Daily Bible Reading: LEB Translation: Recent Episodes

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The reading for today is Job 40-42; Psalm 150; Revelation 22.

Job 40Then Yahweh answered Job and said,

"Shall a faultfinder contend with Shaddai?
Anyone who argues with God must answer it."

So Job answered Yahweh and said,
"Look, I am insignificant.
What shall I answer you?
I lay my hand on my mouth.
Once I have spoken, and I will not answer;
even twice, but I will not proceed."

Then Yahweh answered Job from the storm, and he said,
"Prepare yourself for a difficult task like a man,
and I will question you, and you shall declare to me.

"Indeed, would you annul my justice?
Would you condemn me, so that you might be righteous?
Or do you have an arm like God,
and can you thunder with a voice like his?
Adorn yourself with pride and dignity,
and clothe yourself with splendor.
Pour out the overflowing of your anger,
and look at all the proud, and humble them.
Look at all the proud, humble them,
and tread down the wicked where they stand.
Hide them in the dust together;
bind their faces in the grave.
And I will also praise you,
that your own right hand can save you.
"Look, Behemoth, which I have made just as I made you;
it eats grass like the ox.
Look, its strength is in its loins
and its power in the muscles of its stomach.
It keeps its tail straight like a cedar;
the sinews of its thighs are tightly wound.
Its bones are tubes of copper,
its limbs like rods of iron.
"It is the first of God’s actions;
the one who made him furnishes it with his sword.
Yes, the mountains yield produce for it,
and all wild animals play there.
Under the lotus tree it lies,
in the hiding place of the reeds and in the marsh.
The lotus trees cover it with their shade;
the wadi’s poplar trees surround it.
Look, if the river is turbulent, it is not frightened;
it is confident even though the Jordan rushes against its mouth.
Can anyone take it by its eyes?
Can he pierce its nose with a snare?

Job 41 "Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook?
Or can you tie down its mouth with a cord?
Can you put a rope in its nose?
Or can you pierce its jawbone with a hook?
Will it make numerous pleas for mercy to you?
Or will it speak gentle words to you?
Will it make a covenant with you?
Will you take it as a slave forever?
Will you play with it as with birds
and put it on a leash for your girls?
Will guildsmen bargain over it?
Will they divide it between tradesmen?
Can you fill its kin with harpoons
or its head with fish spears?
Lay your hands on it;
think about the battle—you will not do it again!
"Look, the hope of capturing it is false.
Will one be hurled down even at its sight?
Is it not fierce when somebody stirs it?
Who then is he who would stand before it?
Who has come to confront me, that I should repay him?
Under all the heavens, it belongs to me.
"I will not keep quiet concerning its limbs
or concerning the extent of its might and the gracefulness of its frame.
Who can strip off its outer covering?
Who can penetrate its double harness?
Who can open the doors of its face?
Its teeth all around are fearsome.
Its back has scales of shields;
it is shut up closely as with a seal.
They are close to one another—
even the air cannot come between them.
They are joined one to another;
they cling together and cannot be separated.
"Its snorting flashes forth light,
and its eyes are red like dawn.
Torches go from its mouth;
sparks of fire shoot out.
Smoke comes from its nostrils
as from a kettle boiling and burning bulrushes.
Its breath kindles charcoal,
and a flame comes from its mouth.
"Strength abides in its neck,
and dismay dances before it.
Its flesh’s folds of skin cling together;
it is cast on it—it will not be moved.
Its heart is cast as stone;
yes, it is cast as the lower millstone.
When it raises itself, the mighty ones are terrified;
they retreat because of its thrashing.
Reaching it with the sword does not avail,
nor with the spear, the dart, or the javelin.
It regards iron as straw,
bronze as rotten wood.
An arrow will not make it flee;
sling stones are turned to stubble for it.
Clubs are regarded as stubble,
and it laughs at the short sword’s rattle.
"Its underparts are shards of a potsherd;
it moves over mud like a threshing sledge.
It makes the deep boil like a cooking pot;
it makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
Behind it, it leaves a glistening wake;
one would think that the deep has gray hair.
"On the ground it has no equal—
a creature without fear.
It observes all the lofty;
it is king over all that are proud."

Job 42Then Job answered Yahweh and said,

"I know that you can do all things,
and any scheme from you will not be thwarted.
‘Who is this darkening counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I uttered, but I did not understand;
things too wonderful for me, but I did not know.
‘Hear and I will speak;
I will question you, then inform me.’
By the ear’s hearing I heard of you,
but now my eye has seen you.
Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes."

And then after Yahweh spoke these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath has been kindled against you and against the two of your friends, for you have not spoken to me what is right as my servant Job has. So then, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will pray for you, for I will certainly accept his prayer, so that it will not be done with you according to your folly, for you have not spoken to me what is right as my servant Job has."

So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did just as Yahweh had told them, and Yahweh accepted Job’s prayer.

Then Yahweh returned Job’s fortune when he prayed to him on behalf of his friends. Thus Yahweh increased all that Job had twice as much as before. So all his brothers and all his sisters and all those who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house and showed sympathy to him and comforted him for all the disaster that Yahweh had brought upon him. Then each one gave to him one piece of money, and each one gave to him one ornamental ring of gold.

So Yahweh blessed Job’s latter days more than his beginning. Thus he had fourteen thousand sheep and goats and six thousand camels and a thousand pair of oxen and a thousand female donkeys. And he had seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first Jemimah and the name of the second Keziah and the name of the third Qeren-Happuk. And beautiful women were not found in all the land like Job’s daughters, and their father gave to them an inheritance in the midst of their brothers.

And Job lived after this one hundred and forty years, and he saw his sons and his grandsons for four generations. Then Job died old and full of days.

Psalm 150Praise Yah.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty firmament.
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to the abundance of his greatness.
Praise him with blast of horn;
praise him with harp and lyre.
Praise him with tambourine and dancing;
praise him with strings and flute.
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with clashing cymbals.
Every breathing thing,
let it praise Yah.
Praise Yah.

Revelation 22And he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming out from the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street, and on both sides of the river is the tree of life, producing twelve fruits—yielding its fruit according to every month—and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. And there will not be any curse any longer, and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his slaves will serve him, and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will not exist any longer, and they will not have need of the light of a lamp and the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give light to them, and they will reign forever and ever.

And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true, and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his slaves the things which must take place in a short time."

"And behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

And I, John, am the one who heard and who saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed these things to me. And he said to me, "Do not do that! I am your fellow slave, and of your brothers the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near! The one who does evil, let him do evil still, and the defiled, let him be defiled still, and the righteous, let him practice righteousness still, and the holy, let him be holy still."

"Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to repay each one according to what his deeds are! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."

Blessed are the ones who wash their robes, so that their authority will be over the tree of life and they may enter into the city through the gates. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral people and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and who practices falsehood.

"I, Jesus, sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."

And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And the one who hears, let him say, "Come!" And the one who is thirsty, let him come. The one who wants, let him take the water of life freely.

I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and from the holy city that are written in this book.

The one who testifies about these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly!" Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.

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The reading for today is Job 37-39; Psalm 103; Revelation 21.

Job 37"About this also my heart trembles,
and it leaps from its place.
Listen carefully to his voice’s thunder
and the rumbling that goes out from his mouth.
He lets it loose under all the heavens,
and his lightning to the earth’s corners.
After it, his voice roars;
it thunders with his majestic voice,
and he does not restrain it when his voice is heard.
"God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways;
he does great things, and we cannot comprehend.
For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth’;
and the shower of rain, his heavy shower of rain—
he stops all human beings from working
so that everyone whom he has made may know it.
Then the animal goes into its den,
and it remains in its den.
"The storm wind comes from its chamber
and cold from the north wind.
By God’s breath, ice is given,
and the broad waters are frozen.
Also, he loads down thick clouds with moisture;
his lightning scatters the clouds.
And they turn around by his guidance
to accomplish all that he has commanded them
on the face of the habitable world.
Whether as correction or for his land,
or as loyal love, he lets it happen.
"Hear this, Job;
stand still and consider carefully God’s wondrous works.
Do you know how God commands them
and how he causes his cloud’s lightning to shine?
Do you know about the hovering of the clouds,
the marvelous works of the one with perfect knowledge?
You whose garments are hot,
when the earth is being still because of the south wind,
with him can you spread out the skies,
hard as a molten mirror?
"Teach us what we should say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of the presence of darkness.
Should he be told that I want to speak?
Or did a man say that he would be communicated with?
So then, they do not look at the light when it is bright in the skies,
when the wind has passed and has cleansed them.
From the north comes gold—
awesome majesty is around God.
As for Shaddai, we cannot attain him;
he is exalted in power,
and he does not oppress justice and abundant righteousness.
Therefore people revered him;
he does not regard any who think that they are wise."

Job 38Then Yahweh answered Job from the storm, and he said,

"Who is this darkening counsel
by words without knowledge?
Prepare yourself for a difficult task like a man,
and I will question you, and you shall declare to me.

"Where were you at my laying the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you possess understanding.
Who determined its measurement? Yes, you do know.
Or who stretched the measuring line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
when the morning stars were singing together
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
"Or who shut the sea in with doors
at its bursting, when it went out of the womb,
at my making the clouds its garment
and thick darkness its swaddling band,
and I prescribed my rule for it,
and I set bars and doors,
and I said, ‘You shall come up to here, but you shall not go further,
and here it will set a boundary for your proud surging waves’?
"Have you ever in your life commanded the morning?
Have you made the dawn know its place,
to take hold of the earth’s skirts
so that the wicked might be shaken off from it?
It is changed like clay under a seal,
and they appear like a garment.
And their light is withheld from the wicked,
and their uplifted arm is broken.
"Have you entered into the sea’s sources?
Or have you walked around in the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you?
Or have you seen the gates of deep shadow?
Have you considered closely the earth’s vast expanse?
Declare it, if you know all of it.
"Where then is the way where the light dwells?
And where then is its place,
that you may take it to its territory,
and that you might discern the paths to its home?
You know, for you were born then,
and the number of your days is great.
Have you entered into the storehouses of the snow,
or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
for the day of battle and war?
Where then is the way where the light is distributed,
where he scatters the east wind upon the earth?
"Who has cut open a channel for the torrents
and a way for the thunder bolts,
to bring rain on a land where no one lives,
a desert where no humans live,
to satisfy desert and wasteland,
and to cause the ground to put forth the rising of grass?
Is there a father for the rain,
or who fathered the drops of dew?
From whose womb did the ice come forth,
and who fathered the frost of heaven?
Like stone the waters become hard,
and the faces of the deep freeze.
"Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades,
or can you loosen the cords of Orion?
Can you lead forth the southern constellations at their appointed time,
or can you lead the Bear with its children?
Do you know heaven’s statutes,
or can you establish their rule on the earth?
Can you lift up your voice to the clouds
so that a flood of water may cover you?
Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go?
And will they say to you, ‘Here we are’?
Who has put wisdom in the ibis,
or who has given understanding to the rooster?
Who can number the clouds with wisdom?
Or who can tilt heaven’s jars,
at the flowing of the dust into a cast
and the clods cling together?
"Can you hunt prey for the lion?
And can you satisfy the hunger of strong lions
when they are crouched in the dens,
when they lie in the thicket in an ambush?
Who prepares for the crow its prey,
when its young ones cry to God for help,
and they wander around for lack of food?

