Sunday, November 16

1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

5who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

7that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

8whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

9receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

10Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,

11searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.

12To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

13Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;

15but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

16because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'

17And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;

18knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,

19but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

20He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you

21who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

22Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

23having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

24because 'All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,

25But the word of the LORD endures forever.' Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

1Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,

2as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

4Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,

5you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, 'Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.'

21For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

22'Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth';

23who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

24who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

25For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,

2when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.

3Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—

4rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

5For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,

6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

7Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

8Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;

9not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

1Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

2that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

3For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

4In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.

5They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

6For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

7But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

8And above all things have fervent love for one another, for 'love will cover a multitude of sins.'

9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

10As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

11If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.

17When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

18And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen.

4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

5even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

6and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9not of works, lest anyone should boast.

10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

9For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

10We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!

11To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.

12And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

13being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

14I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.

15For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16Therefore I urge you, imitate me.

25And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, 'Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?'

26He said to him, 'What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?'

27So he answered and said, ''You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.''

28And He said to him, 'You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.'

29But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'

30Then Jesus answered and said: 'A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

34So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'

36So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?'

37And he said, 'He who showed mercy on him.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Go and do likewise.'

9As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him.

10Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.

11And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, 'Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?'

12When Jesus heard that, He said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.'