Romans 6:1-11

[1]What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? [2]By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? [3]Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4]Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

[5]For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. [6]We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. [7]For whoever has died is freed from sin. [8]But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. [9]We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. [10]The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. [11]So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

 

Romans 5:12-21

[12]Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned -- [13]sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. [14]Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.

[15]But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man's trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. [16]And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. [17]If, because of the one man's trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

[18]  Therefore just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. [19]For just as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. [20]But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, [21]so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:1-11

[1]Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2]through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. [3]And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [4]and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [5]and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been
given to us.

[6]For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. [7]Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person -- though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. [8]But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. [9]Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. [10]For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. [11]But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 4:13-25

[13]For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. [14]If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. [15]For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.

[16]For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, [17]as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations") -- in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. [18]Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "So numerous shall your descendants be." [19]He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. [20]No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, [21]being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

[22]Therefore his faith "was reckoned to him as righteousness." [23]Now the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, [24]but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, [25]who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.

Romans 4:1-12

[1]What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? [2]For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. [3]For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." [4]Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. [5]But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. [6]So also David speaks of the blessedness of those to whom
God reckons righteousness irrespective of works:  
[7]   "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven,  
          and whose sins are covered;  
[8]   blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin."

[9]Is this blessedness, then, pronounced only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We say, "Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness."
[10]How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. [11]He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the ancestor of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them, [12]and likewise the ancestor of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also follow the example of the faith that our ancestor Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Psalm 31

[1]   In you, O LORD, I seek refuge;  
         do not let me ever be put to shame;  
         in your righteousness deliver me.  
[2]   Incline your ear to me;  
         rescue me speedily.  
    Be a rock of refuge for me,  
         a strong fortress to save me.

[3]   You are indeed my rock and my fortress;  
         for your name's sake lead me and guide me,  
[4]   take me out of the net that is hidden for me,  
         for you are my refuge.  
[5]   Into your hand I commit my spirit;  
         you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

[6]   You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,  
         but I trust in the LORD.  
[7]   I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love,  
         because you have seen my affliction;  
         you have taken heed of my adversities,  
[8]   and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;  
         you have set my feet in a broad place.

[9]   Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;  
         my eye wastes away from grief,  
         my soul and body also.  
[10]  For my life is spent with sorrow,  
         and my years with sighing;  
    my strength fails because of my misery,  
         and my bones waste away.

[11]  I am the scorn of all my adversaries,  
         a horror to my neighbors,  
    an object of dread to my acquaintances;  
         those who see me in the street flee from me.  
[12]  I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;  
         I have become like a broken vessel.  
[13]  For I hear the whispering of many --  
         terror all around! --  
    as they scheme together against me,  
         as they plot to take my life.

[14]  But I trust in you, O LORD;  
         I say, "You are my God."  
[15]  My times are in your hand;  
         deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.  
[16]  Let your face shine upon your servant;  
         save me in your steadfast love.  
[17]  Do not let me be put to shame, O LORD,  
         for I call on you;  
    let the wicked be put to shame;  
         let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.  
[18]  Let the lying lips be stilled  
         that speak insolently against the righteous  
         with pride and contempt.

[19]  O how abundant is your goodness  
         that you have laid up for those who fear you,  
    and accomplished for those who take refuge in you,  
         in the sight of everyone!  
[20]  In the shelter of your presence you hide them  
         from human plots;  
    you hold them safe under your shelter  
         from contentious tongues.

[21]  Blessed be the LORD,  
         for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me  
         when I was beset as a city under siege.  
[22]  I had said in my alarm,  
         "I am driven far from your sight."  
    But you heard my supplications  
         when I cried out to you for help.

[23]  Love the LORD, all you his saints.  
         The LORD preserves the faithful,  
         but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.  
[24]  Be strong, and let your heart take courage,  
         all you who wait for the LORD.

Psalm 105

[1]   O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,  
         make known his deeds among the peoples.  
[2]   Sing to him, sing praises to him;  
         tell of all his wonderful works.  
[3]   Glory in his holy name;  
         let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.  
[4]   Seek the LORD and his strength;  
         seek his presence continually.  
[5]   Remember the wonderful works he has done,  
         his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered,  
[6]   O offspring of his servant Abraham,  
         children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

[7]   He is the LORD our God;  
         his judgments are in all the earth.  
[8]   He is mindful of his covenant forever,  
         of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,  
[9]   the covenant that he made with Abraham,  
         his sworn promise to Isaac,  
[10]  which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,  
         to Israel as an everlasting covenant,  
[11]  saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan  
         as your portion for an inheritance."

[12]  When they were few in number,  
         of little account, and strangers in it,  
[13]  wandering from nation to nation,  
         from one kingdom to another people,  
[14]  he allowed no one to oppress them;  
         he rebuked kings on their account,  
[15]  saying, "Do not touch my anointed ones;  
         do my prophets no harm."  

[16]  When he summoned famine against the land,  
         and broke every staff of bread,  
[17]  he had sent a man ahead of them,  
         Joseph, who was sold as a slave.  
[18]  His feet were hurt with fetters,  
         his neck was put in a collar of iron;  
[19]  until what he had said came to pass,  
         the word of the LORD kept testing him.  
[20]  The king sent and released him;  
         the ruler of the peoples set him free.  
[21]  He made him lord of his house,  
         and ruler of all his possessions,  
[22]  to instruct his officials at his pleasure,  
         and to teach his elders wisdom.

[23]  Then Israel came to Egypt;  
         Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.  
[24]  And the LORD made his people very fruitful,  
         and made them stronger than their foes,  
[25]  whose hearts he then turned to hate his people,  
         to deal craftily with his servants.

[26]  He sent his servant Moses,  
         and Aaron whom he had chosen.  
[27]  They performed his signs among them,  
         and miracles in the land of Ham.  
[28]  He sent darkness, and made the land dark;  
         they rebelled against his words.  


[29]  He turned their waters into blood,  
         and caused their fish to die.  
[30]  Their land swarmed with frogs,  
         even in the chambers of their kings.  
[31]  He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,  
         and gnats throughout their country.  
[32]  He gave them hail for rain,  
         and lightning that flashed through their land.  
[33]  He struck their vines and fig trees,  
         and shattered the trees of their country.  
[34]  He spoke, and the locusts came,  
         and young locusts without number;  
[35]  they devoured all the vegetation in their land,  
         and ate up the fruit of their ground.  
[36]  He struck down all the firstborn in their land,  
         the first issue of all their strength.

[37]  Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold,  
         and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled.  
[38]  Egypt was glad when they departed,  
         for dread of them had fallen upon it.  
[39]  He spread a cloud for a covering,  
         and fire to give light by night.  

[40]  They asked, and he brought quails,  
         and gave them food from heaven in abundance.  
[41]  He opened the rock, and water gushed out;  
         it flowed through the desert like a river.  
[42]  For he remembered his holy promise,  
         and Abraham, his servant.

[43]  So he brought his people out with joy,  
         his chosen ones with singing.  
[44]  He gave them the lands of the nations,  
         and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples,  
[45]  that they might keep his statutes  
         and observe his laws.  
    Praise the LORD!