Job 39"Do you know the time when the goats of the rocks give birth?
Do you observe the doe deer’s giving birth?
Can you number the months they fulfill,
and do you know the time of its giving birth?
When they crouch, they bring forth their young ones;
they get rid of their labor pains.
Their young ones grow strong; they grow up in the open;
they go forth and do not return to them.
"Who has sent forth the wild ass free?
And who has released the wild donkey’s bonds,
to which I have given the wilderness as its house
and the salt flat as its dwelling place?
It scorns the city’s turmoil;
it does not hear the driver’s shouts.
It explores the mountains as its pasture
and searches after every kind of green plant.
"Is the wild ox willing to serve you,
or will he spend the night at your feeding trough?
Can you tie the wild ox with its rope to a furrow,
or will it harrow the valleys after you?
Can you trust it because its strength is great,
or will you hand your labor over to it?
Can you rely on it that it will return your grain
and that it will gather it to your threshing floor?
"The wings of the female ostrich flap—
are they the pinions of the stork or the falcon?
Indeed, it leaves its eggs to the earth,
and it lets them be warmed on the ground,
and it forgets that a foot might crush an egg,
and a wild animal might trample it.
It deals cruelly with its young ones, as if they were not its own,
as if without fear that its labor were in vain,
because God made it forget wisdom,
and he did not give it a share in understanding.
When it spreads its wings aloft,
it laughs at the horse and its rider.
"Do you give power to the horse?
Do you clothe its neck with a mane?
Do you make it leap like the locust?
The majesty of its snorting is terrifying.
They paw in the valley, and it exults with strength;
it goes out to meet the battle.
It laughs at danger and is not dismayed,
and it does not turn back from before the sword.
Upon it the quiver rattles
along with the flash of the spear and the short sword.
With roar and rage it races over the ground,
and it cannot stand still at the sound of the horn.
Whenever a horn sounds, it says, ‘Aha!’
And it smells the battle from a distance—
the thunder of the commanders and the war cry.
"Does the hawk soar by your wisdom?
Does it spread its wings to the south?
Or does the eagle fly high at your command
and construct its nest high?
It lives on the rock and spends the night
on the rock point and the mountain stronghold.
From there it spies out the prey;
its eyes look from far away.
And its young ones lick blood greedily,
and where the dead carcasses are, there they are."

Psalm 103Of David. Bless Yahweh, O my soul,
and all within me, bless his holy name.
Bless Yahweh, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits:
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with loyal love and mercies,
who satisfies your life with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Yahweh does deeds of justice
and judgments for all who are oppressed,
who made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel.
Yahweh is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and abundant in loyal love.
He does not dispute continually,
nor keep his anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
nor repaid us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so his loyal love prevails over those who fear him.
As far as east is from west,
so he has removed far from us the guilt of our transgressions.
As a father pities his children,
so Yahweh pities those who fear him.
For he knows our frame.
He remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like the grass.
As the flower of the field, so he blossoms.
When the wind passes over it, it is no more,
and its place knows it no longer.
But the loyal love of Yahweh
is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to their children’s children,
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his precepts.
Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless Yahweh, you his angels,
you mighty heroes who do his word
by obeying the sound of his word.
Bless Yahweh, all you his hosts,
you his attendants who do his will.
Bless Yahweh, all his works,
in all the places of his dominion.
Bless Yahweh, O my soul.

Revelation 21And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea did not exist any longer. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

"Behold, the dwelling of God is with humanity,
and he will take up residence with them,
and they will be his people
and God himself will be with them.
And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes,
and death will not exist any longer,
and mourning or wailing or pain will not exist any longer.
The former things have passed away."

And the one seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new!" And he said, "Write, because these words are faithful and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water from the spring of the water of life freely. The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowards and unbelievers and detestable persons and murderers and sexually immoral people and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their share is in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.

And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and lofty mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, that has the glory of God. Its radiance is like a precious stone, something like a jasper stone, shining like crystal. It has a great and high wall that has twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on the gates which are of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel— on the east, three gates, and on the north, three gates, and on the south, three gates, and on the west, three gates. And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

And the one who spoke with me was holding a golden measuring rod in order that he could measure the city and its gates and its wall. And the city is laid out as a square, and its length is the same as its width. And he measured the city with the measuring rod at twelve thousand stadia; the length and the width and the height of it are equal. And he measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits according to human measure, which is the angel’s. And the material of its wall is jasper, and the city is pure gold, similar in appearance to pure glass. The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every kind of precious stone: the first foundation jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each one of the gates was from a single pearl. And the street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.

And I did not see a temple in it, for the Lord God All-Powerful is its temple, and the Lamb. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon, that they shine on it, for the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. And the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. And its gates will never be shut by day (for there will be no night there), and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. And every unclean thing and one who practices detestable things and falsehood will never enter into it, except those who are written in the book of life of the Lamb.

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The reading for today is Job 34-36; Revelation 20.

Job 34Thus Elihu spoke up and said,

"Hear my words, you wise men,
and listen to me, you who know,
for the ear tests words,
and the palate tastes food.
Let us choose justice for ourselves;
let us determine among ourselves what is good—
for Job has said, ‘I am righteous,
but God has taken away my justice.
Should I lie concerning my justice?
Though I am without transgression, my wound caused by an arrow is incurable.’
What man is like Job,
who drinks scorn like water?
And he goes on the road in company with instigators of mischief,
and walks with men of wickedness.
Indeed, he says, ‘A man does not profit
when he takes delight in God.’
"Therefore, listen to me, people who have sense:
far be it from God that he should commit wickedness
and that Shaddai should do wrong.
Indeed, he will repay according to a human being’s deeds,
and according to a man’s way he will let it happen to him.
What’s more, God truly does not act wickedly,
and Shaddai does not pervert justice.
Who gave him charge over the earth?
Or who laid on him the whole world?
If he should set his heart to it,
and he should gather his spirit and his breath to himself,
all flesh would perish together,
and humankind would return to dust.
"But if you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
Shall he who hates justice really govern?
Or will you declare the Righteous One, the Mighty, guilty?—
the one who says to a king,
‘You worthless man,’ to noblemen, ‘You wicked man,’
who shows no partiality to officials
and who does not take note of the noble more than of the insignificant,
for all of them are the work of his hands?
In a moment they die,
and in the middle of the night the people are shaken, and they pass away,
and they take away the mighty effortlessly.
"Indeed, his eyes are upon the ways of man,
and he sees all his steps.
There is no darkness, and there is no deep shadow
where instigators of mischief might hide themselves.
Indeed, he has not yet appointed a time for man
to go to God in the judgment.
He shatters the mighty without investigation,
and he sets others in their place.
Therefore he knows their works,
and he overturns them in the night
so that they are crushed.
He strikes them where the wicked stood,
where there are onlookers,
because they have turned aside from him
and have not understood any of his ways,
so that they cause the cry of distress from the helpless to come to him,
and he hears the cry of distress from the needy,
but he remains quiet, and who can condemn?
And he hides his face, and who can behold him?
Yet he is over a nation and over a person alike,
so that godless human beings should not reign,
nor those who ensnare the people.
"Indeed, does anyone say to God, ‘I have endured chastisement;
I will not act corruptly again;
teach me yourself what I cannot see;
if I have done wrong, I will not repeat it’?
According to your judgment, must he repay it because you rejected this?
Indeed, you must choose, and not I, so declare what you know.
Those who have sense say to me,
and the wise man hearing me says:
‘Job speaks without knowledge,
and his words are without insight.
Would that Job were tested up to the end
because his answers are like those from men of mischief,
for he adds transgression to his sin;
he claps hands among us,
and he multiplies his words against God.’"

Job 35Moreover, Elihu spoke up and said,

"Do you think this is justice when you say,
‘I am right before God’?
If you ask what it profits you:
‘How do I benefit by refraining from my sin?’
I myself will give answer to you
and to your friends with you.
"Look at the heavens, and see;
and observe the clouds that are higher than you.
If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
If you are righteous, what do you give to him,
or what does he receive from your hand?
Your wickedness affects a person like yourself,
and your righteousness affects humans.
"Because of the multitude of oppressions, they cry out;
they cry for help because of the arm of the mighty.
But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
who gives songs in the night,
who teaches us more than the animals of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
There they cry out, but he does not answer
because of the pride of evildoers.
"Surely God does not hear an empty plea,
and Shaddai does not regard it.
How much less when you say that you do not see him,
that the case is before him, and you are waiting for him!
But now, because his anger does not punish,
and he does not acknowledge the transgression at all,
therefore Job opens his mouth in empty talk—
without knowledge he multiplies words."

Job 36Then Elihu continued and said,

"Bear with me a little longer, and I will explain,
for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.
I will bring my knowledge from far away,
and I will ascribe righteousness to my maker,
for truly my words are not falsehood;
one who has perfect knowledge is with you.
Look, God is mighty but does not despise anyone;
he is mighty and good in understanding.
He does not keep the wicked alive
but grants justice to the afflicted.
He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
but he sets them forever with kings on the throne, and they are exalted.
"And if they are tied up with fetters,
if they are caught in the cords of misery,
then he declares their work to them,
and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.
So he opens their ear to the discipline,
and he commands that they return from mischief.
If they listen and serve him,
they complete their days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness.
But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword,
and they pass away without knowledge.
And the godless of heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he binds them.
They die in their youth,
and their life ends among the male shrine prostitutes.
He delivers the afflicted by his misery,
and he opens their ears by the adversity.
And what’s more, he allured you out of distress
into a broad place, where in place of it was no constraint;
and what was set on your table is full of fatness.
But you are obsessed with the judgment of the wicked;
judgment and justice take hold of you.
Yes, it is wrath, so that it will not incite you into mockery;
and do not let the ransom’s greatness turn you aside.
Will your cry for help sustain you without distress,
or all the efforts of your strength?
You must not long for the night,
to cut off people in their place.
Take care, you must not turn to mischief,
for because of this you have been tried by misery.
"Look, God is exalted in his power;
who is a teacher like him?
Who has prescribed his way for him?
Or who says, ‘You have done wrong’?
Remember that you should extol his work,
of which people have sung.
All human beings have looked on it;
everyone watches from afar.
"Look, God is exalted, and we do not know him;
the number of his years is unsearchable.
Indeed, he draws up the drops of water;
he distills the rain into its mist,
which the clouds pour down;
they shower abundantly on human beings.
"Moreover, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds,
the thundering of his dwelling place?
Look, he scatters his lightning around him,
and he covers the roots of the sea.
Indeed, he judges people by them;
he gives food in abundance.
He covers his hands with lightning,
and he commands it the place at which to strike.
His thundering tells about him;
the livestock also tell concerning what rises.

Revelation 20And I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan—and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it above him, in order that he could not deceive the nations again until the thousand years are completed. After these things it is necessary for him to be released for a short time.

And I saw thrones, and they sat down on them, and authority to judge was granted to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and did not receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand, and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over this person the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him a thousand years.

And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison and he will go out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to assemble them for battle, whose number is like the sand of the sea. And they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the fortified camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and consumed them. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet also are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

And I saw a great white throne and the one who was seated on it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and a place was not found for them. And I saw the dead—the great and the small—standing before the throne, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and each one was judged according to their deeds. And Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. And if anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

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The reading for today is Job 31-33; Psalm 102; Revelation 19.

Job 31"I made a covenant with my eyes,
so how could I look closely upon a virgin?
And what is the portion of God from above
or the heritage of Shaddai from on high?
Is not disaster for the evil one
and ruin for the workers of mischief?
Does he not see my ways
and count all my steps?
"If I have walked with falseness,
and my foot has hastened to deceit,
let him weigh me in the balance of justice,
and let God know my blamelessness.
If my steps have turned aside from the way,
and my heart has walked after my eyes,
and my hand has clung to a spot,
let me sow, and let another eat,
and let my crops be rooted out.
"If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
and at my neighbor’s doorway I have lain in wait,
let my wife grind for another,
and let other men kneel over her,
for that is a shameful act,
and that is a criminal offense.
Indeed, that is a fire that will consume up to Abaddon,
and it would uproot all my crop.
"If I have rejected my male or female slave’s case
when their complaint was against me,
then what shall I do when God rises up?
And when he enquires, how shall I answer him?
Did not he who made me in the womb make them?
And did not one fashion us in the womb?
"If I have withheld the desire of the poor from them,
or I have caused the widow’s eyes to fail,
or I have eaten my morsel alone,
and the orphan has not eaten from it
(for from my childhood he grew up with me like a father,
and from my mother’s womb I guided her),
if I have seen the one who perishes because of no clothing
or that there is no covering for the poor,
if his loins have not blessed me,
or by means of my sheep’s fleece he has warmed himself,
if I have raised my hand against an orphan
because I saw my supporters at the gate,
then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
and let my arm be broken from its socket.
Indeed, the disaster from God was a dread for me,
and I was powerless because of his majesty.
"If I have made gold my trust,
or I have called fine gold my security,
if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great
or because my hand found a fortune,
if I looked at the sun when it shone
or at the moon moving in splendor,
and I was secretly enticed,
and my hand threw them a kiss,
this also is an iniquity to be judged,
for I have deceived God above.
"If I have rejoiced at the ruin of the one who hated me
or have exulted when evil overtook him—
no, I have not allowed my mouth to sin,
to ask his life with a curse.
Have the people of my tent not said,
‘O that someone had not been satisfied with his meat’?
An alien has not lodged in the street;
I have opened my door to the traveler.
Have I concealed my transgressions as other human beings
to hide my iniquity in my bosom
because I dreaded the great multitude,
and the contempt of clans terrified me,
so that I kept quiet, I did not go out of the doorway?
O that I had someone hearing me!
Here is my signature;
let Shaddai answer me!
As for the written communication that my adversary has written,
I would surely carry it on my shoulder;
I would bind it on me like a crown.
I would give him an account of my steps;
I would approach him like a noble.
If my land has cried out against me,
and its furrows have wept together,
if I have eaten its yield without payment,
or I have caused the breath of its owners to die,
let thorns grow in place of wheat
and noxious weeds in place of barley."
The words of Job are ended.

