The Way of Wisdom

¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were ^(A)far off have been brought near ^(B)by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For ^(C)he himself is our peace, ^(D)who has made us both one and has broken down ^(E)in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ^(F)ordinances, that he might create in himself one ^(G)new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶ and might ^(H)reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and ^(I)preached peace to you who were ^(J)far off and peace to those who were ^(K)near. ¹⁸ For ^(L)through him we both have ^(M)access in ^(N)one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer ^(O)strangers and aliens,^[a] but you are ^(P)fellow citizens with the saints and ^(Q)members of the household of God, ^20 (R)built on the foundation of the ^(S)apostles and prophets, ^(T)Christ Jesus himself being ^(U)the cornerstone, ^21 (V)in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into ^(W)a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him ^(X)you also are being built together ^(Y)into a dwelling place for God by^[b] the Spirit.

¹⁵ When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, ^(A)“Blessed is everyone who will ^(B)eat bread in the kingdom of God!” ¹⁶ But he said to him, ^(C)“A man once ^(D)gave a great banquet and invited many. ¹⁷ And at the time for the banquet he ^(E)sent his servant^[a] to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ ¹⁸ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ ¹⁹ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ ²⁰ And another said, ^(F)‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ ²¹ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in ^(G)the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ ²² And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ ²³ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. ²⁴ For I tell you,^{[b] (H)}none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”