God's Judgment and Church Unity in Christ

1. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 2. “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and preach toward the sanctuaries, and prophesy against the land of Israel. 3. Tell the land of Israel, ‘Yahweh says: “Behold, I am against you, and will draw my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. 4. Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore my sword will go out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north. 5. All flesh will know that I, Yahweh, have drawn my sword out of its sheath. It will not return any more.”’ 6. “Therefore sigh, you son of man. You shall sigh before their eyes with a broken heart and with bitterness. 7. It shall be, when they ask you, ‘Why do you sigh?’ that you shall say, ‘Because of the news, for it comes! Every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord Yahweh.’” 8. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 9. “Son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘Yahweh says: “A sword! A sword! It is sharpened, and also polished. 10. It is sharpened that it may make a slaughter. It is polished that it may be as lightning. Should we then make mirth? The rod of my son condemns every tree. 11. It is given to be polished, that it may be handled. The sword is sharpened. Yes, it is polished to give it into the hand of the killer.”’ 12. Cry and wail, son of man; for it is on my people. It is on all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with my people. Therefore beat your thigh. 13. “For there is a trial. What if even the rod that condemns will be no more?” says the Lord Yahweh. 14. “You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together. Let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the fatally wounded. It is the sword of the great one who is fatally wounded, which enters into their rooms. 15. I have set the threatening sword against all their gates, that their heart may melt, and their stumblings be multiplied. Ah! It is made as lightning. It is pointed for slaughter. 16. Gather yourselves together. Go to the right. Set yourselves in array. Go to the left, wherever your face is set. 17. I will also strike my hands together, and I will cause my wrath to rest. I, Yahweh, have spoken it.” 18. Yahweh’s word came to me again, saying, 19. “Also, you son of man, appoint two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come. They both will come out of one land, and mark out a place. Mark it out at the head of the way to the city. 20. You shall appoint a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified. 21. For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shook the arrows back and forth. He consulted the teraphim. He looked in the liver. 22. In his right hand was the lot for Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up mounds, and to build forts. 23. It will be to them as a false divination in their sight, who have sworn oaths to them; but he brings iniquity to memory, that they may be taken. 24. “Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Because you have caused your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your doings your sins appear; because you have come to memory, you will be taken with the hand. 25. “‘You, deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day has come, in the time of the iniquity of the end, 26. thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Remove the turban, and take off the crown. This will not be as it was. Exalt that which is low, and humble that which is high. 27. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it. This also will be no more, until he comes whose right it is; and I will give it.”’ 28. “You, son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says this concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach: “A sword! A sword is drawn! It is polished for the slaughter, to cause it to devour, that it may be as lightning; 29. while they see for you false visions, while they divine lies to you, to lay you on the necks of the wicked who are deadly wounded, whose day has come in the time of the iniquity of the end. 30. Cause it to return into its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your birth, I will judge you. 31. I will pour out my indignation on you. I will blow on you with the fire of my wrath. I will deliver you into the hand of brutish men, skillful to destroy. 32. You will be for fuel to the fire. Your blood will be in the middle of the land. You will be remembered no more; for I, Yahweh, have spoken it.”’” 1. Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 2. “You, son of man, will you judge? Will you judge the bloody city? Then cause her to know all her abominations. 3. You shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “A city that sheds blood within herself, that her time may come, and that makes idols against herself to defile her! 4. You have become guilty in your blood that you have shed, and are defiled in your idols which you have made! You have caused your days to draw near, and have come even to your years. Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mocking to all the countries. 5. Those who are near, and those who are far from you, will mock you, you infamous one, full of tumult. 6. “‘“Behold, the princes of Israel, everyone according to his power, have been in you to shed blood. 7. In you have they treated father and mother with contempt. Among you they have oppressed the foreigner. In you they have wronged the fatherless and the widow. 8. You have despised my holy things, and have profaned my Sabbaths. 9. Slanderous men have been in you to shed blood. In you they have eaten on the mountains. They have committed lewdness among you. 10. In you have they uncovered their fathers’ nakedness. In you have they humbled her who was unclean in her impurity. 11. One has committed abomination with his neighbor’s wife; and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law. Another in you has humbled his sister, his father’s daughter. 12. In you have they taken bribes to shed blood. You have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me,” says the Lord Yahweh. 13. “‘“Behold, therefore I have struck my hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at your blood which has been within you. 14. Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong, in the days that I will deal with you? I, Yahweh, have spoken it, and will do it. 15. I will scatter you among the nations, and disperse you through the countries. I will consume your filthiness out of you. 16. You will be profaned in yourself, in the sight of the nations. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.”’” 17. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 18. “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me. All of them are brass, tin, iron, and lead in the middle of the furnace. They are the dross of silver. 19. Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Because you have all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the middle of Jerusalem. 20. As they gather silver, brass, iron, lead, and tin into the middle of the furnace, to blow the fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in my anger and in my wrath, and I will lay you there, and melt you. 21. Yes, I will gather you, and blow on you with the fire of my wrath, and you will be melted in the middle of it. 22. As silver is melted in the middle of the furnace, so you will be melted in the middle of it; and you will know that I, Yahweh, have poured out my wrath on you.’” 23. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 24. “Son of man, tell her, ‘You are a land that is not cleansed, nor rained on in the day of indignation.’ 25. There is a conspiracy of her prophets within it, like a roaring lion ravening the prey. They have devoured souls. They take treasure and precious things. They have made many widows within it. 26. Her priests have done violence to my law, and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they caused men to discern between the unclean and the clean, and have hidden their eyes from my Sabbaths. So I am profaned among them. 27. Her princes within it are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain. 28. Her prophets have plastered for them with whitewash, seeing false visions, and divining lies to them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh,’ when Yahweh has not spoken. 29. The people of the land have used oppression and exercised robbery. Yes, they have troubled the poor and needy, and have oppressed the foreigner wrongfully. 