Job 32Then these three men ceased from answering Job because he was righteous in his own eyes. So Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite, from the clan of Ram, became angry. He became angry at Job because he justified himself rather than God, and he became angry at his three friends because they had not found an answer, and they had declared Job guilty. Thus Elihu had waited for Job to speak because they were older than he. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, he became angry. Then Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up and said,

"I am young, but you are old;
therefore I feared and became afraid of explaining my knowledge to you.
I thought, ‘Let days speak,
and let many years teach wisdom.’
"Truly, it is a spirit in a human being,
and the breath of Shaddai teaches them.
It is not the aged who are wise,
or it is not the elders who understand justice.
Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
let me also declare my knowledge myself.’
"Look, I waited for your words;
I listened for your insight,
until you searched out what to say.
And I directed my attention to you;
and, look, there is no one for Job who refuted,
answering his words among you.
So do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;
let God refute him, not a man.’
But he did not direct his words to me,
and I will not answer him with your words.
"They are dismayed; they no longer answer;
they have nothing to say.
And I have waited because they do not speak,
because they stand there and no longer answer.
I myself will answer my share also;
I myself will declare my knowledge also,
for I am full of words;
the spirit within me urges me.
"Look, my internal organs are like unopened wine,
like new wineskins it is ready to burst open.
Let me speak that I may find relief;
let me open my lips, and let me answer.
Please let me not show partiality to anyone,
and let me not show flattery to human beings,
for I do not know how to flatter,
else my Maker would soon put an end to me.

Job 33"But now, please hear my speeches, Job,
and hear all my words.
Please look, I open my mouth;
my tongue in my mouth speaks.
My words declare my heart’s uprightness,
and my lips sincerely speak what my lips know.
The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of Shaddai gives life to me.
"If you are able, answer me.
Present your argument before me; take your stand.
Look, before God I am like you;
I myself was also formed from clay.
Look, dread of me should not terrify you,
and my hand will not be heavy upon you.
"Surely you have spoken in my ears,
and I have heard the sound of your words:
‘I am clean, without transgression;
I am pure, and there is no guilt in me.
Look, he finds fault against me;
he reckons me as his enemy;
he puts my feet in the block;
he watches all my paths.’
"Look, in this you are not right—I will answer you:
Indeed, God is greater than a human being.
Why do you contend against him,
that he will not answer all a person’s words?
Indeed, God speaks in one way,
even in two, yet someone does not perceive it.
"In a dream, a vision of the night,
when a deep sleep falls on men slumbering on their bed,
then he opens the ear of men,
and he frightens them with a warning
to turn human beings aside from their deeds,
and he keeps man from pride.
He spares his life from the pit
and his life from passing over the river of death.
"And he is reproved with pain on his bed,
even with the strife of his bones continually,
so that his life loathes bread,
and his inner self loathes appetizing food.
His flesh is wasted away from sight,
and his bones, which are invisible, are bared.
And he draws near to the pit
and his life to the killers.
"If there is a messenger beside him, a mediator, one of a thousand,
to declare to a human being his uprightness
so that he is gracious to him, and he says,
‘Deliver him from descending into the pit;
I have found a ransom.’
His flesh is renewed with his youth;
he returns to the days of his youthful strength.
He prays to God, then he accepts him,
and he sees his face with a shout of joy,
and he repays to the human being his righteousness.
"He will sing to men, and he will say,
‘I have sinned and have perverted what is right,
and it was not paid back to me.
He redeemed my life from going down into the pit,
so I will enjoy the light.’
Look, God does all these things
twice, three times with a person
to bring his life back from the pit
so that he may enjoy the light of life.
"Listen attentively, Job; listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
If you have anything to say, answer me;
speak, for I desire to justify you.
If not, you listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom."

Psalm 102A prayer of one afflicted, when he grows faint and pours out his lament before Yahweh. O Yahweh, hear my prayer,
and let my cry for help come to you.
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my trouble.
Incline your ear to me.
In the day I call, answer me quickly,
for my days vanish in smoke,
and my bones are charred like a hearth.
My heart is struck like grass and withers.
Indeed, I forget to eat my bread.
Because of the sound of my groaning
my bones cling to my skin.
I am like an owl of the wilderness;
I am like a little owl of the ruins.
I lie awake and I am
like a lone bird on a roof.
All the day my enemies reproach me;
those who mock me swear oaths against me.
Indeed, I eat ashes like bread
and mix my drink with tears
because of your indignation and anger,
for you have picked me up and thrown me away.
My days are like a lengthened shadow,
and I wither like grass.
But you, O Yahweh, abide forever,
and your remembrance from generation to generation.
You rise up and take pity on Zion,
because it is time to favor it,
for the appointed time has come.
Your servants take pleasure in her stones,
and show favor to its dust.
Then the nations will fear the name of Yahweh,
and all the kings of the earth your glory.
For Yahweh will rebuild Zion;
he will appear in his glory.
He will turn his attention to the prayer of the destitute
and will not despise their prayer.
Let this be written for the next generation,
so that a people yet to be created may praise Yah,
that he looked down from his holy height.
Yahweh looked from heaven over the earth
to hear the groaning of the prisoner,
to liberate those destined to die,
so that they may make known in Zion the name of Yahweh,
and his praise in Jerusalem,
when the peoples assemble,
together with kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.
He has broken my strength along the way;
he has cut short my days.
I say, "My God, do not carry me off
from my life in the middle of my days."
Your years continue throughout all generations.
Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you will endure.
And like a garment they will all wear out,
you will replace them like clothing, and they will be set aside.
But you are the same,
and your years do not end.
The children of your servants will continue,
and their descendants will be established before you.

Revelation 19After these things I heard something like the loud sound of a great crowd in heaven saying,

"Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
because his judgments are true and righteous,
because he has passed judgment on the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,
and has avenged the blood of his slaves shed by her hand!"

And a second time they said,

"Hallelujah!"

And her smoke goes up forever and ever. And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying,

"Amen! Hallelujah!"

And a voice came out from the throne, saying,

"Praise our God
all his slaves,
and those who fear him,
the small and the great!"

And I heard something like the sound of a great crowd and something like the sound of many waters and something like the sound of powerful thunder, saying,

"Hallelujah!
For the Lord God, the All-Powerful, reigns!
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him the glory,
because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has prepared herself.
And it has been granted to her that she be dressed in bright, clean fine linen (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints).

And he said to me, "Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet of the wedding celebration of the Lamb!" And he said to me, "These are the true words of God." And I fell down before his feet to worship him, and he said to me, "Do not do that! I am a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and the one seated on it was called "Faithful" and "True," and with justice he judges and makes war. Now his eyes were a flame of fire, and on his head were many royal headbands having a name written that no one except he himself knows. And he was dressed in an outer garment dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies that are in heaven, dressed in clean, white fine linen, were following him on white horses. And out of his mouth came a sharp sword, so that with it he could strike the nations. And he will shepherd them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the wine of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful. And he has a name written on his outer garment and on his thigh: "King of kings and Lord of lords."

And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly directly overhead,

"Come! Assemble for the great banquet of God,
in order that you may eat the flesh of kings,
and the flesh of military tribunes,
and the flesh of the powerful,
and the flesh of horses and those seated on them,
and the flesh of all people,
both free and slave,
and small and great!"

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war with the one who is seated on the horse and with his army. And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs before him, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. And the rest were killed by the sword of the one who is seated on the horse—the sword that comes out of his mouth—and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

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The reading for today is Job 28-30; Revelation 18.

Job 28"Indeed, there is a mine for silver
and a place for gold to be refined.
Iron is taken from dust,
and he pours out copper from ore.
He puts an end to darkness,
and he searches out the farthest limits
for the ore in gloom and deep shadow.
He breaks open a mine shaft away from where people dwell;
those who are forgotten by travelers,
they dangle, they sway far away from human beings.
As for the earth, from it comes food,
but underneath it, it is turned up as by fire.
Its stones are the place of sapphire,
and the earthen dirt has gold.
"It is a path a bird of prey does not know
and the black kite’s eye has not seen.
Proud wild animals have not trodden it;
the lion in its prime has not prowled over it.
He puts his hand on the hard rock;
he overturns mountains by the roots.
He cuts out tunnels in the rocks,
and his eye sees every treasure.
He dams up rivers from their sources,
and he brings secret things to the light.
"But from where will wisdom be found?
And where in the world is the place of understanding?
A human being does not know its proper value,
and it is not found in the land of the living.
The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’
and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
"Refined gold cannot be gotten in its place,
and silver cannot be weighed out as its price.
It cannot be bought for the gold of Ophir,
for precious onyx or sapphire.
Gold and glass cannot be compared with it,
and its substitution cannot be an ornament of refined gold.
Black corals and crystal will not be mentioned,
and wisdom’s price is more than red corals.
The topaz of Cush cannot be compared with it;
it cannot be bought for pure gold.
Indeed, from where does wisdom come?
And where in the world is the place of understanding?
It is hidden from the eyes of all living,
and it is concealed from the birds of the heaven.
Abaddon and Death say,
‘We heard its rumor with our ears.’
"God understands its way,
and he knows its place,
for he himself looks to the end of the earth;
he sees under all the heaven.
When he gave weight to the wind
and he apportioned the waters by measure,
when he made a rule for the rain
and a way for the thunder’s lightning bolt,
then he saw it and talked about it;
he established it, and moreover, he explored it.
And to the human beings he said,
‘Look, the fear of the Lord is wisdom,
and to depart from evil is understanding.’"

Job 29Then Job again took up his discourse and said,

"O that I were as in the months before,
as in the days when God watched over me,
when his shining lamp was over my head—
by his light I walked through darkness—
as when I was in the days of my prime,
when God’s confiding was over my house,
when Shaddaiwas still with me,
my children were all around me,
when my paths were washed in sour milk,
and the rock poured out streams of oil for me.
"At my going out the gate to the city,
I secured my seat in the square.
Young men saw me and stepped aside,
and the aged rose up and stood.
Officials refrained from talking,
and they laid their hand on their mouth.
The voices of nobles were hushed,
and their tongue stuck to their palate.
"When the ear heard and commended me,
and the eye saw and testified in support of me
because I saved the needy who cried for help,
and I saved the orphan for whom there was no helper.
The blessing of the wretched came upon me,
and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
my justice was like a robe and a headband.
"I was eyes to the blind,
and I was feet to the lame.
I was a father to the poor,
and I investigated the stranger’s legal dispute.
And I broke the evil one’s jaw bones,
and I made his prey drop from his teeth.
"And I thought, ‘I will pass away in my nest,
and like the phoenix I shall multiply my days.
My roots were open to water,
and dew spent the night on my branches;
My glory was new with me,
and I was revitalized regularly.’
"They listened to me and waited,
and they kept silent for my counsel.
After my word, they did not speak again,
and my word dropped down like dew upon them.
And they waited for me as for the rain,
and they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain.
I smiled for them when they had no confidence in anything,
and they did not extinguish the light of my face.
I chose their way, and I sat as head,
and I dwelled like a king among the troops,
like one who comforts mourners.

