Sunday, December 26, 2027

¹Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways. ²For you will eat the labor of your hands. You will be happy, and it will be well with you. ³Your wife will be as a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house, your children like olive shoots around your table. ⁴Behold, this is how the man who fears the LORD is blessed. ⁵May the LORD bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

¹²Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; ¹³bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. ¹⁴Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection. ¹⁵And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. ¹⁷Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. ¹⁸Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them. ²⁰Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged.

⁴¹His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. ⁴²When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast; ⁴³and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother didn’t know it, ⁴⁴but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey; and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him. ⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the middle of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸When they saw him, they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you.” ⁴⁹He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰They didn’t understand the saying which he spoke to them. ⁵¹And he went down with them and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. ⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.