Matthew 22
22:1 Jesus answered and spoke again in parables to them, saying,
22:2 "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,
22:3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come.
22:4 Again he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "Behold, I have made ready my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!"'
22:5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise,
22:6 and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.
22:7 When the king heard that, he was angry, and sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
22:8 "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited weren't worthy.
22:9 Go therefore to the intersections of the highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the marriage feast.'
22:10 Those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding was filled with guests.
22:11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn't have on wedding clothing,
22:12 and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?' He was speechless.
22:13 Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.'
22:14 For many are called, but few chosen."
22:15 Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap him in his talk.
22:16 They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter who you teach, for you aren't partial to anyone.
22:17 Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"
22:18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test me, you hypocrites?
22:19 Show me the tax money." They brought to him a denarius.
22:20 He asked them, "Whose is this image and inscription?"
22:21 They said to him, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
22:22 When they heard it, they marveled, and left him, and went away.
22:23 On that day Sadducees (those who say that there is no resurrection) came to him. They asked him,
22:24 saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'If a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed for his brother.'
22:25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no seed left his wife to his brother.
22:26 In like manner the second also, and the third, to the seventh.
22:27 After them all, the woman died.
22:28 In the resurrection therefore, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had her."
22:29 But Jesus answered them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.
22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like God's angels in heaven.
22:31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven't you read that which was spoken to you by God, saying,
22:32 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?' God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
22:33 When the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
22:34 But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together.
22:35 One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him.
22:36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?"
22:37 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
22:39 A second likewise is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
22:40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."
22:41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question,
22:42 saying, "What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "Of David."
22:43 He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,
22:44 'The Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?'
22:45 "If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?"
22:46 No one was able to answer him a word, neither did any man dare ask him any more questions from that day forth.
Romans 15
15:1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
15:2 Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.
15:3 For even Christ didn't please himself. But, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me."
15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
15:5 Now the God of patience and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus,
15:6 that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15:7 Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.
15:8 Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,
15:9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name."
15:10 Again he says, "Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people."
15:11 Again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him."
15:12 Again, Isaiah says, "There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope."
15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
15:14 I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others.
15:15 But I write the more boldly to you in part, as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God,
15:16 that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
15:17 I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.
15:18 For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,
15:19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God's Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;
15:20 yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another's foundation.
15:21 But, as it is written, "They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven't heard will understand."
15:22 Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you,
15:23 but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you,
15:24 whenever I journey to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.
15:25 But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints.
15:26 For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem.
15:27 Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in fleshly things.
15:28 When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain.
15:29 I know that, when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.
15:30 Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,
15:31 that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints;
15:32 that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest.
15:33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Romans 16
16:1 I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the assembly that is at Cenchreae,
16:2 that you receive her in the Lord, in a way worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self.
16:3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
16:4 who for my life, laid down their own necks; to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles.
16:5 Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ.
16:6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us.
16:7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives and my fellow prisoners, who are notable among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
16:8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord.
16:9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved.
16:10 Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.
16:11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet them of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.
16:12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.
16:13 Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
16:14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them.
16:15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you.
16:17 Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.
16:18 For those who are such don't serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.
16:19 For your obedience has become known to all. I rejoice therefore over you. But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil.
16:20 And the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
16:21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives.
16:22 I, Tertius, who write the letter, greet you in the Lord.
16:23 Gaius, my host, and host of the whole assembly greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, as does Quartus, the brother.
16:24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all! Amen.
