For we are His workmanship,createdin ChristJesusfor goodworks,whichGodprepared beforehandsothat we would walkin them.
Knowthat the LORDHimselfis God;It is He who has madeus, and not we ourselves;[We are] His peopleand the sheepof His pasture.
They alsodonounrighteousness;They walkin His ways.
The LORDwill accomplishwhatconcernsme; Your lovingkindness,O LORD,is everlasting;Do not forsakethe worksof Your hands.
Createin me a cleanheart,O God,And renewa steadfastspiritwithinme.
"Ohthat My peoplewould listento Me, That Israelwould walkin My ways!
whomthe LORDof hostshas blessed,saying,"Blessedis EgyptMy people,and Assyriathe workof My hands,and IsraelMy inheritance."
But whenhe seeshis children,the workof My hands,in his midst,They will sanctifyMy name;Indeed, they will sanctifythe HolyOneof JacobAnd will standin aweof the Godof Israel.
"The peoplewhomI formedfor Myself Will declareMy praise.
Everyonewho is calledby My name,And whom I have createdfor My glory,Whom I have formed,evenwhom I have made."
"Rememberthesethings,O Jacob,And Israel,for you are My servant;I have formedyou, you are My servant,O Israel,you will not be forgottenby Me.
"Then allyour people[will be] righteous;They will possessthe landforever,The branchof My planting,The workof My hands,That I may be glorified.
To grantthose who mourn[in] Zion,Givingthem a garlandinsteadof ashes,The oilof gladnessinsteadof mourning,The mantleof praiseinsteadof a spiritof fainting.So they will be calledoaksof righteousness,The plantingof the LORD,that He may be glorified.
"But thisis the covenantwhichI will makewith the houseof Israelafterthosedays,"declaresthe LORD,"I will putMy lawwithinthem and on their heartI will writeit; and I will be their God,and they shall be My people.
"Let your lightshinebeforemenin such a waythat they may seeyour goodworks,and glorifyyour Fatherwho is in heaven.
"But he who practicesthe truthcomesto the Light,sothat his deedsmay be manifestedas having beenwroughtin God."
Sothe churchthroughoutallJudeaand Galileeand Samariaenjoyedpeace,being builtup; and goingon in the fearof the Lordand in the comfortof the HolySpirit,it continued to increase.
Nowin Joppathere was a disciplenamedTabitha(whichtranslated[in Greek] is calledDorcas);this womanwas aboundingwith deedsof kindnessand charitywhichshe continually did.
Thereforethere is nownocondemnationfor thosewho are in ChristJesus.
For those whomHe foreknew,He alsopredestined[to become] conformedto the imageof His Son,sothat He would be the firstbornamongmanybrethren;
For we are God'sfellow workers;you are God'sfield,God'sbuilding.
Thereforeifanyoneis in Christ,[he is] a newcreature;the old thingspassed away;behold,new thingshave come.
NowHe who preparedus for thisverypurpose is God,who gaveto us the Spiritas a pledge.
And Godis ableto makeallgraceaboundto you, sothat alwayshavingallsufficiencyin everything,you may havean abundancefor everygooddeed;
For neitheris circumcisionanything,noruncircumcision,but a newcreation.
Paul,an apostleof ChristJesusby the willof God,To the saintswho are at Ephesusand [who are] faithfulin ChristJesus:
justas He choseus in Him beforethe foundationof the world,that we would be holyand blamelessbeforeHim. In love
But nowin ChristJesusyou whoformerlywere far offhave been broughtnearby the bloodof Christ.
by abolishingin His fleshthe enmity,[which is] the Lawof commandments[contained] in ordinances,sothat in HimselfHe might makethe twointo onenewman,[thus] establishingpeace,
in whichyou formerlywalkedaccordingto the courseof thisworld,accordingto the princeof the powerof the air,of the spiritthat is nowworkingin the sonsof disobedience.
and raisedus up with Him, and seatedus with Him in the heavenly[places] in ChristJesus,
ThereforeI, the prisonerof the Lord,imploreyou to walkin a manner worthyof the callingwith whichyou have been called,
and puton the newself,which in [the likeness of] Godhas been createdin righteousnessand holinessof the truth.
"Do you thusrepaythe LORD,O foolishand unwisepeople?Is not He your Fatherwho has boughtyou? He has madeyou and establishedyou.
"You shall walkin allthe waywhichthe LORDyour Godhas commandedyou, that you may liveand that it may be wellwith you, and that you may prolong[your] daysin the landwhichyou will possess.
[For I am] confidentof thisvery thing,that He who begana goodworkin you will perfectit untilthe dayof ChristJesus.
for it is Godwho is at workin you, bothto willand to workfor [His] good pleasure.
so that you will walkin a manner worthyof the Lord,to please[Him] in allrespects,bearing fruitin everygoodworkand increasingin the knowledgeof God;
and have puton the new selfwho is being renewedto a true knowledgeaccordingto the imageof the One who createdhim--
comfortand strengthenyour heartsin everygoodworkand word.
but ratherby meansof goodworks,as is properfor womenmaking a claimto godliness.
having a reputationfor goodworks;[and] ifshe has brought up children,ifshe has shown hospitality to strangers,ifshe has washedthe saints'feet,ifshe has assistedthose in distress,[and] ifshe has devoted herselfto everygoodwork.
Likewisealso,deedsthat are goodare quite evident,and thosewhich are otherwisecannotbe concealed.
[Instruct them] to do good,to be richin goodworks,to be generousand ready to share,
Therefore,ifanyonecleanseshimselffrom these[things], he will be a vesselfor honor,sanctified,usefulto the Master,preparedfor everygoodwork.
sothat the manof Godmay be adequate,equippedfor everygoodwork.
whogaveHimselffor us to redeemus from everylawless deed,and to purifyfor Himselfa peoplefor His ownpossession,zealousfor gooddeeds.
in all thingsshowyourselfto be an exampleof gooddeeds,[with] purityin doctrine,dignified,
Remindthem to be subjectto rulers,to authorities,to be obedient,to be readyfor everygooddeed,
Our peoplemust alsolearnto engagein gooddeedsto meet pressingneeds,sothat they will not be unfruitful.
Thisis a trustworthystatement;and concerningthese thingsI wantyou to speak confidently,sothat thosewho have believedGodwill be carefulto engagein gooddeeds.These thingsare goodand profitablefor men.
and let us considerhow to stimulateone anotherto loveand gooddeeds,
equipyou in everygood thingto doHis will,workingin us that which is pleasingin His sight,throughJesusChrist,to whom[be] the gloryforeverand ever.Amen.
Keepyour behaviorexcellentamongthe Gentiles,sothat in the thing in whichthey slanderyou as evildoers,they may becauseof your gooddeeds,as they observe[them], glorifyGodin the dayof visitation.
but ifwe walkin the Lightas He Himselfis in the Light,we havefellowshipwith one another,and the bloodof JesusHis Soncleansesus from allsin.
the one who sayshe abidesin Him oughthimselfto walkin the same manneras He walked.
