Daily Pause

19  For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Christ,  20  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. 21  Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of  your evil behavior.  22&nbsp...

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  16  For in him (Christ) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  17  He is before all things, and in him all things hold togethe...

14  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, [f]  Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  15  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.  16  Let us then approach God’s throne of grace...

29  But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30  In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  31  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other sid...

12  When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.  13  “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.  14  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  15  I have set you an exam...

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2  The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.  3  Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power,...

13  You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.  14  For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  15  If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 16  So I say, walk by the Spir...

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:20-21‬ ‭

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” ‭‭James‬ ‭1:19-20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They st...

“As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the...

“Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed...

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bone...

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the...

9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. 10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinner...

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, com...

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.] 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had to...

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.  2  Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. 3  We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trial...

14  For this reason I kneel before the Father,  15  from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  16  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  17  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and establish...

5  Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.  6  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.  7  You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’  8  The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it...

13  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.   17  He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.  18  For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19  Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fello...

13  Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.  14  But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to bebaptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15  Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16  As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that momen...

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple court...

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our...

29 “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see...