Thursday, September 23

1Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),

2and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:

3Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,

4who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

5to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

6I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,

7which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.

8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

9As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

10For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

11But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.

12For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.

14And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace,

16to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,

17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.

19But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother.

20(Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)

21Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

22And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ.

23But they were hearing only, 'He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.'

24And they glorified God in me.

1Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.

2And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.

3Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

4And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),

5to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

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.

16So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

17And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18'The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.'

20Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

21And He began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.'

22So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, 'Is this not Joseph's son?'

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.'