Wednesday, September 23

8To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

9and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;

10to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

11according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,

12in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

13Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

14For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

17that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—

19to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

21to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

22For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.

23But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,

24which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—

25for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children—

26but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.

27For it is written: 'Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband.'

28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

29But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.

30Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? 'Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.'

31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

1Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

2being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

3And the devil said to Him, 'If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.'

4But Jesus answered him, saying, 'It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' '

5Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6And the devil said to Him, 'All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.

7Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.'

8And Jesus answered and said to him, 'Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.' '

9Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, 'If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.

10For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,'

11and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'

12And Jesus answered and said to him, 'It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.' '

13Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

14Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

15And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

8So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,

9according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

10And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.

11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

17He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.'

18And Zacharias said to the angel, 'How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.'

19And the angel answered and said to him, 'I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.

20But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.'

21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.

22But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

23So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.

24Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,

25'Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.'