God Commissions Joshua

1 After the death of Moses the ^(A)servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' ^(B)assistant,

^5 (A)No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just ^(B)as I was with Moses, so ^(C)I will be with you. ^(D)I will not leave you or forsake you. ^6 (E)Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. ⁷ Only be strong and ^(F)very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law ^(G)that Moses my servant commanded you. ^(H)Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success^[a] wherever you go.

⁹ Have I not commanded you? ^(A)Be strong and courageous. ^(B)Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The Commander of the Lord's Army

¹³ When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, ^(A)a man was standing before him ^(B)with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” ¹⁴ And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua ^(C)fell on his face to the earth and worshiped^[a] and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” ¹⁵ And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, ^(D)“Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Walk in Love

5 ^(A)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ² And ^(B)walk in love, ^(C)as Christ loved us and ^(D)gave himself up for us, a ^(E)fragrant ^(F)offering and sacrifice to God.

The Whole Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, ^(A)be strong in the Lord and in ^(B)the strength of his might. ^11 (C)Put on ^(D)the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against ^(E)the schemes of the devil. ¹² For ^(F)we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against ^(G)the rulers, against the authorities, against ^(H)the cosmic powers over ^(I)this present darkness, against ^(J)the spiritual forces of evil ^(K)in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore ^(L)take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in ^(M)the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, ^(N)having fastened on the belt of truth, and ^(O)having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, ^(P)as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up ^(Q)the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all ^(R)the flaming darts of ^(S)the evil one; ¹⁷ and take ^(T)the helmet of salvation, and ^(U)the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying ^(V)at all times ^(W)in the Spirit, ^(X)with all prayer and supplication. To that end, ^(Y)keep alert with all perseverance, making ^(Z)supplication for all the saints,