Job 30"But now those younger than I, as far as days, laugh at me,
whose fathers I rejected for setting with the dogs of my sheep and goats.
Moreover, what use to me is the strength of their hands?
With them, vigor is destroyed.
Through want and through barren hunger
they are gnawing in the dry region in the darkness of desolation and waste.
They are picking salt herbs, the leaves of bushes,
and the roots of broom trees to warm themselves.
They were driven out from fellow people;
they shout at them as at a thief,
so that they dwell
in holes of the ground and in the rocks.
They bray among the bushes;
they are gathered under the nettles.
A senseless crowd, yes, a disreputable brood,
they were cast out from the land.
"But now I am their mocking song,
and I have become a byword for them.
They abhor me; they keep aloof from me,
and they do not withhold spit from my face
because he has loosened his bowstring and humbled me,
and they have thrown off restraint in my presence.
On the right hand the brood rises up;
they put me to flight,
and they build up their siege ramps against me.
They destroy my path;
they promote my destruction;
they have no helper.
As through a wide breach they come;
amid a crash they rush on.
Terrors are turned upon me;
my honor is pursued as by the wind,
and my hope of deliverance passed by like a cloud.
"And now my life is poured out onto me;
days of misery have taken hold of me.
At night I am in great pain;
my pains do not take a rest.
He seizes my clothing with great power;
he grasps me by my tunic’s collar.
He has cast me into the dirt,
and I have become like dust and ashes.
I cry to you for help, but you do not answer me;
I stand, and you merely look at me.
You have turned cruel to me;
you persecute me with your hand’s might.
You lift me up to the wind—you make me ride it,
and you toss me about in the storm.
Indeed, I know that you will bring me to death
and to the house of assembly for all the living.
"Surely someone must not send a hand against the needy
when, in his misfortune, there is a cry of help for them.
Have I not wept for the unfortunate,
and grieved myself over the poor?
Indeed, I hoped for good, but evil came,
and I waited for light, but darkness came.
My bowels are in turmoil, and they are not still;
days of misery come to confront me.
I go about in mourning garb, but not in sunlight;
I stand up in the assembly, and I cry for help.
I am a companion for the jackals
and a companion for ostriches.
My skin turns black on me,
and my bones burn with heat.
So my lyre came to be used for mourning,
and my flute for the voice of those who weep.

Revelation 18After these things I saw another angel descending from heaven, who had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. And he cried out with a powerful voice, saying,

"Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great,
and it has become a dwelling place of demons
and a haunt of every unclean spirit
and a haunt of every unclean bird
and a haunt of every unclean and detested animal.
For all the nations have drunk
from the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,
and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her,
and the merchants of the earth have become rich
from the power of her sensuality."

And I heard another voice from heaven saying,

"Come out from her, my people,
so that you will not participate in her sins,
and so that you will not receive her plagues,
because her sins have reached up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
Pay back to her as she herself also paid out,
and pay back double according to her deeds;
in the cup that she mixed, mix double for her.
As much as she glorified herself and lived in luxury,
give to her so much torment and mourning,
because in her heart she said,
‘I sit as a queen, and am not a widow,
and I will never see mourning!’
Because of this her plagues will come in one day—
death and mourning and famine—
and she will be burned up with fire,
because the Lord God who passes judgment on her is powerful!"

And the kings of the earth will weep and mourn over her, those who committed sexual immorality and lived sensually with her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing far off because of the fear of her torment, saying,

"Woe, woe, the great city,
Babylon the powerful city,
because in one hour your judgment has come!"

And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo any more— cargo of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple cloth and silk and scarlet cloth and all kinds of scented wood and all kinds of ivory goods and all kinds of goods of precious wood and bronze and iron and marble and cinnamon and amomum and incense and ointment and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine wheat flour and wheat and domesticated animals and sheep and horses and carriages and slaves and human lives.

"And the fruit your soul desires has departed from you,
and all the luxury and the splendor has perished from you,
and they will never find them any more."

The merchants of these things, who became rich from them, will stand far off, weeping and mourning because of the fear of her torment, saying,

"Woe, woe, the great city,
dressed in fine linen and purple cloth and scarlet cloth,
and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls,
because in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!"

And every shipmaster and every seafarer and sailors and all those who labor on the sea stood far off and began to cry out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, "Who is like the great city?" And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying,

"Woe, woe, the great city,
in which all those who had ships on the sea
became rich from her prosperity,
because in one hour she has been laid waste!"
Rejoice over her, heaven
and the saints and the apostles and the prophets,
because God has pronounced your judgment on her!"

And one powerful angel picked up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,

"In this way Babylon the great city will be thrown down with violence,
and will never be found again!
And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute players and trumpeters
will never be heard in you again!
And every craftsman of every trade
will never be found in you again!
And the sound of a mill
will never be heard in you again!
And the light of a lamp
will never shine in you again!
And the sound of a bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again!
For your merchants were the most important people of the earth,
because with your sorcery they deceived all the nations.
And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints
and all those who had been slaughtered on the earth.

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The reading for today is Job 24-27; Revelation 17.

Job 24"Why are not times kept by Shaddai,
and why do not those who know him see his days?
They remove border stones;
they seize flocks, and they pasture them.
They drive away the donkey of orphans;
they take the widow’s ox as a pledge.
They thrust the poor off the road;
the needy of the earth hide themselves together.
"Look, like wild donkeys in the desert
they go out to their labor as searchers for the prey;
the wilderness is their food for the young.
They reap their fodder in the field,
and they glean in the vineyard of the wicked.
They spend the night naked, without clothing,
and they have no garment in the cold.
They are wet from the rainstorm of the mountains,
and they cling to the rock without refuge.
"They snatch the orphan from the breast,
and they take a pledge against the needy.
They go about naked, without clothing,
and hungry, they carry the sheaves.
Between their terraces they press out oil;
they tread the presses, but they are thirsty.
From the city people groan,
and the throat of the wounded cries for help;
yet God does not regard it as unseemly.
"Those are among the ones rebelling against the light;
they do not recognize his ways,
and they do not stay in his paths.
At dusk the murderer rises;
he kills the needy and the poor,
and in the night he is like a thief.
And the eye of the adulterer waits for dusk,
saying, ‘No eye will see me,’
and he places a covering on his face.
He digs through houses in the darkness;
by day they shut themselves in—
they do not know the light
because morning likewise is to them deep darkness;
indeed, they know about the terrors of deep darkness.
"He himself is swift on the water’s surface;
their portion is cursed in the land.
No one turns toward the path of their vineyards.
Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters,
like Sheol snatches away those who have sinned.
The womb forgets him.
The maggot feasts on him until he is no longer remembered,
and wickedness is broken like a tree.
He feeds on the barren, who does not have a child,
and does no good to the widow.
Yet he carries off the tyrants by his strength;
if he rises up, then he cannot be certain of life.
He gives security to him, and he is supported,
but his eyes are upon their ways.
They are exalted a little while, then they are gone.
And they are brought low; they are cut off like all others,
and like the heads of grain they wither away.
"And if it is not so, then who can prove me a liar
and reduce my word to nothing?"

Job 25Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

"Domination and dread are with him
who makes peace in his high heavens.
Is there a number to his troops?
And upon whom does his light not rise?
"Indeed, how can a human being be righteous before God?
And how will he who is born of a woman be pure?
Look, even the moon is not bright,
and the stars are not pure in his sight.
How much less for a human being who is a maggot,
and a human who is a worm?"

Job 26Then Job answered and said,

"How you have helped one who has no power!
How you have assisted the arm that has no strength!
How you have advised one who has no wisdom!
And what sound wisdom you have made known in abundance!
With whose help have you uttered words,
and whose breath has come forth from you?
"The spirits of the dead tremble
below the waters and their inhabitants.
Sheol is naked before him,
and there is no covering for Abaddon.
He stretches out the north over emptiness;
he hangs the earth over nothing.
He ties up the water in its clouds,
and the cloud is not torn open beneath it.
He covers the face of the full moon;
he spreads his cloud over it.
He has described a circle on the face of the water
between light and darkness.
"The pillars of heaven tremble,
and they are astounded at his rebuke.
By his power he stilled the sea,
and by his understanding he struck down Rahab.
By his breath the heavens were made clear;
his hand pierced the fleeing snake.
Look, these are the outer fringes of his ways,
and how faint is the word that we hear of him!
But who can understand the thunder of his power?"

Job 27Then Job again took up his discourse and said,

"As God lives, he has removed my justice,
and Shaddai has made my inner self bitter.
For as long as my breath is in me,
and the spirit of God is in my nose,
my lips surely will not speak falseness,
and my tongue surely will not utter deceit.
Far be it from me that I would say that you are right;
until I pass away, I will not put away from me my blamelessness.
I hold fast to my righteousness, and I will not let it go;
my heart will not blame any of my days.
"Let my enemy be like the wicked
and my opponent like the unrighteous,
for what is the hope of the godless when he cuts them off,
when God takes away his life?
Will God hear his cry of distress
when distress comes upon him?
Or, in Shaddai will he find delight?
Will he call upon God at all times?
"I will teach you about God’s hand;
I will not conceal that which is with Shaddai.
Look, you all have seen,
and why in the world have you become altogether vain?
"This is the portion of the wicked human being with God,
and they receive from Shaddai the inheritance of the ruthless.
If their children multiply, it is for the sword,
and his offspring do not have enough to eat.
Their survivors are buried through the plague,
and their widows do not weep.
If he heaps up silver like the dust
and fashions clothing like the clay,
he makes it ready, and the righteous will wear it,
and the innocent will divide the silver.
"He builds his house like the moth,
and like a booth that a watchman has made.
He goes to bed with wealth, but he will do so no more;
he opens his eyes, and it is gone.
Terrors overtake him like the water;
a storm wind carries him off in the night.
The east wind lifts him up, and he is gone,
and it sweeps him away from his place.
And it hurls at him, and it has no compassion;
he will quickly flee from its power.
It claps its hands over him,
and it hisses at him from its place.

Revelation 17And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and those who live on the earth became drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality." And he carried me away into the wilderness in the Spirit, and I saw a woman seated on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, holding a golden cup in her hand full of detestable things and the unclean things of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead a name was written, a mystery: "Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth." And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses to Jesus.

And I was greatly astonished when I saw her. And the angel said to me, "Why are you astonished? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that has the seven heads and the ten horns that carries her. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is going to come up from the abyss, and he is going to destruction. And those who live on the earth, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and will be present. Here is the mind that has wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits and they are seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and whenever he comes it is necessary for him to remain a short time. And the beast that was, and is not, is also himself an eighth, and is of the seven, and he is going to destruction. And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast. These have one opinion, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful."

And he said to me, "The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and crowds and nations and languages. And the ten horns that you saw and the beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her desolate and naked, and they will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. For God put into their hearts to carry out his purpose and to make a unanimous decision and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.

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The reading for today is Job 21-23; Psalm 101; Revelation 16.

