Isaiah 25:1-9

New International Version

Praise to the Lord

25 Lord, you are my God;^(A)
    I will exalt you and praise your name,^(B)
for in perfect faithfulness^(C)
    you have done wonderful things,^(D)
    things planned^(E) long ago.
²You have made the city a heap of rubble,^(F)
    the fortified^(G) town a ruin,^(H)
the foreigners’ stronghold^(I) a city no more;
    it will never be rebuilt.^(J)
³Therefore strong peoples will honor you;^(K)
    cities of ruthless^(L) nations will revere you.
⁴You have been a refuge^(M) for the poor,^(N)
    a refuge for the needy^(O) in their distress,
a shelter from the storm^(P)
    and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless^(Q)
    is like a storm driving against a wall
⁵    and like the heat of the desert.
You silence^(R) the uproar of foreigners;^(S)
    as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
    so the song of the ruthless^(T) is stilled.

⁶On this mountain^(U) the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast^(V) of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.^(W)
⁷On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud^(X) that enfolds all peoples,^(Y)
the sheet that covers all nations;
⁸    he will swallow up death^(Z) forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears^(AA)
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace^(AB)
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.^(AC)

⁹In that day^(AD) they will say,

“Surely this is our God;^(AE)
we trusted^(AF) in him, and he saved^(AG) us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice^(AH) and be glad in his salvation.”^(AI)

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John 20:24-31

New International Version

Jesus Appears to Thomas

²⁴Now Thomas^(A) (also known as Didymus^[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side,^(B) I will not believe.”^(C)

²⁶A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace^(D) be with you!”^(E) ²⁷Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”^(F)

²⁸Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;^(G) blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”^(H)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

³⁰Jesus performed many other signs^(I) in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.^(J) ³¹But these are written that you may believe^[b]^(K) that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,^(L) and that by believing you may have life in his name.^(M)

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Footnotes

John 20:24 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.
John 20:31 Or may continue to believe

Ephesians 1:1-14

New International Version

1 Paul, an apostle^(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^(B)

To God’s holy people^(C) in Ephesus,^[a]^(D) the faithful^(E) in Christ Jesus:

²Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(F)

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(G) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms^(H) with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For he chose us^(I) in him before the creation of the world^(J) to be holy and blameless^(K) in his sight. In love^(L) ⁵he^[b] predestined^(M) us for adoption to sonship^[c]^(N) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure^(O) and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace,^(P) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.^(Q) ⁷In him we have redemption^(R) through his blood,^(S) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches^(T) of God’s grace ⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹he^[d] made known to us the mystery^(U) of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed^(V) in Christ, ¹⁰to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment^(W)—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.^(X)

¹¹In him we were also chosen,^[e] having been predestined^(Y) according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose^(Z) of his will, ¹²in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.^(AA) ¹³And you also were included in Christ^(AB) when you heard the message of truth,^(AC) the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,^(AD) the promised Holy Spirit,^(AE) ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance^(AF) until the redemption^(AG) of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.^(AH)

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Footnotes

Ephesians 1:1 Some early manuscripts do not have in Ephesus.
Ephesians 1:5 Or sight in love. ⁵He
Ephesians 1:5 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.
Ephesians 1:9 Or us with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹And he
Ephesians 1:11 Or were made heirs