Precepts for Everyday Living

The Last Words of Mattathias

⁴⁹ Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons: “Arrogance and scorn have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and furious anger. ⁵⁰ Now, my children, show zeal for the law and give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.

⁵¹ “Remember the deeds of the ancestors, which they did in their generations, and you will receive great honor and an everlasting name.^{(A) 52} Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness?^{(B) 53} Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment and became lord of Egypt.^{(C) 54} Phinehas our ancestor, because he was deeply zealous, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood.^{(D) 55} Joshua, because he fulfilled the command, became a judge in Israel.^{(E) 56} Caleb, because he testified in the assembly, received an inheritance in the land.^{(F) 57} David, because he was merciful, inherited the throne of the kingdom forever.^{(G) 58} Elijah, because of great zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven.^{(H) 59} Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael believed and were saved from the flame.^{(I) 60} Daniel, because of his innocence, was delivered from the mouth of the lions.^(J)

⁶¹ “And so observe, from generation to generation, that none of those who put their trust in him will lack strength.^{(K) 62} Do not fear the words of sinners, for their splendor will turn into dung and worms.^{(L) 63} Today they will be exalted, but tomorrow they will not be found, for they will have returned to the dust, and their plans will have perished. ⁶⁴ My children, be courageous and grow strong in the law, for by it you will gain honor.^(M)

⁶⁵ “Here is your brother Simeon, who I know is wise in counsel; always listen to him; he shall be your father.^{(N) 66} Judas Maccabeus has been a mighty warrior from his youth; he shall command the army for you and fight the battle against the peoples.^{[a](O) 67} You shall rally around you all who observe the law and avenge the wrong done to your people. ⁶⁸ Pay back the nations in full, and obey the commands of the law.”

⁶⁹ Then he blessed them and was gathered to his ancestors.

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

¹³ Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴ And they said, “Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”^{(A) 15} He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,^[a] the Son of the living God.”^{(B) 17} And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.^{(C) 18} And I tell you, you are Peter,^[b] and on this rock^[c] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.^{(D) 19} I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”^{(E) 20} Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was^[d] the Messiah.^[e](F)

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

²¹ From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised.^{(G) 22} And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” ²³ But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance^[f] to me, for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

The Cross and Self-Denial

²⁴ Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(H) 25} For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. ²⁶ For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

²⁷ “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done.^{(I) 28} Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”^(J)

Treasure in Clay Jars

4 Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.^{(A) 2} We have renounced the shameful, underhanded ways; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.^{(B) 3} And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.^{(C) 4} In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing clearly the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.^{(D) 5} For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’s sake.^{(E) 6} For it is the God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.^(F)

⁷ But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.^{(G) 8} We are afflicted in every way but not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair, ⁹ persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed, ¹⁰ always carrying around in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.^{(H) 11} For we who are living are always being handed over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal flesh. ¹² So death is at work in us but life in you.

¹³ But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke”—we also believe, and therefore we also speak,^{(I) 14} because we know that the one who raised Jesus^[a] will also raise us with Jesus and will present us with you in his presence.^{(J) 15} Indeed, everything is for your sake, so that grace, when it has extended to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

Living by Faith

¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.^{(K) 17} For our slight, momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure,^{(L) 18} because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen, for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.^(M)