Job 21Then Job answered and said,

"Listen carefully to my words,
and let this be your consolation.
Bear with me, and I myself will speak;
then after my speaking you can mock.
As for me, is my complaint for human beings?
And if so, why cannot I be impatient?
Turn to me and be appalled,
and place your hand on your mouth.
And when I think of it, I am horrified,
and shuddering seizes my flesh.
"Why do the wicked live,
grow old, even grow mighty in power?
With them their offspring are established before them,
and their descendants before their eyes.
Their houses are safe without fear,
and the rod of God is not upon them.
His bull breeds and does not fail;
his cow calves and does not miscarry.
They send out their little ones like the flock,
and their children dance around.
They sing to the tambourine and lyre,
and they rejoice to the sound of the long flute.
They spend their days in prosperity,
and in peace they go down to Sheol.
And they say to God, ‘Turn away from us,
for we do not desire to know your ways.
Who is Shaddai that we should serve him,
or what would we benefit when we plead with him?’
Look, their prosperity is not in their hands;
the schemes of the wicked are repugnant to me.
"How often is the lamp of the wicked put out,
and their disaster comes upon them?
He distributes pains in his anger.
How often are they like straw before the wind,
and like chaff that the storm carries away?
‘God stores up his iniquity for his children’?
Then let him repay it to him that he may know.
Let his eyes see his decay,
and let him drink from the wrath of Shaddai,
for what does he care for his house after him,
when the number of his months is cut off?
Can anyone teach knowledge to God,
since he himself judges high ones?
This one dies in full prosperity,
completely at ease and secure.
His vats are full with milk
and the marrow of his bones is moist.
Yet another dies with a bitter inner self
and has not tasted prosperity.
They lie down together in the dust,
and maggots cover them.
"Look, I know your thoughts
and the schemes you devise against me.
For you say, ‘Where is the nobleman’s house,
and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’
Do you not ask those traveling the roads,
and do you not take notice of their accounts?
Indeed, the wicked is spared from the day of disaster;
he is delivered from the day of wrath.
Who denounces his way to his face?
And who repays him for what he has done?
When he is brought to the grave,
then someone stands guard over the tomb.
The clods of the valley are sweet to him;
everyone will follow after him,
and before him they are innumerable.
So how will you comfort me with emptiness,
when fraud is left in your answers?"

Job 22Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

"Can a man be of use to God?
Yes, can the wise be of use to him?
Is it a pleasure to Shaddai if you are righteous,
or a gain if you make your ways blameless?
Does he reprove you because of your reverence
or enter into judgment with you?
Is not your wickedness great,
and there is no end to your iniquities?
"Indeed, you have required a pledge from your family for nothing,
and you have stripped off the clothes of the naked.
You have given no water for the weary to drink,
and you withheld food from the hungry.
And the land belongs to the man of power,
and the favored lives in it.
You have sent widows away empty-handed,
and the arms of orphans were crushed.
Therefore trapping nets are all around you,
and panic suddenly terrifies you,
or it is so dark you cannot see,
and a flood of water covers you.
"Is not God in the height of the heavens?
But see how lofty are the highest stars.
And you ask, ‘What does God know?
Can he judge through deep gloom?
Thick clouds are a covering for him, so that he does not see;
and he walks about on the dome of heaven.’
Will you keep to the way of old
that the people of mischief have trod,
who were snatched away before their time,
whose foundation was washed away by a current?
Those who said to God, ‘Turn away from us,’
and ‘What can Shaddai do to us?’
Yet he himself filled up their houses with good things,
but the schemes of the wicked are repugnant to me.
The righteous see, and they rejoice,
but the innocent one mocks at them.
Surely our foe perishes,
and fire has consumed their remainder.
"Please reconcile yourself with him,
and be at peace; in this way, good will come to you.
Please receive instruction from his mouth,
and place his words in your heart.
If you return to Shaddai, you will be restored;
if you remove wickedness from your tent,
and if you put gold ore in the dust,
and the gold of Ophir in the rock of wadis,
then Shaddai will be your gold ore
and your precious silver.
Indeed, then you will delight yourself in Shaddai,
and you will expect that God will be good to you.
You will pray to him, and he will hear you,
and you will pay your vows.
And you will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you,
and light will shine on your ways.
When they are humiliated, you say, ‘It is pride,’
for he saves the humble.
He will deliver the guilty,
and he will escape because of the cleanness of your hands."

Job 23Then Job answered and said,

"Even today my complaint is bitter;
my hand is heavy in addition to my groaning.
O that I knew and that I might find him;
O that I might come to his dwelling.
I would lay my case before him,
and I would fill my mouth with arguments.
I want to know the words with which he would answer me,
and I want to understand what he would say to me.
Would he contend with me in the greatness of his strength?
No, but he himself would give heed to me.
There an upright person could reason with him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.
"When I go forward, he is not there,
or backward, I cannot see him.
When he works on the left, I cannot perceive him;
he turns to the right, but I cannot see him.
But he knows the way that I take;
he tests me—I shall come out like gold.
My foot has held on to his steps;
I have kept his way, and I have not turned aside.
From the commandment of his lips, indeed I have not departed;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily food.
"But he is alone, and who can dissuade him?
And whatever he desires, indeed, he does it.
For he will carry out what he appoints for me,
and many things like these are with him.
Therefore, I am horrified because of his presence;
when I consider, I tremble because of him.
Indeed, God has made my heart faint,
and Shaddai has terrified me.
Indeed, I have not been silenced because of darkness,
and because of me he conceals thick darkness.

Psalm 101Of David. A psalm. I will sing of loyal love and justice;
I will sing praises to you, O Yahweh.
I will give attention to the way of integrity.
When will you come to me?
I will walk in the integrity of my heart
in the midst of my house.
I will not set before my eyes
any wicked thing.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
it will not cling to me.
A perverse heart will depart from me;
I will not know evil.
One who slanders his neighbor in secret,
him I will destroy.
One haughty of eyes and arrogant of heart,
him I will not endure.
My eyes will be on the faithful of the land,
that they may live with me.
He who walks in the way of integrity,
he shall minister to me.
There will not live in the midst of my house
a worker of deceit.
One who speaks lies
will not remain before my eyes.
Each morning,
I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
cutting off from the city of Yahweh all evildoers.

Revelation 16And I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God." And the first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and there was an evil and painful sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

And the second poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood, like that of a dead person, and every living thing that was in the sea died.

And the third poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying,

"You are righteous, the one who is and the one who was, the Holy One,
because you have judged these things,
because they have poured out the blood of the saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink;
they are deserving!"

And I heard the altar saying,

"Yes, Lord God All-Powerful,
true and righteous are your judgments."

And the fourth poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was granted to it to burn up people with fire. And people were burned up by the great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has the authority over these plagues, and they did not repent to give him glory.

And the fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened, and they began chewing their tongues because of the pain. And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pain and because of their sores, and they did not repent of their deeds.

And the sixth poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, in order that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east. And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are the spirits of demons performing signs that go out to the kings of the whole inhabited world, to gather them for the battle of the great day of God the All-Powerful. (Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who is on the alert and who keeps his clothing, so that he does not walk around naked and they see his shamefulness!) And he gathered them to the place called in Hebrew Armageddon.

And the seventh poured out his bowl on the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" And there were lightnings and sounds and thunders, and there was a great earthquake, as has not happened from the time humanity has been on the earth—so great in this way was the earthquake. And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of his furious wrath. And every island fled, and mountains were not found. And large hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds, came down from the sky upon people, and the people blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, because the plague of it was very great.

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The reading for today is Job 18-20; Psalm 141; Revelation 15.

Job 18Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

"How long will you hunt for words?
Consider, and afterward we shall speak.
Why are we considered as animals?
Why are we taken as stupid in your eyes?
"You who are tearing yourself in your anger,
will the earth be forsaken because of you?
Or will the rock be removed from its place?
Furthermore, the light of the wicked is put out,
and the flame of his fire will not shine.
The light becomes dark in his tent,
and his lamp above him is put out.
"His strong steps are shortened,
and his own schemes throw him down,
for he is thrust into a net by his feet,
and he walks into a pitfall.
A trap seizes him by the heel;
a snare takes hold of him.
His rope is hidden in the ground,
and his trap on the path.
"Sudden terrors terrify him all around,
and they chase him at his heels.
His wealth will become hunger,
and disaster is ready for his stumbling.
It consumes parts of his skin;
the firstborn of death consumes his limbs.
He is torn from his tent in which he trusted,
and it brought him to the king of terrors.
"Nothing remains for him in his tent;
sulfur is scattered upon his dwelling place.
His roots dry up below,
and its branches wither away above.
His remembrance perishes from the earth,
and there is not a name for him on the street.
"They thrust him from light into darkness,
and they drive him out from the world.
There is no offspring for him nor a descendant among his people,
and there is not a survivor in his abode.
Those of the west are appalled over his fate,
and those of the east are seized with horror.
Surely these are the dwellings of the godless,
and this is the dwelling place of him who knows not God."

Job 19Then Job answered and said,

"How long will you torment me
and crush me with words?
These ten times you have disgraced me;
you are not ashamed that you have attacked me.
And what is more, if I have truly erred,
my error remains with me.
If indeed you must magnify yourselves against me,
and you must let my disgrace argue against me,
know then that God has wronged me
and has surrounded me with his net.
"Look, I cry out, ‘Violence!’ but I am not answered;
I cry out, but there is no justice.
He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass;
and he has set darkness upon my paths.
He has taken my glory from me,
and he has removed the crown of my head.
He has broken me down all around, and I am gone.
And he has uprooted my hope like a tree,
and he has kindled his wrath against me,
and he has counted me as one of his foes.
His troops have come together
and have thrown up their rampart against me
and have encamped around my tent.
"He has removed my kinsfolk from me,
and my acquaintances have only turned aside from me.
My relatives have failed,
and my close friends have forgotten me.
The sojourners in my house and my slave women count me as a stranger;
I have become a foreigner in their eyes.
I call to my servant, but he does not answer;
I must personally plead with him.
My breath is repulsive to my wife,
and I am loathsome to my own family.
Little boys also despise me;
when I rise, then they talk against me.
All my intimate friends abhor me,
and these whom I have loved have turned against me.
My bones cling to my skin and to my flesh,
and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
"Pity me, pity me, you my friends,
for God’s hand has touched me.
Why do you pursue me like God?
And are not satisfied with my flesh?
"O that my words could be written down!
O that they could be inscribed in a scroll!
That with a pen of iron and with lead
they might be engraved on a rock forever!
But I myself know that my redeemer is alive,
and at the last he will stand up upon the earth.
And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
but from my flesh I will see God,
whom I will see for myself,
and whom my eyes will see and not a stranger.
My heart faints within me.
"If you say, ‘How will we persecute him?’
And ‘The root of the trouble is found’ in me,
be afraid for yourselves because of the sword,
for wrath brings punishment by the sword,
so that you may know that there is judgment."

Job 20Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

"Therefore my disquieting thoughts bring me back
for the sake of my inward excitement.
I hear discipline that insults me,
and a spirit beyond my understanding answers me.
"Did you know this from of old,
since the setting of the human being on earth,
that the rejoicing of the wicked is short,
and the joy of the godless lasts only a moment?
Even though his stature mounts up to the heaven,
and his head reaches to the clouds,
he will perish forever like his dung;
those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
He will fly away like a dream, and they will not find him,
and he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
The eye that saw him will not see him again,
and his place will no longer behold him.
His children will seek favors from the poor,
and his hands will return his wealth.
His bones were full of his vigor,
but it will lie down with him on the dust.
"Though wickedness tastes sweet in his mouth,
and he hides it under his tongue,
though he spares it and does not let it go
and holds it back in the midst of his palate,
in his bowels his food is turned,
the venom of horned vipers is within him.
He swallows riches, but he vomits them up;
God drives them out from his stomach.
He will suck the poison of horned vipers;
the viper’s tongue will kill him.
He will not enjoy the streams,
the torrents of honey and curds.
Returning the products of his toil, he will not swallow;
according to the profit of his trade, he will not enjoy,
for he has oppressed; he has abandoned the poor;
he has seized a house but did not build it.
Because he has not known satisfaction in his stomach,
he lets nothing escape that he desires.
There is nothing left after he has eaten;
therefore his prosperity will not endure.
In the fullness of his excess he will be in distress;
all of misery’s power will come upon him.
When his stomach fills up, God will send his burning anger upon him,
and he will let it rain down upon him as his food.
"He will flee from an iron weapon,
but an arrow of bronze will pierce him.
He draws it forth, and it comes out from his body,
and the glittering point comes from his gall-bladder;
terrors come upon him.
Total darkness is hidden for his treasures;
an unfanned fire will devour him;
the remnant will be consumed in his tent.
The heavens will reveal his guilt,
and the earth will rise up against him.
The products of his house will be carried away
like gushing waters on the day of his wrath.
This is a wicked human being’s portion from God
and the inheritance of his decree from God."

