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31 God — his way is perfect;  *

the word of the  Lord is pure.  *

He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.

30 God — his way is perfect;  *

the word of the Lord is pure.  *

He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.  *

Delight in God’s Word

א Aleph

1 How  * happy are those whose way is blameless,  *

who walk according to the  Lord’s instruction!  *

2 The one who lives blamelessly, practices righteousness,

and acknowledges the truth in his heart  *  —

3 who does not slander with his tongue,  *

who does not harm his friend

or discredit his neighbor,  *

7 He stores up success  * for the upright;

He is a shield for those who live with integrity  *

2 For we all stumble in many ways.  * If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.  *

27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows  * in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.  *

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  *

9 After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,

21 "If you want to be perfect,"* Jesus said to him, "go, sell your belongings and give to the poor,*and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

11 "I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.*

24 Until now you have asked for nothing in my name.*Ask and you will receive,*so that your joy may be complete.*

2 Do not be conformed  * to this age,  * but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,  * so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will  * of God.

Divisions at Corinth

10 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.

14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Christian Humility

1 If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love,  * if any fellowship with the Spirit,  * if any affection and mercy,  *2 make my joy complete by thinking the same way,  * having the same love,  * united in spirit, intent on one  * purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition  * or conceit,  * but in humility  * consider others as more important  * than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests,  * but rather to the interests of others.  *

Christ’s Humility and Exaltation

5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider equality with God  *

as something to be exploited.  *

7 Instead he emptied himself  *

by assuming the form of a servant,  *

taking on the likeness of humanity.  *

And when he had come as a man,

8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient

to the point of death —

even to death on a cross.  *

9 For this reason God highly exalted him  *

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus

every knee will bow  *  —

in heaven  * and on earth

and under the earth  *  —

11 and every tongue  * will confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory  * of God the Father.

Lights in the World

12 Therefore, my dear friends,  * just as you have always obeyed,  * so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling  * and arguing,  *15 so that you may be blameless  * and pure,  * children of God who are faultless  * in a crooked  * and perverted  * generation,  * among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the word  * of life. Then I can boast  * in the day of Christ  * that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am poured out  * as a drink offering  * on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus  * to send Timothy  * to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. 20 For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; 21 all seek their own interests,  * not those of Jesus Christ.  *22 But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.  *

25 But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus  *  — my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need  *  —  26 since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. 29 Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, 30 because he came close to death for the work  * of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.

15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil  * to anyone,  * but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.  *

10 Yet he knows the way I have taken;  *

when he has tested me,  * I will emerge as pure gold.

11 My feet have followed in his tracks;

I have kept to his way  * and not turned aside.