Sunday, December 14

12But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.

13Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.

14And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.

16But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

17And He said to them, 'What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?'

18Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, 'Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?'

19And He said to them, 'What things?'

20So they said to Him, 'The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.

21But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

22Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.

23When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.

24And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.'

25Then He said to them, 'O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

26Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?'

27And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

28Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.

29But they constrained Him, saying, 'Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.' And He went in to stay with them.

30Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

31Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

32And they said to one another, 'Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?'

33So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,

34saying, 'The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!'

35And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

4When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

5Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

6Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,

7in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

8But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

9Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,

10and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

11where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

16Then He said to him, 'A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,

17and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'

18But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.'

19And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.'

20Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'

21So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'

22And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'

23Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

24For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.' '