I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. My iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. The wages of my sin is death; but God commended His love toward me, in that while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. He was pierced through for my transgressions; He was crushed for my iniquities.

But the LORD was pleased to crush Him for my sake, as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. And unto me this was shown, that I might know that the Lord He is God; there is none else beside Him. Therefore, I was once darkness, but now I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me! The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loves me, and gave Himself for me. I will follow Him only, for there are many enemies of the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, and who set their minds on earthly things.

I endeavor to speak His Word faithfully, for the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. Therefore I am an ambassador for Christ. I implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. Seek the Lord while He may be found: Call upon Him while He is near, for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. If the world hates me for such, I know that it has hated Christ before it hated me. If I were of the world, the world would love me as its own; but I am not of this world, therefore the world hates me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. But the LORD is with me as a dreaded warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me, for I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, I will not be afraid of those who can kill my body and after that can do no more. Rather, I will fear the Lord. For whether I live, I live unto the Lord; and whether I die, I die unto the Lord. For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Therefore, I also have as my ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

To Him that loved me, and washed me from my sins in His own blood; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.