protecting

⁸But if anyone has no concern for his own, and especially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith, and he is worse than an unbeliever.

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.

¹The Praise of a Canticle, of David. Whoever dwells with the assistance of the Most High will abide in the protection of the God of heaven. ²He will say to the Lord, “You are my supporter and my refuge.” My God, I will hope in him. ³For he has freed me from the snare of those who go hunting, and from the harsh word. ⁴He will overshadow you with his shoulders, and you will hope under his wings. ⁵His truth will surround you with a shield. You will not be afraid: before the terror of the night, ⁶before the arrow flying in the day, before the troubles that wander in the darkness, nor of invasion and the midday demon.

²Our God is our refuge and strength, a helper in the tribulations that have greatly overwhelmed us.

²If a thief will have been discovered breaking into a house, or digging under it, and he has received a mortal wound, he who struck him down will not be guilty of blood. ³But if he did this when the sun was risen, he has perpetrated a homicide, and he shall die. If he does not have the means to make restitution for the theft, he shall be sold.

²⁷In response, he said: “You shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart, and from your whole soul, and from all your strength, and from all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

¹⁹Do not defend yourselves, dearest ones. Instead, step aside from wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is mine. I shall give retribution, says the Lord.”

⁵²Then Jesus said to him: “Put your sword back in its place. For all who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. ⁵³Or do you think that I cannot ask my Father, so that he would give me, even now, more than twelve legions of Angels? ⁵⁴How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must be so?”

²⁴an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, ²⁵a scrape for a scrape, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.

¹⁷As for those building the wall, and carrying the burdens, and setting things in place: one of his hands was doing the work, and the other was holding a sword. ¹⁸For each one of the builders was girded with a sword at the waist. And they were building, and they were sounding a trumpet beside me.