Psalm 141A psalm of David. I call on you, O Yahweh; hasten to me.
Listen to my voice when I call to you.
Let my prayer be set before you as incense,
the lifting up of my palms as the evening offering.
Set a guard, O Yahweh, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
to practice wicked deeds
with men who do iniquity;
and do not let me eat of their delicacies.
Let a righteous one strike me in kindness,
and let him chasten me.
It is oil for my head; let not my head refuse.
For still my prayer is against their evil deeds.
When their judges are thrown down the sides of a cliff,
then they will understand that my words were pleasant.
As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
But my eyes are toward you, O Yahweh, my Lord;
I have taken refuge in you. Do not lay bare my soul.
Protect me from the grasp of the trap they have laid for me,
and from the snares of evildoers.
Let the wicked fall into their nets,
while I escape altogether.

Revelation 15And I saw another great and marvelous sign in heaven: seven angels having seven plagues that are the last ones, because with them the wrath of God is completed. And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and his image and the number of his name were standing by the glassy sea, holding harps from God. And they were singing the song of Moses, the slave of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:

"Great and marvelous are your works,
Lord God All-Powerful;
righteous and true are your ways,
King of the ages!
Who would never fear, Lord,
and glorify your name?
For only you are holy,
because all the nations will come
and worship before you,
because your righteous deeds have been revealed."

And after these things I looked, and the temple, the tent of the testimony in heaven, was opened, and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out from the temple, dressed in clean, bright linen garments, and girded with golden belts around their chests. And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever, and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one was able to enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

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The reading for today is Job 15-17; Revelation 14.

Job 15Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

"Should the wise answer with windy knowledge,
and should he fill his stomach with the east wind?
Should he argue in talk that is not profitable
or in words with which he cannot do good?
"What is worse, you yourself are doing away with fear,
and you are lessening meditation before God.
For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
and you choose the tongue of the crafty.
Your mouth condemns you, and not I;
and your lips testify against you.
"Were you born the firstborn of the human race?
And were you brought forth before the hills?
Have you listened in God’s confidential discussion?
And do you limit wisdom to yourself?
What do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that is not clear to us?
Both the gray-haired and the old are among us—
those older than your father.
"Are the consolations of God too small for you,
a word spoken gently with you?
Why does your heart carry you away?
And why do your eyes flash,
that you turn your spirit against God,
and you let such words go out of your mouth?
"What is a human being, that he can be clean,
or that one born of a woman can be righteous?
Look, he does not trust his holy ones,
and the heavens are not clean in his eyes.
How much less he who is abominable and corrupt,
a man drinking wickedness like water.
"I will show you, listen to me;
and what I have seen, I will tell—
what wise men have told,
and they have not hidden that which is from their ancestors,
to whom alone the land was given,
and no stranger passed through their midst.
"All of the wicked one’s days he is writhing,
even through the number of years that are laid up for the tyrant.
Sounds of terror are in his ears;
in prosperity the destroyer will come against him.
He cannot trust that he will return from darkness,
and he himself is destined for the sword.
"He is wandering for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’
He knows that a day of darkness is ready at hand.
Anguish and distress terrify him;
they overpower him like a king ready for the battle.
Because he stretched out his hand against God,
and he was arrogant to Shaddai;
he stubbornly runs against him
with his thick-bossed shield.
"Because he has covered his face with his fat
and has gathered fat upon his loins,
he will dwell in desolate cities,
in houses that they should not inhabit,
which are destined for rubble.
He will not become rich, and his wealth will not endure,
and their possessions will not stretch across the earth.
"He will not escape from darkness;
a flame will dry up his new shoot,
and by the wind of his mouth he shall be removed.
Let him not trust in emptiness—he will be deceiving himself—
for worthlessness will be his recompense.
It will be paid in full before his time,
and his branch will not flourish.
"He will shake off his unripe fruit like the vine,
and he will cast off his blossom like the olive tree;
for the company of the godless is barren,
and fire consumes the tents of those who accept bribes.
They conceive trouble and bring forth mischief,
and their womb prepares deceit."

Job 16Then Job answered and said,

"I have heard many things like these;
all of you are miserable comforters.
Is there a limit to windy words?
What provokes you that you answer?
I myself also could talk as you,
if you were in my place;
I could join against you with words,
and I could shake at you with my head.
I could encourage you with my mouth,
and the solace of my lips would ease the pain.
If I speak, my pain is not relieved;
and if I cease, how much will leave me?
"Surely now he has worn me out;
you have devastated all my company.
Thus you shriveled me up;
it became a witness.
And my leanness has risen up against me;
it testifies to my face.
His wrath has torn, and he has been hostile toward me;
he gnashed at me with his teeth.
My foe sharpens his eyes against me.
They gaped at me with their mouth;
they struck my cheeks with disgrace;
they have massed themselves together against me.
God delivers me to an evil one,
and he casts me into the hands of the wicked.
"I was at ease, then he broke me in two,
and he seized me by my neck;
then he shattered me
and set me up as a target for him.
His archers surround me;
he slashes open my kidneys, and he does not have compassion;
he pours out my gall on the ground.
He breached me breach upon breach;
he rushes at me like a warrior.
"I have sewed sackcloth on my skin,
and I have inserted my pride in the dust.
My face is red because of weeping,
and deep shadows are on my eyelids,
although violence is not on my hands,
and my prayer is pure.
"O earth, you should not cover my blood,
and let there be no place for my cry for help.
So now look, my witness is in the heavens,
and he who vouches for me is in the heights.
My friends scorn me;
my eye pours out tears to God,
and it argues for a mortal with God,
and as a human for his friend.
Indeed, after a few years have come,
then I will go the way from which I will not return.

Job 17"My spirit is pulled down; my days are extinguished;
the graveyard is for me.
Surely mockery is with me,
and my eye rests on their provocation.
Please lay down a pledge for me with yourself;
who is he who will give security for my hand?
Indeed, you have closed their mind from understanding;
therefore, you will not let them triumph.
He denounces friends for reward,
so his children’s eyes will fail.
"And he has made me a proverb for the peoples,
and I am one before whom people spit.
And my eye has grown dim from grief,
and the limbs of my body are all like a shadow.
The upright are appalled at this,
and the innocent excites himself over the godless.
But the righteous holds on to his way,
and he who has clean hands increases in strength.
But all of you must return—please come!
But I shall not find a wise person among you.
"My days are past; my plans are broken down—
even the desires of my heart.
They make night into day,
saying, ‘Light is near to darkness.’
If I hope for Sheol as my house,
if I spread my couch in the darkness,
if I call to the pit, ‘You are my father,’
to the maggot, ‘You are my mother or my sister,’
where then is my hope?
And who will see my hope?
Will they go down to the bars of Sheol?
Or shall we descend together into the dust?"

Revelation 14And I looked, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him one hundred forty-four thousand who had his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the sound that I heard was like harpists playing on their harps. And they were singing something like a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who had been bought from the earth.

These are those who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were bought from humanity as first fruits to God and to the Lamb, and in their mouth a lie was not found; they are blameless.

And I saw another angel flying directly overhead, having an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who reside on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and language and people, saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship the one who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and the springs of water!"

And another second angel followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who caused all the nations to drink from the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality."

And another third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself also will drink of the wine of the anger of God that has been mixed full strength in the cup of his wrath, and will be tortured with fire and sulphur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torture went up forever and ever, and those who worshiped the beast and his image did not have rest day and night, along with anyone who received the mark of his name. Here is the patient endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith in Jesus.

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write:

‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’"

"Yes," says the Spirit, "in order that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow after them."

And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud was seated one like a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud, "Send out your sickle and reap, because the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe!" And the one seated on the cloud swung his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

And another angel came out of the temple that is in heaven; he also had a sharp sickle. And another angel who had authority over the fire went out from the altar, and he called out with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Send out your sharp sickle and harvest the clusters of grapes from the vine of the earth, because its grapes are at their prime!" And the angel swung his sickle into the earth and harvested the vine of the earth, and threw the grapes into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was stomped outside the city, and blood went out from the winepress up to the bridles of the horses, about one thousand six hundred stadia.

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The reading for today is Job 12-14; Psalm 100; Revelation 13.

Job 12Then Job answered and said,

"Truly indeed you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you.
I also have insight like you;
I am not more inferior than you.
And who does not know things like these?
I am a laughingstock to my friends:
‘He calls on God, and he answers him.’
A righteous, blameless man is a laughingstock.
Those at ease have contempt for the thought of disaster,
but it is ready for those unstable of foot.
The tents of the destroyers are at peace,
and there is security for those who provoke God,
for those whom God brings into his hand.
"But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
and the birds of the heaven, and they will tell you;
or ask the earth, and it will teach you,
and the fishes of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all of these does not know
that Yahweh’s hand has done this?
In whose hand is the life of all living things
and the breath of every human being?
Does not the ear test words
and the palate taste food for itself?
Wisdom is with the aged,
and understanding is in length of days.
"With him are wisdom and powerful deeds,
and to him belong counsel and understanding.
If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt;
if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed.
Look, if he withholds the water, then they dry up;
and if he sends them out, then they overwhelm the land.
"Strength and sound wisdom are with him;
the deceived and the deceiver are his.
He leads counselors away stripped,
and he makes fools of judges.
He loosens the fetters of kings,
and he binds a loincloth on their loins.
He leads priests away stripped,
and he overthrows the members of ancient families.
He deprives the trustworthy of speech,
and he takes away the discretion of elders.
He pours contempt on noblemen,
and he loosens the girdle of the mighty.
"He uncovers mysteries out of darkness,
and he brings deep shadow to the light.
He makes the nations great, then he destroys them;
he expands the nations, then he guides them.
He strips away the insight of the heads of the earth’s people,
and he makes them wander in a pathless wasteland.
They grope in the dark without light,
and he makes them stagger like a drunkard.

Job 13"Look, my eye has seen everything;
my ear has heard and has understood it.
What you know, I myself also know—
I am not more inferior than you.
But I would speak to Shaddai,
and I desire to argue with God.
"But you whitewash with lies;
all of you are worthless healers.
O that you would keep completely silent,
and that it would become wisdom for you.
Please hear my argument,
and listen attentively to the pleadings of my lips.
"Will you speak falsely for God?
And will you speak deceitfully for him?
Will you show partiality for him?
Or do you want to plead God’s case?
Will it be well, if he examines you?
Or can you deceive him like deceiving a human being?
"Surely he will rebuke you
if you show partiality in secret.
Will not his majesty terrify you,
and his dread fall upon you?
Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.
"Let me have silence, and I myself will speak,
and let come over me whatever may.
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth
and put my life in my hand?
Look, though he kill me, I will hope in him;
however, I will defend my ways before him.
Moreover, this is salvation to me,
that the godless would not come before him.
"Listen carefully to my words,
and let my exposition be in your ears.
Please look, I have prepared my case;
I know that I myself will be vindicated.
Who is he who will contend with me?
For then I would be silent, and I would pass away.

"Only you must not do these two things to me;
then I will not hide from your face:
withdraw your hand from me,
and let not your dread terrify me.
Then call, and I myself will answer;
or let me speak, then reply to me.
"How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make known to me my transgression and my sin.
Why do you hide your face
and count me as your enemy?
Will you terrify a blown leaf?
And will you pursue dry stubble?
"Indeed, you write bitter things against me,
and you make me reap the iniquities of my childhood.
And you put my feet in the block,
and you watch all my paths;
you carve a mark on the soles of my feet.
And he himself wastes away like something rotten,
like a garment that the moth has eaten.

