Sunday, September 20

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.

16knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

17'But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!

18For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

19For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.

20I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

1We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

2For He says: 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

3We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.

4But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,

5in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;

6by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,

7by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

8by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

9as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed;

10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

34When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, 'Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

35For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.

36For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

37Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

38For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.'

1And He said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.'

14'For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.

15And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

16Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

17And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.

18But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.

19After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

20'So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'

21His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

22He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'

23His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

24'Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

25And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.'

26'But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.

27So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

28So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

29'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

30And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'