I love those who love me; whoever looks for me can find me.

Work hard at whatever you do, because there will be no action, no thought, no knowledge, no wisdom in the world of the dead---and that is where you are going.

I have come down among the almond trees to see the young plants in the valley, to see the new leaves on the vines and the blossoms on the pomegranate trees.

I walked through the fields and vineyards of a lazy, stupid person.

They were full of thorn bushes and overgrown with weeds. The stone wall around them had fallen down.

Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the believers in every town where we preached the word of the Lord, and let us find out how they are getting along."

Put yourselves to the test and judge yourselves, to find out whether you are living in faith. Surely you know that Christ Jesus is in you?---unless you have completely failed.

That is why I had to send Timothy. I could not bear it any longer, so I sent him to find out about your faith. Surely it could not be that the Devil had tempted you and all our work had been for nothing!

Now Timothy has come back, and he has brought us the welcome news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always think well of us and that you want to see us just as much as we want to see you.

Guard against turning back from the grace of God. Let no one become like a bitter plant that grows up and causes many troubles with its poison.

He also says, "I will put my trust in God." And he also says, "Here I am with the children that God has given me."

and in this way set free those who were slaves all their lives because of their fear of death.

Before the grapes are gathered, when the blossoms have all fallen and the grapes are ripening, the enemy will destroy the Ethiopians as easily as a knife cuts branches from a vine.

How pretty you are, how beautiful; how complete the delights of your love.

Wake up, North Wind. South Wind, blow on my garden; fill the air with fragrance. Let my lover come to his garden and eat the best of its fruits.

I will meet you there, and from above the lid between the two winged creatures I will give you all my laws for the people of Israel.

Then I will go to your altar, O God; you are the source of my happiness. I will play my harp and sing praise to you, O God, my God.

Your constant love is better than life itself, and so I will praise you.

My soul will feast and be satisfied, and I will sing glad songs of praise to you.

because you have always been my help. In the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.

What else do I have in heaven but you? Since I have you, what else could I want on earth?

Here the kings of Israel sat to judge their people.

There in the land, on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, all you people of Israel will worship me. I will be pleased with you and will expect you to bring me your sacrifices, your best offerings, and your holy gifts.

After I bring you out of the countries where you have been scattered and gather you together, I will accept the sacrifices that you burn, and the nations will see that I am holy.

But that is not all; we rejoice because of what God has done through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has now made us God's friends.

We are ruled by the love of Christ, now that we recognize that one man died for everyone, which means that they all share in his death.

He died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but only for him who died and was raised to life for their sake.

May God's grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying love.

Let us have confidence, then, and approach God's throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it.