Job 14"A human being born of a woman
is short of days and full of troubles.
Like a flower he comes up, and he withers away;
and he flees like a shadow, but he does not last.
Even on such a one you fix your eyes,
and you bring me into judgment with you.
"Who can bring a clean thing from an unclean thing?
No one!
If his days are determined, the number of his months is with you;
you have appointed his boundaries, and he cannot cross them.
Look away from him, and let him desist
until he enjoys his days like a laborer.
"Indeed, there is hope for a tree:
if it is cut down, then it will sprout again,
and its new shoots will not cease;
though its root grows old in the earth,
and its stump dies in the dust,
at the scent of water it will bud,
and it will put forth branches like a young plant.
"But a man dies, and he dwindles away;
thus a human being passes away, and where is he?
As water disappears from a lake,
and a river withers away and dries up,
so a man lies down, and he does not arise.
Until the heavens are no more, they will not awaken,
and they will not be roused out of their sleep.
"O that you would conceal me in Sheol,
that you would hide me until your wrath is past,
that you would appoint a set time for me and remember me.
If a man dies, will he live again?
All the days of my compulsory service I will wait,
until the coming of my relief.
You would call, and I myself would answer you;
you would long for the work of your hand.
For then you would count my steps,
but you would not keep watch over my sin.
My transgression would be sealed in a bag,
and you would cover over my guilt.
"But a mountain falls; it crumbles away,
and a rock moves away from its place.
Water wears away stones;
its torrents wash away the soil of the earth;
so you destroy the hope of human beings.
You overpower him forever, and he passes away;
you change his countenance, then you send him away.
His children may come to honor, but he does not know it;
or they may become lowly, but he does not realize it.
He feels only the pain of his own body,
and his inner self mourns for him."

Psalm 100A psalm of thanksgiving. Shout in triumph to Yahweh, all the earth.
Serve Yahweh with joy;
come into his presence with exultation.
Know that Yahweh, he is God;
he made us and we are his.
We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
For Yahweh is good; his loyal love is forever,
and his faithfulness is from generation to generation.

Revelation 13And I saw coming up out of the sea a beast that had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns ten royal headbands, and on its heads a blasphemous name. And the beast that I saw was similar to a leopard, and its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like the mouth of a lion, and the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great authority. And one of its heads appeared as though slaughtered to death, and its fatal wound had been healed. And the whole earth was astonished and followed after the beast. And they worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to make war with him?

And a mouth was given to him speaking great things and blasphemies, and authority to act was given to him for forty-two months. And he opened his mouth for blasphemies toward God, to blaspheme his name and his dwelling, those who live in heaven. And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given to him over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all those who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name is not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered. If anyone has an ear, let him hear!

If anyone is going into captivity, into captivity he goes.
If anyone is to be killed by the sword, by the sword he is to be killed.

Here is the patient endurance and the faith of the saints.

And I saw another beast coming up from the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he was speaking like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast on behalf of him, and he causes the earth and those who live in it to worship the first beast whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performs great signs, so that he even causes fire from heaven to come down to the earth before people. And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that it has been granted to him to perform on behalf of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who has the wound of the sword and yet lived. And it was given to him to put breath into the image of the beast, in order that the image of the beast both spoke and caused that all those, unless they worshiped the image of the beast, should be killed. And he causes all people, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, that they give them a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and that no one was able to buy or to sell except the one who had the mark—the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom: the one who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number, and his number is six hundred sixty-six.

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The reading for today is Job 8-11; Revelation 12.

Job 8Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

"How long will you say these things,
and the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
Does God pervert justice,
or Shaddai pervert righteousness?
If your children sinned against him,
then he sent them into the power of their transgression.
If you yourself would seek God,
then you would plead to Shaddai for grace.
If you are pure and upright,
indeed, now he will rouse himself for you,
and he will restore your righteous abode.
Though your beginning was small,
your end will be very great.
"Indeed, please inquire of former generations,
and consider what their ancestors have found,
for we are of yesterday, and we do not know,
for our days on earth are a shadow.
Will they themselves not teach you and tell you
and utter words from their heart?
Can papyrus grow tall where there is not a marsh?
Will reeds flourish without water?
While it is in its flower and is not plucked,
yet it withers before all grass.
So are the paths of all who forget God;
and the hope of the godless will perish,
whose confidence is cut off
and whose trust is a spider’s house.
He will lean himself against his house, but it will not stand;
he will take hold of it, but it will not endure.
He is thriving before the sun,
and his plant shoots spread over his garden.
His roots twine over a stone heap;
he sees a house of stone.
If he destroys him from his place,
then it deceives him, saying, ‘I have never seen you.’
Look, this is the joy of his way,
and from dust others will spring up.
"Look, God will not reject the blameless,
and he will not uphold the hand of evildoers.
Yet he will fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with a shout of joy.
Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,
and the tent of the wicked will be no more."

Job 9Then Job answered and said,

"Truly I know that it is so,
but how can a human being be just before God?
If he wants to contend with him,
he cannot answer him one time in a thousand.
He is wise in heart and mighty in strength;
who has resisted him and succeeded?
"He is the one who moves mountains, and they do not know how,
who overturns them in his anger.
He is the one who shakes the earth from its place,
and its pillars tremble.
He is the one who commands the sun, and it does not rise,
and he seals up the stars.
He is the one who alone stretches out the heavens
and who tramples on the waves of the sea.
He is the one who made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
He is the one who does great things beyond understanding
and marvelous things beyond number.
"If he passes by me, I would not see him;
and if he should move on, I would not recognize him.
If he would snatch away, who could turn him?
Who could say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
God will not turn back his anger;
beneath him the helpers of Rahab bow.
How much less can I myself answer him?
How can I choose my words with him,
whom I cannot answer, even though I am righteous?
From my judge I must implore grace.
If I summon him, and he should answer me,
I do not believe that he will listen to my voice—
who crushes me with a tempest
and multiplies my wounds without cause.
He will not allow me to catch my breath;
rather, he will fill me with bitterness.
If it is a matter of strength, look, he is mighty.
But if it is a matter of justice, who can summon me?
Even though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me;
even though I am blameless, yet it would pronounce me guilty.
"I am blameless; I do not care about myself;
I loathe my life.
It is all one; therefore I say,
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
When the whip kills suddenly,
he mocks at the despair of the innocent.
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;
he covers the face of its judge—
if it is not he, then who is it?
"And my days are swifter than a runner;
they flee away; they do not see good.
They go by like papyrus skiffs,
like an eagle swoops down on its prey.
Though I say, ‘I will forget my complaint;
I will change my expression, and I will rejoice,’
I become afraid of all my sufferings;
I know that you do not consider me innocent.
If I shall be declared guilty,
why then should I labor in vain?
If I wash myself with soap,
and I cleanse my hands with lye,
then you plunge me into the slime pit,
and my clothes abhor me.
"For he is not a mortal like me that I can answer him,
that we can come to trial together.
There is no arbiter between us
that he might lay his hand on both of us.
May he remove his rod from me,
and let his dread not terrify me;
then I would speak and not fear him,
for in myself I am not fearful.

Job 10"My inner self loathes my life;
I want to give vent to my complaint;
I want to speak out of the bitterness of my inner self.
I will say to God, ‘You should not condemn me;
let me know why you contend against me.
Is it good for you that you oppress,
that you despise the labor of your hands,
and you smile over the schemes of the wicked?
Do you have eyes of flesh?
Or do you see as human beings see?
Are your days as the days of human beings,
or your years as the days of man,
that you seek out my iniquity,
and you search for my sin
because of your knowledge that I am not guilty,
and there is no escaping from your hand?
Your hands fashioned me and made me altogether,
then you destroyed me.
Please remember that you made me like clay,
but you turn me into dust again?
Did you not pour me out like milk
and curdle me like cheese?
You clothed me with skin and flesh,
and you knit me together with bones and sinews.
You have granted me life and loyal love,
and your care has preserved my spirit.
"‘Yet you hid these things in your heart;
I know that this was your purpose.
If I had sinned, then you would be watching me,
and you would not acquit me of my guilt.
If I am guilty, woe to me!
But if I am righteous, I dare not lift my head;
I am filled with shame, and just look at my misery!
And if my head grows bold, you would hunt me as the lion in its prime;
and you repeat your exploits against me.
You renew your witnesses against me,
and you increase your vexation against me;
relief forces are against me.
So why did you bring me forth from the womb?
I should have passed away, and no eye should have seen me.
I should have been as though I had not been;
I should have been brought from the womb to the grave.
Are not my days few? Let him leave me alone;
let him turn from me, and let me rejoice a little.
Before I go—and I will not return—
to the land of darkness and deep shadow,
to the land of darkness,
like the darkness of a deep shadow and chaos,
so that it shines forth like darkness.’"

Job 11Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

"Should an abundance of words go unanswered,
or a man full of talk be vindicated?
Should your loose talk put people to silence?
And when you mock, shall no one put you to shame?
For you say, ‘My teaching is pure,
and I am clean in your sight.’
But, O that God might speak,
and that he would open his lips to you,
and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom,
for insight has many sides.
And know that God on your behalf has forgotten some of your guilt.
"Can you find out the essence of God,
or can you find out the ultimate limits of Shaddai?
It is higher than the heaven; what can you do?
It is deeper than Sheol; what can you know?
Its measure is longer than the earth
and broader than the sea.
"If he passes through and imprisons someone
and summons the assembly, then who can hinder him?
For he knows those who are worthless;
when he sees iniquity, he will not consider it.
But an empty-headed person will get understanding
when a wild donkey’s colt is born as a human being.
"If you yourself direct your heart
and stretch out your hands to him—
if iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,
and you must not let wickedness reside in your tents—
surely then you will lift up your face without blemish,
and you will be firmly established and will not fear.
For you yourself will forget your misery;
you will remember it as water that has flowed past.
"And your life will be brighter than noon;
its darkness will be like the morning.
And you will have confidence because there is hope;
and you will be well protected—you will sleep in safety.
And you will lie down, and no one will make you afraid;
and many will entreat your favor.
But the eyes of the wicked will fail;
and refuge will be lost to them,
and their hope is to breathe their last breath."

Revelation 12And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars, and who was pregnant and was crying out because she was having birth pains, and was in torment to give birth. And another sign appeared in heaven, and behold, a great fiery red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven royal headbands. And his tail swept away a third of the stars from heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, in order that whenever she gave birth to her child he could devour it. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is going to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod, and her child was snatched away to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared there by God, so that they could feed her there for one thousand two hundred sixty days.

And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. And they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them any longer in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying,

"Now the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Christ have come,
because the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down,
the one who accuses them before our God day and night.
And they conquered him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
and they did not love their lives until death.
Because of this, rejoice, you heavens,
and those who live in them!
Woe to the earth and to the sea,
because the devil has come down to you,
having great anger,
because he knows that he has little time!"

And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. And the two wings of a great eagle were given to the woman, in order that she could fly into the wilderness, to her place where she is fed there for a time, and times, and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. And from his mouth the serpent spouted water like a river after the woman, in order that he could make her swept away by a river. And the earth came to the aid of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon had spouted out of his mouth. And the dragon was angry at the woman, and went away to fight against the rest of her children, those who keep the commandments of God and who hold to the testimony about Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

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The reading for today is Job 4-7; Psalm 99; Revelation 11.

Job 4Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

"If someone would test a word with you, would you be offended?
But who can refrain from speaking?
Look, you have instructed many,
and you have strengthened weak hands.
Your words have raised up the one who stumbles,
and you have strengthened knees giving way.
But now it has come to you, and you are worn out;
it touches you, and you are horrified.
Is not your fear in God your confidence?
Is not your hope even the integrity of your ways?
"Think now, who has perished who is innocent?
Or where are the upright destroyed?
Just as I have seen, plowers of mischief
and sowers of trouble will reap it.
By the breath of God they perish,
and by the blast of his anger they come to an end.
The roar of the lion and the voice of a lion in its prime,
and the teeth of the young lions are broken.
The lion is perishing without prey,
and the lion’s whelps are scattered.
"And a word came stealing to me,
and my ear received the whisper from it.
Amid troubling thoughts from night visions,
at the falling of deep sleep on men,
dread met me, and trembling,
and it made many of my bones shake.
And a spirit glided before my face;
the hair of my flesh bristled.
It stood still, but I could not recognize its appearance;
a form was before my eyes;
there was a hush, and I heard a voice:
‘Can a human being be more righteous than God,
or can a man be more pure than his Maker?
Look, he does not trust in his servants
and he charges his angels with error.
How much more dwellers in clay houses,
whose foundation is in the dust?
They are crushed like a moth.
Between morning and evening they are destroyed;
without anyone regarding it they perish forever.
Is not their tent cord pulled up within them?
They die, but not in wisdom.’

