Saturday, June 26

7To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

9For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,

10making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.

11For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—

12that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

42Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

43'You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

44But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

46For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

47And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?

48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.