Readings for Lent and Easter

¹² Therefore, do not let Chet (Sin) reign in your mortal body to obey its ta’avot [Ro 5:17, 21],

¹³ And do not give Chet (sin) control of your natural capacities as neshek (weapons) of peysha (unrighteousness, transgression), but present yourselves to Hashem as ones alive from the Mesim and present to Hashem your natural capacities as neshek (weapons) of Tzedek Olamim.

¹⁴ For Chet (sin) shall not exercise bailus (sovereignty, ownership, dominion) over you; for you are not under the epoch of Torah but under the epoch of Chesed (grace).

¹⁵ What then? Should we commit averah, because we are not under the epoch of Torah but under the epoch of Chesed? Chas v’shalom!

¹⁶ Do you not know that when you give control of yourselves as someone’s avadim (slaves) to obey him, you are the avadim (slaves) of the one you obey, whether of Chet (Sin) resulting in mavet (death), or of Lishmo’a b’kol Hashem (Listening to the voice of Hashem, mishma’at, obedience) resulting in Tzedek Olamim?

¹⁷ But Baruch Hashem (Blessed be G-d) that you used to be avadim (slaves) of [slave master] Chet, but you gave your mishma’at shebalev (obedience from the heart) to the pattern of Torah (the pnimiyus Torah of Moshiach YESHAYAH 42:4) to which you were handed over.

¹⁸ Having been set free from [slave master] Chet (sin), you became an eved of the Tzidkat Hashem (the righteousness of G-d).