2. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly
life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while
evildoers and impostors will go from bad to
worse, deceiving and being deceived.
3. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted
because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult
you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of
evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and
be glad, because great is your reward in
heaven, for in the same way they persecuted
the prophets who were before you.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15. 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is
one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your strength.
6 These commandments that I give you today are to
be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children.
Talk about them when you sit at home and when
you walk along the road, when you lie down and
when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your
hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write
them on the doorframes of your houses and on
your gates.
16.
17. 22 But Samuel replied:
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is
better than the fat of rams.”
18. 11 “The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they
to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of
burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened
animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and
lambs and goats. 12 When you come to appear
before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling
of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless
offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New
Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear
your worthless assemblies.
19. 14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed
festivals I hate with all my being. They have become
a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many
prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of
blood! 16 Wash and make yourselves clean. Take
your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.
17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the
oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
20.
21. 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your
neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in
heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the
good, and sends rain on the righteous and the
unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what
reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors
doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own
people, what are you doing more than others? Do
not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as
your heavenly Father is perfect.
22.
23. 12 Forour struggle is not against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this dark
world and against the spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly realms.
