Be sure that the book of the Law is always read in your worship. Study it day and night, and make sure that you obey everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the LORD, and they study it day and night.

May my words and my thoughts be acceptable to you, O LORD, my refuge and my redeemer!

My thoughts will be clear; I will speak words of wisdom.

As I lie in bed, I remember you; all night long I think of you,

I will think about all that you have done; I will meditate on all your mighty acts.

May he be pleased with my song, for my gladness comes from him.

You descendants of Abraham, his servant; you descendants of Jacob, the man he chose: remember the miracles that God performed and the judgments that he gave.

I study your instructions; I examine your teachings.

The rulers meet and plot against me, but I will study your teachings.

I respect and love your commandments; I will meditate on your instructions.

How I love your law! I think about it all day long.

I understand more than all my teachers, because I meditate on your instructions.

All night long I lie awake, to meditate on your instructions.

I remember the days gone by; I think about all that you have done, I bring to mind all your deeds.

We ourselves, then, will give our full time to prayer and the work of preaching."

You know about Stephanas and his family; they are the first Christian converts in Achaia and have given themselves to the service of God's people. I beg you, my friends,

We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus to life, will also raise us up with Jesus and take us, together with you, into his presence.

It was more than we could have hoped for! First they gave themselves to the Lord; and then, by God's will they gave themselves to us as well.

He gave himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to him alone and are eager to do good.

If you give these instructions to the believers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, as you feed yourself spiritually on the words of faith and of the true teaching which you have followed.

In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

so that you may be innocent and pure as God's perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky,

as you offer them the message of life. If you do so, I shall have reason to be proud of you on the Day of Christ, because it will show that all my effort and work have not been wasted.