We are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ’s name is: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the sinless one into sin, so that in him we might become the goodness of God. As his fellow workers, we beg…

At that time Peter began to tell Jesus, ‘What about us? We have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred…

To those who repent, God permits return,   and he encourages those who were losing hope. Return to the Lord and leave sin behind,   plead before his face and lessen your offence. Come back to the Most High and turn away from iniquity,   and hold in abhorrence all that is foul. Who will praise the Most…

When this perishable nature has put on imperishability, and when this mortal nature has put on immortality, then the words of scripture will come true: Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. So…

People were bringing little children to Jesus, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell…

A kindly turn of speech multiplies a man’s friends,   and a courteous way of speaking invites many a friendly reply. Let your acquaintances be many,   but your advisers one in a thousand. If you want to make a friend, take him on trial,   and be in no hurry to trust him; for one kind of…

Do not give your heart to your money,   or say, ‘With this I am self-sufficient.’ Do not be led by your appetites and energy   to follow the passions of your heart. And do not say, ‘Who has authority over me?’   for the Lord will certainly be avenged on you. Do not say, ‘I sinned, and…

John said to Jesus, ‘Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak…

My son, if you aspire to serve the Lord,   prepare yourself for an ordeal. Be sincere of heart, be steadfast,   and do not be alarmed when disaster comes. Cling to him and do not leave him,   so that you may be honoured at the end of your days. Whatever happens to you, accept it,   and…

All wisdom is from the Lord,   and it is his own for ever. The sand of the sea and the raindrops,   and the days of eternity, who can assess them? The height of the sky and the breadth of the earth,   and the depth of the abyss, who can probe them? Before all other things…