4th of july

¹⁶in an open manner, and not as if cloaking malice with liberty, but like servants of God.

¹⁷Now the Spirit is Lord. And wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

¹Stand firm, and do not be willing to be again held by the yoke of servitude.

¹Admonish them to be subordinate to the rulers and authorities, to obey their dictates, to be prepared for every good work, ²to speak evil of no one, not to be litigious, but to be reserved, displaying all meekness toward all men. ³For, in times past, we ourselves were also unwise, unbelieving, erring, servants of various desires and pleasures, acting with malice and envy, being hateful and hating one another. ⁴But then the kindness and humanity of God our Savior appeared. ⁵And he saved us, not by works of justice that we had done, but, in accord with his mercy, by the washing of regeneration and by the renovation of the Holy Spirit,

¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his inheritance.

³²And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”

¹⁴and if my people, over whom my name has been invoked, being converted, will have petitioned me and sought my face, and will have done penance for their wicked ways, then I will heed them from heaven, and I will forgive their sins, and I will heal their land.

²⁰But our way of life is in heaven. And from heaven, too, we await the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹who will transform the body of our lowliness, according to the form of the body of his glory, by means of that power by which he is even able to subject all things to himself.

¹Let every soul be subject to higher authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those who have been ordained by God. ²And so, whoever resists authority, resists what has been ordained by God. And those who resist are acquiring damnation for themselves. ³For leaders are not a source of fear to those who work good, but to those who work evil. And would you prefer not to be afraid of authority? Then do what is good, and you shall have praise from them. ⁴For he is a minister of God for you unto good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid. For it is not without reason that he carries a sword. For he is a minister of God; an avenger to execute wrath upon whomever does evil. ⁵For this reason, it is necessary to be subject, not solely because of wrath, but also because of conscience. ⁶Therefore, you must also offer tribute. For they are the ministers of God, serving him in this.

¹Let there be a trumpet in your throat, like an eagle over the house of the Lord, on behalf of those who have transgressed my covenant and violated my law. ²They will call on me: “O my God, we, Israel, know you.” ³Israel has thrown away goodness; the enemy will overtake him. ⁴They have reigned, but not by me. Leaders have emerged, and I did not recognize them. Their silver and their gold, they have made into idols for themselves, so that they might cross over. ⁵Your calf, Samaria, has been rejected. My fury has been enraged against them. How long will they be incapable of being cleansed? ⁶For it is itself also from Israel: a workman made it, and it is not God. For the calf of Samaria will be used for the webs of spiders.

¹And as he was departing from the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, observe these fine stones and fine structures.” ²And in response, Jesus said to him: “Do you see all these great buildings? There shall not be left stone upon stone, which is not torn down.” ³And as he sat at the Mount of Olives, opposite the temple, Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew questioned him privately. ⁴“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things will begin to be fulfilled?” ⁵And Jesus, answering, began to say to them: “See to it that no one leads you astray. ⁶For many will come in my name, saying, ‘For I am he,’ and they will lead many astray.

¹¹Most beloved, I beg you, as new arrivals and sojourners, to abstain from carnal desires, which battle against the soul.

¹Just as with the dividing of the waters, so also is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord. He shall bend it whichever way he wills. ²Every way of a man seems right to himself. But the Lord weighs hearts. ³To do mercy and judgment is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrifices. ⁴To lift up the eyes is to enlarge the heart. The lamp of the impious is sin. ⁵The intentions of the robust continually bring forth abundance. But all the lazy are continually in need. ⁶Whoever gathers treasures by a lying tongue is vain and heartless. And he will stumble into the snares of death.

¹⁵But if it seems evil to you that you would serve the Lord, a choice is given to you. Choose today what pleases you, and whom you ought to serve above all else, either the gods that your fathers served in Mesopotamia, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

²⁴Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it? ²⁵My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness. ²⁶They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food.

¹³Therefore, be subject to every human creature because of God, whether it is to the king as preeminent, ¹⁴or to leaders as having been sent from him for vindication over evildoers, it is truly for the praise of what is good. ¹⁵For such is the will of God, that by doing good you may bring about the silence of imprudent and ignorant men, ¹⁶in an open manner, and not as if cloaking malice with liberty, but like servants of God. ¹⁷Honor everyone. Love brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.