30. “I sought for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. 31. Therefore I have poured out my indignation on them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have brought their own way on their heads,” says the Lord Yahweh. 1. Yahweh’s word came again to me, saying, 2. “Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother. 3. They played the prostitute in Egypt. They played the prostitute in their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their youthful nipples were caressed there. 4. Their names were Oholah the elder, and Oholibah her sister. They became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem Oholibah. 5. “Oholah played the prostitute when she was mine. She doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbors, 6. who were clothed with blue, governors and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. 7. She gave herself as a prostitute to them, all of them the choicest men of Assyria. She defiled herself with the idols of whoever she lusted after. 8. She hasn’t left her prostitution since leaving Egypt; for in her youth they lay with her. They carressed her youthful nipples; and they poured out their prostitution on her. 9. “Therefore I delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, on whom she doted. 10. These uncovered her nakedness. They took her sons and her daughters; and they killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women; for they executed judgments on her. 11. “Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet she was more corrupt in her lusting than she, and in her prostitution which was more depraved than the prostitution of her sister. 12. She lusted after the Assyrians, governors and rulers, her neighbors, clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men. 13. I saw that she was defiled. They both went the same way. 14. “She increased her prostitution; for she saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with red, 15. dressed with belts on their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like princes, after the likeness of the Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth. 16. As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them into Chaldea. 17. The Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their prostitution. She was polluted with them, and her soul was alienated from them. 18. So she uncovered her prostitution and uncovered her nakedness. Then my soul was alienated from her, just like my soul was alienated from her sister. 19. Yet she multiplied her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth, in which she had played the prostitute in the land of Egypt. 20. She lusted after their lovers, whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys, and whose issue is like the issue of horses. 21. Thus you called to memory the lewdness of your youth, in the caressing of your nipples by the Egyptians because of your youthful breasts. 22. “Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Behold, I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom your soul is alienated, and I will bring them against you on every side: 23. the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, Shoa, Koa, and all the Assyrians with them; all of them desirable young men, governors and rulers, princes and men of renown, all of them riding on horses. 24. They will come against you with weapons, chariots, and wagons, and with a company of peoples. They will set themselves against you with buckler, shield, and helmet all around. I will commit the judgment to them, and they will judge you according to their judgments. 25. I will set my jealousy against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will take away your nose and your ears. Your remnant will fall by the sword. They will take your sons and your daughters; and the rest of you will be devoured by the fire. 26. They will also strip you of your clothes, and take away your beautiful jewels. 27. Thus I will make your lewdness to cease from you, and remove your prostitution from the land of Egypt; so that you will not lift up your eyes to them, nor remember Egypt any more.’ 28. “For thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Behold, I will deliver you into the hand of them whom you hate, into the hand of them from whom your soul is alienated. 29. They will deal with you in hatred, and will take away all your labor, and will leave you naked and bare. The nakedness of your prostitution will be uncovered, both your lewdness and your prostitution. 30. These things will be done to you, because you have played the prostitute after the nations, and because you are polluted with their idols. 31. You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore will I give her cup into your hand.’ 32. “Thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘You will drink of your sister’s cup, which is deep and large. You will be ridiculed and held in derision. It contains much. 33. You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of your sister Samaria. 34. You will even drink it and drain it out. You will gnaw the broken pieces of it, and will tear your breasts; for I have spoken it,’ says the Lord Yahweh. 35. “Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Because you have forgotten me, and cast me behind your back, therefore you also bear your lewdness and your prostitution.’” 36. Yahweh said moreover to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations. 37. For they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols. They have also caused their sons, whom they bore to me, to pass through the fire to them to be devoured. 38. Moreover this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my Sabbaths. 39. For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and behold, they have done this in the middle of my house. 40. “Furthermore you sisters have sent for men who come from far away, to whom a messenger was sent, and behold, they came; for whom you washed yourself, painted your eyes, decorated yourself with ornaments, 41. and sat on a stately bed, with a table prepared before it, whereupon you set my incense and my oil. 42. “The voice of a multitude being at ease was with her. With men of the common sort were brought drunkards from the wilderness; and they put bracelets on their hands, and beautiful crowns on their heads. 43. Then I said of her who was old in adulteries, ‘Now they will play the prostitute with her, and she with them.’ 44. They went in to her, as they go in to a prostitute. So they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, the lewd women. 45. Righteous men will judge them with the judgment of adulteresses and with the judgment of women who shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands. 46. “For thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘I will bring up a mob against them, and will give them to be tossed back and forth and robbed. 47. The company will stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords. They will kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire. 48. “‘Thus I will cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to be lewd like you. 49. They will recompense your lewdness on you, and you will bear the sins of your idols. Then you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.’”

1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ; 4. even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love; 5. having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, 6. to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved, 7. in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8. which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9. making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him 10. to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, in him; 11. in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will; 12. to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ. 13. In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14. who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory. 15. For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which you have toward all the saints, 16. don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, 17. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; 18. having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19. and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might 20. which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21. far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. 22. He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, 23. which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. 