The Greatest Commandment.^w 25^* There was a scholar of the law^* who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”^x 26Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” 27He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”^y 28He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”^z

The Parable of the Good Samaritan. 29But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. 31^* A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 32Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 33But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. 34He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ 36Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” 37He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

1I give you thanks, LORD and King,^*

I praise you, God my savior!

I declare your name, refuge of my life,^a

2because you have ransomed my life from death;

You held back my body from the pit,

and delivered my foot from the power of Sheol.^b

You have preserved me from the scourge of the slanderous tongue,

and from the lips of those who went over to falsehood.

You were with me against those who rise up against me;

3You have rescued me according to your abundant mercy^c

From the snare of those who look for my downfall,

and from the power of those who seek my life.

From many dangers you have saved me,

4from flames that beset me on every side,^d

From the midst of fire till there was not a whiff of it,^*

5from the deep belly of Sheol,

From deceiving lips and painters of lies,

6from the arrows of a treacherous tongue.

I was at the point of death,

my life was nearing the depths of Sheol;^e

7I turned every way, but there was no one to help;

I looked for support but there was none.^f

8Then I remembered the mercies of the LORD,

his acts of kindness through ages past;

For he saves those who take refuge in him,

and rescues them from every evil.

9So I raised my voice from the grave;

from the gates of Sheol I cried for help.

10I called out: LORD, you are my Father,

my champion, my savior!

Do not abandon me in time of trouble,

in the midst of storms and dangers.^g

1Thus says the LORD:

Where is the bill of divorce

with which I dismissed your mother?^*

Or to which of my creditors

have I sold you?

It was for your sins you were sold,

for your rebellions your mother was dismissed.^a

2Why was no one there when I came?

Why did no one answer when I called?^*

Is my hand too short to ransom?

Have I not the strength to deliver?

See, with my rebuke I dry up the sea,

I turn rivers into wilderness;

Their fish rot for lack of water,

and die of thirst.^b

3I clothe the heavens in black,

and make sackcloth their covering.

4^* The Lord GOD has given me

a well-trained tongue,

That I might know how to answer the weary

a word that will waken them.

Morning after morning

he wakens my ear to hear as disciples do;

5The Lord GOD opened my ear;

I did not refuse,

did not turn away.^*

Sacrifice of Body and Mind. 1^* I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.^a 2Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.^b

Many Parts in One Body. 3^c For by the grace given to me I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has apportioned. 4^d For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5so we, though many, are one body in Christ^* and individually parts of one another. 6^e Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them:^* if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; 7if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; 8if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others,^* with diligence; if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Mutual Love. 9Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good;^f 10love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.^g 11Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.^h 12Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.ⁱ 13Contribute to the needs of the holy ones,^j exercise hospitality. 14^* Bless those who persecute [you],^k bless and do not curse them.^l 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.^m