And withoutfaithit is impossibleto please[Him], for he who comesto Godmustbelievethat He is and [that] He is a rewarderof thosewho seekHim.
Afterthesethingsthe wordof the LORDcameto Abramin a vision,saying,"Do not fear,Abram,I am a shieldto you; Your rewardshall be verygreat."
"As for you, my sonSolomon,knowthe Godof your father,and serveHim with a wholeheartand a willingmind;for the LORDsearchesallhearts,and understandseveryintentof the thoughts.Ifyou seekHim, He will let you findHim; but ifyou forsakeHim, He will rejectyou forever.
"They sayto God,Departfrom us! We do not even desirethe knowledgeof Your ways.
Then they despisedthe pleasantland;They did not believein His word,
With allmy heartI have soughtYou; Do not let me wanderfrom Your commandments.
And menwill say,"Surelythere is a rewardfor the righteous;Surelythereis a Godwho judgeson earth!"
But as for me, the nearnessof Godis my good;I have madethe LordGODmy refuge,That I may tellof allYour works.
Becausethey did not believein GodAnd did not trustin His salvation.
In spite of allthisthey stillsinnedAnd did not believein His wonderfulworks.
The wickedearnsdeceptivewages,But he who sowsrighteousness[gets] a true reward.
"I lovethose who loveme; And those who diligentlyseekme will findme.
"Inclineyour earand cometo Me. Listen,that you may live;And I will makean everlastingcovenantwith you, [According to] the faithfulmerciesshown to David.
and the headof Ephraimis Samariaand the headof Samariais the sonof Remaliah.Ifyou will not believe,you surelyshall not last."'"
"O generation,heedthe wordof the LORD.Have I beena wildernessto Israel,Ora landof thickdarkness?Whydo My peoplesay,We [are free to] roam;We will nolongercometo You'?
The LORDsaidto Moses,"Howlongwill thispeoplespurnMe? And howlongwill they not believein Me, despite allthe signswhichI have performedin their midst?
But the LORDsaidto Mosesand Aaron,"Becauseyou have not believedMe, to treatMe as holyin the sightof the sonsof Israel,thereforeyou shall not bringthisassemblyinto the landwhichI have giventhem."
"Yes,Father,for this waywas well-pleasingin Your sight.
"Rejoiceand be glad,for your rewardin heavenis great;for in the same waythey persecutedthe prophetswho were beforeyou.
"Wheneveryou fast,do not puton a gloomy faceas the hypocrites[do], for they neglecttheir appearancesothat they will be noticedby menwhen they are fasting.TrulyI sayto you, they havetheir rewardin full.
"But seekfirstHis kingdomand His righteousness,and allthese thingswill be addedto you.
"Whenyou pray,you are not to be likethe hypocrites;for they loveto standand prayin the synagoguesand on the streetcornerssothat they may be seenby men.TrulyI sayto you, they havetheir rewardin full.
"Thesesignswill accompanythosewho have believed:in My namethey will castout demons,they will speakwith newtongues;
"But seekHis kingdom,and these thingswill be addedto you.
"But loveyour enemies,and do good,and lend,expectingnothingin return;and your rewardwill be great,and you will be sonsof the Most High;for He Himselfis kindto ungratefuland evil[men].
Jesussaidto him, "I amthe way,and the truth,and the life;no onecomesto the Fatherbut throughMe.
"ThereforeI saidto you that you will diein your sins;for unlessyou believethat I am[He], you will diein your sins."
Howthenwill they callon Him in whomthey have not believed?Howwill they believein Him whomthey have not heard?And howwill they hearwithouta preacher?
For in ChristJesusneithercircumcisionnoruncircumcisionmeansanything,but faithworkingthroughlove.
consideringthe reproachof Christgreaterrichesthan the treasuresof Egypt;for he was lookingto the reward.
Take care,brethren,that there not be in any oneof you an evil,unbelievingheartthat falls awayfrom the livingGod.
For indeedwe have had good news preachedto us, justas they also;but the wordthey hearddid not profitthem, because it was not unitedby faithin thosewhoheard.
Therefore,sinceit remainsfor someto enterit, and thosewhoformerlyhad good news preachedto them failedto enterbecauseof disobedience,
(for the Lawmadenothingperfect),and on the other handthere is a bringingin of a betterhope,throughwhichwe draw nearto God.
ThereforeHe is ablealsoto saveforeverthosewho draw nearto GodthroughHim, since He alwayslivesto make intercessionfor them.
Therefore,brethren,be all the morediligentto makecertainabout His callingand choosingyou; for as long as you practicethese things,you will neverstumble;
Nowfor thisveryreason also,applyingalldiligence,in your faithsupplymoralexcellence, and in [your] moral excellence,knowledge,
Therefore,beloved,since you lookfor these things,be diligentto be foundby Him in peace,spotlessand blameless,
"But for the cowardlyand unbelievingand abominableand murderersand immoral personsand sorcerersand idolatersand allliars,their part[will be] in the lakethat burnswith fireand brimstone,whichis the seconddeath."
"May the LORDrewardyour work,and your wagesbe fullfrom the LORD,the Godof Israel,underwhosewingsyou have cometo seekrefuge."
