Psalm 115:9-13

New International Version

⁹All you Israelites, trust^(A) in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.
¹⁰House of Aaron,^(B) trust in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.
¹¹You who fear him,^(C) trust in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.

¹²The Lord remembers^(D) us and will bless us:^(E)
    He will bless his people Israel,
    he will bless the house of Aaron,
¹³he will bless those who fear^(F) the Lord—
    small and great alike.

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Proverbs 26:24-26

New International Version

²⁴Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,^(A)
    but in their hearts they harbor deceit.^(B)
²⁵Though their speech is charming,^(C) do not believe them,
    for seven abominations fill their hearts.^(D)
²⁶Their malice may be concealed by deception,
    but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

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Ephesians 6

New International Version

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.^(A) ²“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— ³“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”^[a]^(B)

⁴Fathers,^[b] do not exasperate your children;^(C) instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.^(D)

⁵Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect^(E) and fear, and with sincerity of heart,^(F) just as you would obey Christ.^(G) ⁶Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ,^(H) doing the will of God from your heart. ⁷Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,^(I) ⁸because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do,^(J) whether they are slave or free.

⁹And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours^(K) is in heaven, and there is no favoritism^(L) with him.

The Armor of God

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord^(M) and in his mighty power.^(N) ¹¹Put on the full armor of God,^(O) so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,^(P) but against the rulers, against the authorities,^(Q) against the powers^(R) of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.^(S) ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God,^(T) so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,^(U) with the breastplate of righteousness in place,^(V) ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.^(W) ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,^(X) with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.^(Y) ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation^(Z) and the sword of the Spirit,^(AA) which is the word of God.^(AB)

¹⁸And pray in the Spirit^(AC) on all occasions^(AD) with all kinds of prayers and requests.^(AE) With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying^(AF) for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹Pray also for me,^(AG) that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly^(AH) make known the mystery^(AI) of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador^(AJ) in chains.^(AK) Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Final Greetings

²¹Tychicus,^(AL) the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. ²²I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are,^(AM) and that he may encourage you.^(AN)

²³Peace^(AO) to the brothers and sisters,^[c] and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.^[d]

Footnotes

Ephesians 6:3 Deut. 5:16
Ephesians 6:4 Or Parents
Ephesians 6:23 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.
Ephesians 6:24 Or Grace and immortality to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 61-62

New International Version

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

61 The Spirit^(A) of the Sovereign Lord^(B) is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed^(C) me
    to proclaim good news^(D) to the poor.^(E)
He has sent me to bind up^(F) the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom^(G) for the captives^(H)
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[a]
²to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor^(I)
    and the day of vengeance^(J) of our God,
to comfort^(K) all who mourn,^(L)
³    and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown^(M) of beauty
    instead of ashes,^(N)
the oil^(O) of joy
    instead of mourning,^(P)
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting^(Q) of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor.^(R)

⁴They will rebuild the ancient ruins^(S)
    and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
    that have been devastated for generations.
⁵Strangers^(T) will shepherd your flocks;
    foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
⁶And you will be called priests^(U) of the Lord,
    you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth^(V) of nations,
    and in their riches you will boast.

⁷Instead of your shame^(W)
    you will receive a double^(X) portion,
and instead of disgrace
    you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit^(Y) a double portion in your land,
    and everlasting joy^(Z) will be yours.

⁸“For I, the Lord, love justice;^(AA)
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
    and make an everlasting covenant^(AB) with them.
⁹Their descendants^(AC) will be known among the nations
    and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
    that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”^(AD)

¹⁰I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices^(AE) in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,^(AF)
as a bridegroom adorns his head^(AG) like a priest,
    and as a bride^(AH) adorns herself with her jewels.
¹¹For as the soil makes the sprout come up
    and a garden^(AI) causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness^(AJ)
    and praise spring up before all nations.

Zion’s New Name

62 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,^(AK)
    for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication^(AL) shines out like the dawn,^(AM)
    her salvation^(AN) like a blazing torch.
²The nations^(AO) will see your vindication,
    and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name^(AP)
    that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.
³You will be a crown^(AQ) of splendor in the Lord’s hand,
    a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
⁴No longer will they call you Deserted,^(AR)
    or name your land Desolate.^(AS)
But you will be called Hephzibah,^[b]^(AT)
    and your land Beulah^[c];
for the Lord will take delight^(AU) in you,
    and your land will be married.^(AV)
⁵As a young man marries a young woman,
    so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom^(AW) rejoices over his bride,
    so will your God rejoice^(AX) over you.

⁶I have posted watchmen^(AY) on your walls, Jerusalem;
    they will never be silent day or night.
You who call on the Lord,
    give yourselves no rest,^(AZ)
⁷and give him no rest^(BA) till he establishes Jerusalem
    and makes her the praise^(BB) of the earth.

⁸The Lord has sworn^(BC) by his right hand
    and by his mighty arm:
“Never again will I give your grain^(BD)
    as food for your enemies,
and never again will foreigners drink the new wine
    for which you have toiled;
⁹but those who harvest it will eat^(BE) it
    and praise the Lord,^(BF)
and those who gather the grapes will drink it
    in the courts of my sanctuary.”^(BG)

¹⁰Pass through, pass through the gates!^(BH)
Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway!^(BI)
Remove the stones.
Raise a banner^(BJ) for the nations.

¹¹The Lord has made proclamation
    to the ends of the earth:^(BK)
“Say to Daughter Zion,^(BL)
    ‘See, your Savior comes!^(BM)
See, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.’”^(BN)
¹²They will be called^(BO) the Holy People,^(BP)
    the Redeemed^(BQ) of the Lord;
and you will be called Sought After,
    the City No Longer Deserted.^(BR)