independence day

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

¹³For you, brothers, have been called to liberty. Only you must not make liberty into an occasion for the flesh, but instead, serve one another through the charity of the Spirit.

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.

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

²¹For the creature itself shall also be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God.

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

³⁶Therefore, if the Son has set you free, then you will truly be free.

¹⁰Concerning the rest, brothers, be strengthened in the Lord, by the power of his virtue. ¹¹Be clothed in the armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the treachery of the devil. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the directors of this world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in high places. ¹³Because of this, take up the armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand the evil day and remain perfect in all things. ¹⁴Therefore, stand firm, having been girded about your waist with truth, and having been clothed with the breastplate of justice, ¹⁵and having feet which have been shod by the preparation of the Gospel of peace.

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.

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.

¹⁰And you shall sanctify the fiftieth year, and you shall proclaim a remission for all the inhabitants of your land: for the same is the Jubilee. A man shall return to his possession, and each one shall go back to his original family,

¹⁷When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,

²For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed me from the law of sin and death.

¹³For he has rescued us from the power of darkness, and he has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love,

¹And know this: that in the last days perilous times will press near. ²Men will be lovers of themselves, greedy, self-exalting, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked, ³without affection, without peace, false accusers, unchaste, cruel, without kindness, ⁴traitorous, reckless, self-important, loving pleasure more than God, ⁵even having the appearance of piety while rejecting its virtue. And so, avoid them. ⁶For among these are ones who penetrate houses and lead away, like captives, foolish women burdened with sins, who are led away by means of various desires,