Paona 21, 1743

3Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God!Selah

5And of Zion it will be said, "This one and that one were born in her; And the Most High Himself shall establish her."

7Both the singers and the players on instruments say, "All my springs are in you."

38Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.

39And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.

40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."

41And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.

42But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

8As we have heard, So we have seen In the city of the LORD of hosts, In the city of our God: God will establish it forever.Selah

1Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, In His holy mountain.

35A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

36But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."

39But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

42The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

43"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.

44Then he says, "I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.

45Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation."

46While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.

47Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."

48But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"

49And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!

50For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

1Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary.

2For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary;

3and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All,

4which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;

5and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

6Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services.

7But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance;

8the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.

9It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience--

10concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

11But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.

12Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

1The Elder, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth,

2because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:

3Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

4I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.

5And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.

6This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

7For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

8Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

9Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.

10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;

11for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

12Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

13The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.