12And so, my most beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but even more so now in my absence: work toward your salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God who works in you, both so as to choose, and so as to act, in accord with his good will. 14And do everything without murmuring or hesitation. 15So may you be without blame, simple sons of God, without reproof, in the midst of a depraved and perverse nation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, 16holding to the Word of Life, until my glory in the day of Christ. For I have not run in vain, nor have I labored in vain. 17Moreover, if I am to be immolated because of the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and give thanks with all of you. 18And over this same thing, you also should rejoice and give thanks, together with me.
1A Psalm of David, before he was sealed. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? 2Meanwhile, the guilty draw near to me, so as to eat my flesh. Those who trouble me, my enemies, have themselves been weakened and have fallen. 3If entrenched armies were to stand together against me, my heart would not fear. If a battle were to rise up against me, I would have hope in this. 4One thing I have asked of the Lord, this I will seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, so that I may behold the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple. 5For he has hidden me in his tabernacle. In the day of evils, he has protected me in the hidden place of his tabernacle. 6He has exalted me upon the rock, and now he has exalted my head above my enemies. I have circled around and offered a sacrifice of loud exclamation in his tabernacle. I will sing, and I will compose a psalm, to the Lord. 7Hear my voice, O Lord, with which I have cried out to you. Have mercy on me, and hear me. 8My heart has spoken to you; my face has sought you. I yearn for your face, O Lord. 9Do not turn your face away from me. In your wrath, do not turn aside from your servant. Be my helper. Do not abandon me, and do not despise me, O God, my Savior. 10For my father and my mother have left me behind, but the Lord has taken me up. 11O Lord, establish a law for me in your way, and direct me in the right path, because of my enemies. 12Do not surrender me to the souls of those who trouble me. For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity has lied to itself. 13I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. 14Wait for the Lord, act manfully; and let your heart be strengthened, and remain with the Lord.
14If you are reproached for the name of Christ, you will be blessed, because that which is of the honor, glory, and power of God, and that which is of his Spirit, rests upon you.
25Now great crowds traveled with him. And turning around, he said to them: 26“If anyone comes to me, and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and yes, even his own life, he is not able to be my disciple. 27And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me, is not able to be my disciple. 28For who among you, wanting to build a tower, would not first sit down and determine the costs that are required, to see if he has the means to complete it? 29Otherwise, after he will have laid the foundation and not been able to finish it, everyone who sees it may begin to mock him, 30saying: ‘This man began to build what he was not able to finish.’ 31Or, what king, advancing to engage in war against another king, would not first sit down and consider whether he may be able, with ten thousand, to meet one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32If not, then while the other is still far away, sending a delegation, he would ask him for terms of peace. 33Therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all that he possesses is not able to be my disciple.