1. You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, 2. in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience; 3. among whom we also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4. But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, 5. even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6. and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7. that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus; 8. for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9. not of works, that no one would boast. 10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them. 11. Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision”, (in the flesh, made by hands); 12. that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ. 14. For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition, 15. having abolished in his flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace; 16. and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility thereby. 17. He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. 18. For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19. So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 20. being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; 21. in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22. in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. 1. For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles, 2. if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you; 3. how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words, 4. by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; 5. which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6. that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News, 7. of which I was made a servant, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power. 8. To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9. and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10. to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places, 11. according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord; 12. in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him. 13. Therefore I ask that you may not lose heart at my troubles for you, which are your glory. 14. For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15. from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16. that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; 17. that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18. may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, 19. and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20. Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21. to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. 1. I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 2. with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love; 3. being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling; 5. one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6. one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all. 7. But to each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8. Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” 9. Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10. He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. 11. He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; 12. for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13. until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14. that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; 15. but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ; 16. from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love. 17. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18. being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts; 19. who having become callous gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20. But you did not learn Christ that way; 21. if indeed you heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: 22. that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23. and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24. and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. 25. Therefore putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members of one another. 26. “Be angry, and don’t sin.” Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath, 27. and don’t give place to the devil. 28. Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need. 29. Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30. Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice. 32. And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you. 1. Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children. 2. Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance. 3. But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints; 4. nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks. 5. Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. 6. Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. 7. Therefore don’t be partakers with them. 8. For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9. for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, 10. proving what is well pleasing to the Lord. 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them. 12. For the things which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. 13. But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that reveals is light. 14. Therefore he says, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15. Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; 16. redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17. Therefore don’t be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18. Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19. speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing, and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20. giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; 21. subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ. 22. Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. 24. But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything. 25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; 26. that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, 27. that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect. 28. Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. 29. For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly; 30. because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. 31. “For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh.” 32. This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly. 33. Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband. 1. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise: 3. “that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.” 4. You fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 5. Servants, be obedient to those who according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ; 6. not in the way of service only when eyes are on you, as men pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7. with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men; 8. knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive the same again from the Lord, whether he is bound or free. 9. You masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him. 10. Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. 11. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13. Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. 14. Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15. and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace; 16. above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. 17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18. with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints: 19. on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News, 20. for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 21. But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things; 22. whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts. 23. Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. Amen.

1. Yahweh, who shall dwell in your sanctuary? Who shall live on your holy hill? 2. He who walks blamelessly does what is right, and speaks truth in his heart; 3. He who doesn’t slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend, nor casts slurs against his fellow man; 4. In whose eyes a vile man is despised, but who honors those who fear Yahweh; he who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn’t change; 5. he who doesn’t lend out his money for usury, nor take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be shaken.