Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,^{[a](A) 4} just as he chose us in Christ^[b] before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.^{(B) 5} He destined us^[c] for adoption as his children^[d] through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,^{(C) 6} to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace^{(D) 8} that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight ⁹ he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ,^{(E) 10} as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.^{(F) 11} In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance,^[e] having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will,^{(G) 12} so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. ¹³ In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit;^{(H) 14} this^[f] is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.^(I)

Moses’s Intercession

¹² Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’^{(A) 13} Now if I have found favor in your sight, please show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider, too, that this nation is your people.”^{(B) 14} He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”^{(C) 15} And he said to him, “If your presence will not go, do not bring us up from here. ¹⁶ For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.”^(D)

¹⁷ The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have asked, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”^{(E) 18} Moses^[a] said, “Please show me your glory.” ¹⁹ And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you the name, ‘The Lord,’^[b] and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.^{(F) 20} But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one shall see me and live.”^{(G) 21} And the Lord continued, “See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, ²² and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; ²³ then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”^(H)

Psalm 99

Praise to God for His Holiness

The Question about Paying Taxes

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. ¹⁶ So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one, for you do not regard people with partiality.^{(A) 17} Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”^{(B) 18} But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. ²⁰ Then he said to them, “Whose head is this and whose title?” ²¹ They answered, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.”^{(C) 22} When they heard this, they were amazed, and they left him and went away.