Saturday, 18 October 2025

Beloved:

Demas, enamored of the present world,

deserted me and went to Thessalonica,

Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.

Luke is the only one with me.

Get Mark and bring him with you,

for he is helpful to me in the ministry.

I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas,

the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments.

Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm;

the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.

You too be on guard against him,

for he has strongly resisted our preaching.

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,

but everyone deserted me.

May it not be held against them!

But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,

so that through me the proclamation might be completed

and all the Gentiles might hear it.

R. (12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,

and let your faithful ones bless you.

Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom

and speak of your might.

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

Making known to men your might

and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,

and your dominion endures through all generations.

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

The LORD is just in all his ways

and holy in all his works.

The LORD is near to all who call upon him,

to all who call upon him in truth.

R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples

whom he sent ahead of him in pairs

to every town and place he intended to visit.

He said to them,

"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;

so ask the master of the harvest

to send out laborers for his harvest.

Go on your way;

behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.

Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;

and greet no one along the way.

Into whatever house you enter,

first say, 'Peace to this household.'

If a peaceful person lives there,

your peace will rest on him;

but if not, it will return to you.

Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,

for the laborer deserves payment.

Do not move about from one house to another.

Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,

eat what is set before you,

cure the sick in it and say to them,

'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.'"