1 John 3:22-4:6
Psalms 2:7-8, 10-11
Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25
1 John 3:22-4:6
22 and whatever we ask we shall receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what is acceptable to him. 23 His commandment is this, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we should love one another as he commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments remains in God, and God in him. And this is the proof that he remains in us: the Spirit that he has given us.
1 My dear friends, not every spirit is to be trusted, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets are at large in the world. 2 This is the proof of the spirit of God: any spirit which acknowledges Jesus Christ, come in human nature, is from God, 3 and no spirit which fails to acknowledge Jesus is from God; it is the spirit of Antichrist, whose coming you have heard of; he is already at large in the world.
4 Children, you are from God and have overcome them, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world, and therefore the world inspires what they say, and listens to them. 6 We are from God; whoever recognizes God listens to us; anyone who is not from God refuses to listen to us. This is how we can distinguish the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood.
Psalms 2:7-8, 10-11
7 I will proclaim the decree of Yahweh: He said to me, ‘You are my son, today have I fathered you.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give you the nations as your birthright, the whole wide world as your possession.
10 So now, you kings, come to your senses, you earthly rulers, learn your lesson!
11 In fear be submissive to Yahweh
Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25
12 Hearing that John had been arrested he withdrew to Galilee, 13 and leaving Nazara he went and settled in Capernaum, beside the lake, on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
15 Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea beyond Jordan. Galilee of the nations! 16 The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a country of shadow dark as death a light has dawned. 17 From then onwards Jesus began his proclamation with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.’
23 He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and illness among the people. 24 His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralyzed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. 25 Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordan.
