Friday, December 4

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

2To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day,

4greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy,

5when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

6Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

8Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,

9who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

10but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

11to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

13Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

14That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

15This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

16The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;

17but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me.

18The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus.

7Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

9Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

10We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.

11For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.

12Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

13Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

14For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

15Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

16But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

19And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

20So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.

21Then they asked Him, saying, 'Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth:

22Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?'

23But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, 'Why do you test Me?

24Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?'

25They answered and said, 'Caesar's.' And He said to them, 'Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.'

26But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.

32'Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

33Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.

34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35'Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;

36and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.

37Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.

38And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

40Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.'