Circumcise Your Heart

¹² “And now, Israel, ^(A)what does the Lord your God require of you, but ^(B)to fear the Lord your God, ^(C)to walk in all his ways, ^(D)to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ¹³ and ^(E)to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today ^(F)for your good? ¹⁴ Behold, ^(G)to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, ^(H)the earth with all that is in it. ¹⁵ Yet ^(I)the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. ¹⁶ Circumcise therefore ^(J)the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer ^(K)stubborn. ¹⁷ For the Lord your God is ^(L)God of gods and ^(M)Lord of lords, ^(N)the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is ^(O)not partial and takes no bribe. ^18 (P)He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. ^19 (Q)Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. ^20 (R)You shall fear the Lord your God. You shall serve him and ^(S)hold fast to him, and ^(T)by his name you shall swear. ^21 (U)He is your praise. He is your God, ^(V)who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen.

Stand Firm

¹³ But ^(A)we ought always to give thanks to God for you, ^(B)brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you ^(C)as the firstfruits^{[a] (D)}to be saved, ^(E)through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. ¹⁴ To this he called you through ^(F)our gospel, ^(G)so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵ So then, brothers, ^(H)stand firm and hold to ^(I)the traditions that you were taught by us, either ^(J)by our spoken word or by ^(K)our letter.

¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, ^(L)who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good ^(M)hope through grace,