand your God.'"
concerningHis Son,who was bornof a descendantof Davidaccordingto the flesh,
"And I will be a fatherto you, And you shall be sonsand daughtersto Me," Saysthe LordAlmighty.
who gaveHimselffor our sinssothat He might rescueus from thispresentevilage,accordingto the willof our Godand Father,
To the saintsand faithfulbrethrenin Christ[who are] at Colossae:Graceto you and peacefrom Godour Father.
sothat He may establishyour heartswithout blamein holinessbeforeour Godand Fatherat the comingof our LordJesuswith allHis saints.
For the LordHimselfwill descendfrom heavenwith a shout,with the voiceof [the] archangeland with the trumpetof God,and the deadin Christwill risefirst.
Nowmay the Godof peaceHimselfsanctifyyou entirely;and may your spiritand souland bodybe preservedcomplete,without blameat the comingof our LordJesusChrist.
Nowmay our LordJesusChristHimselfand Godour Father,who has lovedus and givenus eternalcomfortand goodhopeby grace,
Nowmay the Lordof peaceHimselfcontinuallygrantyou peacein everycircumstance.The Lordbe with you all!
May the Lorddirectyour heartsinto the loveof Godand into the steadfastnessof Christ.
Seehow greata lovethe Fatherhas bestowedon us, that we would be calledchildrenof God;and [such] we are. For thisreasonthe worlddoes not knowus, becauseit did not knowHim.
And I hearda loudvoicefrom the throne,saying,"Behold,the tabernacleof Godis amongmen,and He will dwellamongthem, and they shall be His people,and GodHimselfwill be amongthem,
