A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans

Brothers and Sisters:

None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, 

     and if we die, we die for the Lord; 

     so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

For this is why Christ died and came to life, 

     that he might be Lord 

     of both the dead and the living. 

We shall all stand before the judgment seat of God;

     for it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, 

     every knee shall bend before me,

     and every tongue shall give praise to God.”

So then each of us shall give an account of himself 

     to God.

The Word of the Lord