Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice, because I am perplexed about you.

For this reason I ask you not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but raise them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak.

But you, as a person dedicated to God, keep away from all that. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness.

Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus,

But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I take no pleasure in him.

And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.

And he must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

Greet one another with a loving kiss. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

May grace and peace be lavished on you as you grow in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!

to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness;

Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God,

Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up.” For he thought, “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

“‘As for the ones who remain among you, I will bring despair into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a blowing leaf will pursue them, and they will flee as one who flees the sword and fall down even though there is no pursuer.

They must not discriminate in judgment, but hear the lowly and the great alike. Nor should they be intimidated by human beings, for judgment belongs to God. If the matter being adjudicated is too difficult for them, they should bring it before me for a hearing.

The woman went and said to her husband, “A man sent from God came to me! He looked like God’s angelic messenger – he was very awesome. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name.

So they assembled all the leaders of the Philistines and said, “Get the ark of the God of Israel out of here! Let it go back to its own place so that it won’t kill us and our people!” The terror of death was throughout the entire city; God was attacking them very severely there.