Friday 1 November 2013

2I saw another angel ascend from the sunrise,having the seal of the living God.He cried with a loud voice to the four angels towhom it was given to harm the earth and the sea,3saying, “Don’t harm the earth,the sea, or the trees,until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads!”4I heard the number of those who were sealed,one hundred forty-four thousand,sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel:

· · · verses 5–8 are not read9After these things I looked,and behold, a great multitude which no man could count,out of every nation and of all tribes,peoples, and languages,standing before the throne and before the Lamb,dressed in white robes,with palm branches in their hands.10They cried with a loud voice,saying, “Salvation be to our God,who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

11All the angels were standing around the throne,the elders, and the four living creatures;and they fell on their faces before his throne,and worshiped God,12saying, “Amen!Blessing, glory, wisdom,thanksgiving, honor,power, and might, be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

13One of the elders answered,saying to me, “These who are arrayed in the white robes,who are they, and where did they come from?”

14I told him, “My lord, you know.”

He said to me, “These are thosewho came out of the great suffering.They washed their robesand made them white in the Lamb’s blood.

1The earth is the Lord’s, with its fullness;the world, and those who dwell in it.2For he has founded it on the seas,and established it on the floods.

3Who may ascend to the Lord’s hill?Who may stand in his holy place?4He who has clean hands and a pure heart;who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood,and has not sworn deceitfully.

5He shall receive a blessing from the Lord,righteousness from the God of his salvation.6This is the generation of those who seek Him,who seek your face—even Jacob.

1See how great a love the Father has given to us,that we should be called children of God!For this cause the world doesn’t know us,because it didn’t know him.2Beloved, now we are children of God.It is not yet revealed what we will be;but we know that when he is revealed,we will be like him,for we will see him just as he is.3Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself,even as he is pure.

1Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain.When he had sat down, his disciples came to him.2He opened his mouth and taught them, saying,

3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.4Blessed are those who mourn,for they shall be comforted.5Blessed are the gentle,for they shall inherit the earth.6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they shall be filled.7Blessed are the merciful,for they shall obtain mercy.8Blessed are the pure in heart,for they shall see God.9Blessed are the peacemakers,for they shall be called children of God.10Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake,for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

11“Blessed are you when people reproach you,persecute you,and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.12Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad,for great is your reward in heaven.For that is how they persecuted the prophetswho were before you.