and to bring all things back to himself through what Christ has done, everything on earth and in heaven. God made peace through Christ’s blood, by his death on the cross.
Then I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the ocean—the entire creation—speaking and saying, “Praise and honor and glory and power belong to the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever!”
May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father encourage your hearts and make you strong in every good thing that you do and say. God loved us and by his grace he has given us good hope and encouragement that will last forever.
and the Holy Spirit came to rest on him in the form of a dove. A voice spoke from heaven and said, “You are my beloved Son. I’m very pleased with you.”
Some of the people went ahead of him, and some followed behind, and they all shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
He did that to show for all time the riches of his grace, which can’t be compared with anything else. He demonstrated his grace by being kind to us because of what Christ Jesus has done.
Peace I leave with you; I give my peace to you. I don’t give to you the way the world does. So don’t let your hearts be distressed, and don’t be afraid.
The angels left and went back to heaven. Then the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”