³⁴  Is not this laid up in store with me,
          sealed up in my treasuries?
³⁵  Vengeance is mine, and recompense,
          for the time when their foot shall slip;
     because the day of their calamity is at hand,
          their doom comes swiftly.

³⁶  Indeed the LORD will vindicate his people,
          have compassion on his servants,
     when he sees that their power is gone,
          neither bond nor free remaining.
³⁷  Then he will say: Where are their gods,
          the rock in which they took refuge,
³⁸  who ate the fat of their sacrifices,
          and drank the wine of their libations?
     Let them rise up and help you,
          let them be your protection!

³⁹  See now that I, even I, am he;
          there is no god besides me.
     I kill and I make alive;
          I wound and I heal;
          and no one can deliver from my hand.
⁴⁰  For I lift up my hand to heaven,
          and swear: As I live forever,
⁴¹  when I whet my flashing sword,
          and my hand takes hold on judgment;
     I will take vengeance on my adversaries,
          and will repay those who hate me.
⁴²  I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
          and my sword shall devour flesh —
     with the blood of the slain and the captives,
          from the long-haired enemy.

⁴³  Praise, O heavens, his people,
          worship him, all you gods!
     For he will avenge the blood of his children,
          and take vengeance on his adversaries;
     he will repay those who hate him,
          and cleanse the land for his people.

¹We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ²Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor. ³For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” ⁴For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. ⁵May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, ⁶so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. ⁸For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, ⁹and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
     “Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,
          and sing praises to your name”;
¹⁰and again he says,
     “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”;
¹¹and again,
     “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
          and let all the peoples praise him”;
¹²and again Isaiah says,
     “The root of Jesse shall come,
          the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
     in him the Gentiles shall hope.”
¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

¹Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, ²and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. ³He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money — not even an extra tunic. ⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there. ⁵Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are leaving that town shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” ⁶They departed and went through the villages, bringing the good news and curing diseases everywhere.

⁷Now Herod the ruler heard about all that had taken place, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, ⁸by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had arisen. ⁹Herod said, “John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he tried to see him.

¹⁰On their return the apostles told Jesus all they had done. He took them with him and withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida. ¹¹When the crowds found out about it, they followed him; and he welcomed them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed to be cured.

¹²The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a deserted place.” ¹³But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish — unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵They did so and made them all sit down. ¹⁶And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. ¹⁷And all ate and were filled. What was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.