1And Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, and he called those greater by birth, and the leaders and judges and teachers. And they stood in the sight of the Lord. 2And he spoke to the people in this way: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Your fathers lived, in the beginning, across the river: Terah, the father of Abraham, and Nahor. And they served strange gods. 3Then I brought your father Abraham from the parts of Mesopotamia, and I led him into the land of Canaan. And I multiplied his offspring, 4and I gave to him Isaac. And to him, I gave again Jacob and Esau. And I gave mount Seir to Esau as a possession. Yet truly, Jacob and his sons descended into Egypt. 5And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I struck Egypt with many signs and portents. 6And I led you and your fathers away from Egypt, and you arrived at the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen, as far as the Red Sea. 7Then the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. And he stationed a darkness between you and the Egyptians, and he led the sea over them, and he covered them. Your eyes saw all that I did in Egypt, and you lived in the wilderness for a long time. 8And I led you into the land of the Amorite, who was living beyond the Jordan. And when they fought against you, I delivered them into your hands, and you possessed their land, and you put them to death. 9Then Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of Moab, rose up and fought against Israel. And he sent and called for Balaam, the son of Beor, so that he might curse you. 10And I was not willing to listen to him, but on the contrary, I blessed you through him, and I freed you from his hand. 11And you crossed over the Jordan, and you arrived at Jericho. And the men of that city fought against you: the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. And I delivered them into your hands. 12And I sent wasps before you. And I drove them from their places, the two kings of the Amorites, but not by your sword, and not by your bow. 13And I gave you a land, in which you did not labor, and cities, which you did not build, so that you might live in them, and vineyards and olive groves, which you did not plant.’ 14Now therefore, fear the Lord, and serve him with a perfect and very sincere heart. And take away the gods that your fathers served in Mesopotamia and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15But if it seems evil to you that you would serve the Lord, a choice is given to you. Choose today what pleases you, and whom you ought to serve above all else, either the gods that your fathers served in Mesopotamia, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 16And the people responded, and they said: “Far be it from us that we would forsake the Lord, and serve foreign gods. 17The Lord our God himself led us and our fathers away from the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude. And he accomplished immense signs in our sight, and he preserved us along the entire way by which we journeyed, and among all the people through whom we passed.
2I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will be ever in my mouth. 3In the Lord, my soul will be praised. May the meek listen and rejoice. 4Magnify the Lord with me, and let us extol his name in itself. 5I sought the Lord, and he heeded me, and he carried me away from all my tribulations. 6Approach him and be enlightened, and your faces will not be confounded. 7This poor one cried out, and the Lord heeded him, and he saved him from all his tribulations. 8The Angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear him, and he will rescue them. 9Taste and see that the Lord is sweet. Blessed is the man who hopes in him. 10Fear the Lord, all you his saints. For there is no destitution for those who fear him. 11The rich have been needy and hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not be deprived of any good thing. 12Come forward, sons. Listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 13Which is the man who wills life, who chooses to see good days? 14Prohibit your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 15Turn away from evil, and do good. Inquire about peace, and pursue it. 16The eyes of the Lord are on the just, and his ears are with their prayers. 17But the countenance of the Lord is upon those who do evil, to perish the remembrance of them from the earth. 18The just cried out, and the Lord heard them, and he freed them from all their tribulations. 19The Lord is near to those who are troubled in heart, and he will save the humble in spirit. 20Many are the afflictions of the just, but from them all the Lord will free them. 21The Lord preserves all of their bones, not one of them shall be broken.
21Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. 22Wives should be submissive to their husbands, as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church. He is the Savior of his body. 24Therefore, just as the Church is subject to Christ, so also should wives be subject to their husbands in all things. 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and handed himself over for her, 26so that he might sanctify her, washing her clean by water and the Word of life, 27so that he might offer her to himself as a glorious Church, not having any spot or wrinkle or any such thing, so that she would be holy and immaculate. 28So, too, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29For no man has ever hated his own flesh, but instead he nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ also does to the Church. 30For we are a part of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. 31“For this reason, a man shall leave behind his father and mother, and he shall cling to his wife; and the two shall be as one flesh.” 32This is a great Sacrament. And I am speaking in Christ and in the Church.
60He said these things when he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. 61Therefore, many of his disciples, upon hearing this, said: “This saying is difficult,” and, “Who is able to listen to it?” 62But Jesus, knowing within himself that his disciples were murmuring about this, said to them: “Does this offend you? 63Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending to where he was before? 64It is the Spirit who gives life. The flesh does not offer anything of benefit. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 65But there are some among you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who were unbelieving and which one would betray him. 66And so he said, “For this reason, I said to you that no one is able to come to me, unless it has been given to him by my Father.” 67After this, many of his disciples went back, and they no longer walked with him. 68Therefore, Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” 69Then Simon Peter answered him: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.