Job 5"Call now, is there anyone answering you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
For vexation will slay the fool,
and jealousy will kill the simple.
I have seen a fool taking root,
but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.
His children are far from deliverance,
and they are crushed in the gate,
and there is no deliverer—
whose harvest the hungry eats,
and he takes it from behind the thorns;
and the thirsty pants after their wealth.
Indeed, mischief does not come from the dust,
and trouble does not sprout from the earth.
But a human being is born to trouble,
and they soar aloft like sparks.
"But I myself will seek God,
and to God I would commit my cause.
He is doing great and unsearchable things,
marvelous things without number—
the one who is giving rain on the surface of the earth
and is sending water on the surface of the fields,
to set the lowly on high,
and those mourning are lifted to safety.
He is frustrating the devices of the crafty,
and their hands do not achieve success.
He is capturing the wise in their craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are rushed.
In the daytime they meet with darkness,
and they grope at noon as in the night.
And he saves from the sword of their mouth,
even the poor from the hand of the strong.
So there is hope for the powerless,
and wickedness shuts its mouth.
"Look, happy is the human being whom God reproves;
and you must not despise the discipline of Shaddai,
for he himself wounds, but he binds up;
he strikes, but his hands heal.
From six troubles he will deliver you,
and in seven evil shall not touch you.
In famine he will redeem you from death,
and in war from the power of the sword.
From the scourge of the tongue you shall be hidden,
and you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
At destruction and famine you shall laugh,
and you shall not fear the wild animals of the earth.
For your covenant will be with the stones of the field,
and the wild animals of the field will be at peace with you.
And you shall know that your tent is safe,
and you will inspect your fold, and you shall not be missing anything.
And you shall know that your offspring are many,
and your descendants like the vegetation of the earth.
You shall come in maturity to the grave,
as the raising up of a stack of sheaves in its season.
"Look, we have searched this out—it is true;
hear it and know it yourself."

Job 6Then Job answered and said,

"If only my vexation could be well weighed,
and my calamity could be lifted up together with it in the balances,
for then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas;
therefore my words have been rash,
for the arrows of Shaddai are in me;
my spirit drinks their poison;
the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
Does the wild ass bray over grass,
or the ox bellow over its fodder?
Can tasteless food be eaten without salt,
or is there taste in the white of a marshmallow plant?
I refused to touch them;
they are like food that will make me ill.
"O that my request may come,
and that God may grant my hope,
that God would decide that he would crush me,
that he would let loose his hand and kill me.
But it will still be my consolation,
and I would recoil in unrelenting pain,
for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end, that I should hold out?
Or is my strength like the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh bronze?
Indeed, my help is not in me,
and any success is driven from me.
"Loyal love should come for the afflicted from his friend,
even if he forsakes the fear of Shaddai.
My companions are treacherous like a torrent-bed;
like a streambed of wadis they flow away,
which are growing dark because of ice upon them,
it will pile up snow.
In time they dry up, they disappear;
when it is hot, they vanish from their place.
The paths of their way wind around;
they go up into the wasteland, and they perish.
The caravans of Tema looked;
the traveling merchants of Sheba hope for them.
They are disappointed, because they trusted;
they came here and they are confounded.
"For now you have become such;
you see terrors, and you fear.
Is it because I have said, ‘Give to me,’
or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?
or, ‘Save me from the foe’s hand,’
or, ‘Ransom me from the tyrants’ hand’?
Teach me, and I myself will be silent;
and make me understand how I have gone astray.
How painful are upright words!
But what does your reproof reprove?
Do you intend to reprove my words
and consider the words of a desperate man as wind?
Even over the orphan you would cast the lot,
and you would bargain over your friend.
"Therefore be prepared, turn to me,
and I surely will not lie to your face.
Please turn, let no injustice happen;
indeed, turn, my righteousness is still intact.
Is there injustice on my tongue?
Or can my palate not discern calamity?

Job 7"Does not a human being have hard service on earth?
And are not his days like the days of a laborer?
Like a slave he longs for the shadow,
and like a laborer he waits for his wages.
So I had to inherit months of worthlessness,
and nights of misery are apportioned to me.
When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I rise?’
But the night is long,
and I have my fill of tossing until dawn.
My body is clothed with maggots and clods of dust;
my skin hardens, then it gives way again.
"My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
and they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is a breath;
my eye will not return to see good.
The eye of the one seeing me will not see me;
your eyes are upon me, but I will be gone.
A cloud vanishes, and it goes away,
so he who goes down to Sheol will not come up.
He does not return again to his house,
and his place does not recognize him again.
"Even I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in my spirit’s anguish;
I will complain in my inner self’s bitterness.
Am I the sea, or a sea monster,
that you set a guard over me?
When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
and my couch will ease my complaint,’
then you terrify me with dreams,
and with visions you terrify me.
So my inner self will choose strangling—
death more than my existence.
I loathe my life; I would not live forever;
depart from me, for my days are a breath.
"What is a human being that you make him great
and that you fix your mind on him,
so that you visit him every morning,
you test him every moment?
How long will you not turn away from me?
Or not leave me alone until I swallow my spit?
If I have sinned, what have I done to you, watcher of humanity?
Why have you made me as a target for yourself,
so that I have become a burden to myself?
And why do you not pardon my transgression
and take away my guilt?
For now I shall lie in the dust,
and you will seek me, but I will be no more."

Psalm 99Yahweh is king; let the peoples tremble.
He sits enthroned between the cherubim. Let the earth shake.
Yahweh is great in Zion,
and he is exalted over all the peoples.
Let them praise your great and fearful name.
He is holy.
And the strength of the king loves justice.
You have established equity;
you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
Exalt Yahweh our God,
and worship at his footstool.
He is holy.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests;
Samuel also was among those who called on his name.
They called to Yahweh, and he answered them.
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud.
They kept his testimonies and the statute he gave to them.
O Yahweh our God, you answered them.
You were a forgiving God to them,
but an avenger of their wrong deeds.
Exalt Yahweh our God,
and worship at his holy mountain,
for Yahweh our God is holy.

Revelation 11And a measuring rod similar in appearance to a staff was given to me, saying, "Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship in it. And leave out the courtyard outside of the temple, and do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will trample the holy city for forty two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days, dressed in sackcloth." These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and consumes their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, in this way he must be killed. These have the authority to shut the sky, so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy. And they have authority over the waters, to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with every plague as often as they wish.

And when they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war with them and will conquer them and will kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which is called symbolically Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. And those from peoples and tribes and languages and nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days, and they will not allow their dead bodies to be placed in a tomb. And those who live on the earth will rejoice over them, and will celebrate and will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who live on the earth.

And after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here," and they went up into heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. And at that hour a great earthquake took place, and a tenth of the city collapsed, and seven thousand people were killed by the earthquake, and the rest became terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe has passed. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly!

And the seventh angel blew the trumpet, and there was a loud voice in heaven saying,

"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord
and of his Christ,
and he will reign forever and ever."

And the twenty-four elders who are seated on their thrones before God fell down on their faces and worshiped God, saying,

"We give thanks to you, Lord God All-Powerful,
the one who is and the one who was,
because you have taken your great power
and have begun to reign.
And the nations were angry,
and your wrath has come,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
and to give their reward to your slaves the prophets
and to the saints and to the ones who fear your name,
the small and the great,
and to destroy those who destroy the earth."

And the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple, and there were lightnings and sounds and thunders and an earthquake and large hail.

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The reading for today is Job 1-3; Psalm 29; Revelation 10.

Job 1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright and God-fearing and turning away from evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. Then his livestock came to be seven thousand sheep and goats and three thousand camels and five hundred pairs of oxen and five hundred female donkeys, and he had very many slaves, and that man was greater than all the people of the east. And his sons used to go and hold a feast at each other’s house on his day, and they would send, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. Then when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send, and he would sanctify them. Thus he would arise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of all of them, because Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their heart." This is what Job used to do all the time.

And it happened one day that the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan also came into their midst. So Yahweh said to Satan, "From where have you come?"

Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, "From roaming on the earth and from walking about in it."

So Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? Indeed, there is no one like him on the earth—a blameless man and upright and God-fearing and turning away from evil."

Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a fence around him and his household and around all that belongs to him on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock has increased in the land. But, on the other hand, stretch out your hand and touch all that belongs to him and see whether he will curse you to your face."

So Yahweh said to Satan, "Look, all that belongs to him is in your power. Only do not stretch out your hand against him." So Satan went out from Yahweh’s presence.

And then there was one day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their firstborn brother’s house. And a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing, and the female donkeys were feeding beside them. Then the Sabeans attacked, and they took them, and they slew the servants by the edge of the sword. But I escaped, even I alone, to tell you."

While this one was still speaking, another came and said, "The fire of God fell from the heavens, and it blazed up against the sheep and goats and against the servants, and it consumed them. But I escaped, even I alone, to tell you."

While this one was still speaking, another came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three divisions, and they made a raid on the camels, and they carried them away, and they struck your servants by the edge of the sword, but I escaped, even I alone, to tell you."

At the time this one was speaking, another came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their firstborn brother’s house. And behold, a great wind came from across the desert, and it struck the four corners of the house so that it fell upon the young people, and they died. But I escaped, even I alone, to tell you."

Then Job arose and tore his outer garment and shaved his head; then he fell upon the ground and he worshiped. Then he said, "Naked I came out from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. Yahweh gives, and Yahweh takes. Let Yahweh’s name be blessed." In all this, Job did not sin and did not charge God with wrongdoing.

Job 2And then one day the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan also came into their midst to present himself before Yahweh. So Yahweh asked Satan, "From where have you come?"

And Satan answered Yahweh and said, "From roaming on the earth and from walking about in it."

So Yahweh asked Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? Indeed, there is no one like him on the earth—a blameless man and upright and God-fearing and turning away from evil. And still he persists in his blamelessness even though you incited me against him to destroy him for nothing."

Then Satan answered him and said, "Skin for skin! All that that man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bones and his flesh, and see whether he will curse you to your face."

So Yahweh said to Satan, "All right, he is in your power. Only spare his life."

So Satan went out from Yahweh’s presence, and he inflicted Job with loathsome skin sores from the sole of his foot up to the crown of his head. So he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and he sat in the midst of the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, "Are you still persisting in your blamelessness? Curse God and die."

So he said to her, "You speak like one of the foolish women speaks. Indeed, should we receive the good from God, but not receive the evil?" In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

Thus Job’s three friends heard of this calamity that had come upon him. So each set out from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite. And they met together to come to console him and to comfort him.

Thus they lifted up their eyes from afar, but they did not recognize him, so they raised their voice, and they wept, and each man tore his outer garment and threw dust on their heads toward the sky. Then they sat with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw that his suffering was very great.

Job 3Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed his day. Thus Job spoke up and said,

"Let the day perish on which I was born,
and the night that said, ‘A man-child is conceived.’
Let that day become darkness;
may God not seek it from above,
nor may daylight shine on it.
Let darkness and deep shadow claim it;
let clouds settle on it;
let them terrify it with the blackness of day.
Let darkness seize that night;
let it not rejoice among the days of the year;
let it not enter among the number of the months.
Look, let that night become barren;
let a joyful song not enter it.
Let those who curse the day curse it,
those who are skilled at rousing Leviathan.
Let the stars of its dawn be dark;
let it hope for light but there be none,
and let it not see the eyelids of dawn
because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb,
nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

"Why did I not die at birth?
Why did I not come forth from the womb and expire?
Why did the knees receive me
and the breasts, that I could suck?
For now I would lie down, and I would be at peace;
I would be asleep; then I would be at rest
with kings and counselors of the earth,
who rebuild ruins for themselves,
or with high officials who have gold,
who fill up their houses with silver.
Or why was I not hidden like a miscarriage,
like infants who did not see the light?
There the wicked cease from troubling,
and there the weary are at rest;
the prisoners are at ease together;
they do not hear the oppressor’s voice.
The small and the great are there,
and the slave is free from his masters.

"Why does he give light to one in misery
and life to those bitter of soul,
who wait for death, but it does not come,
and search for it more than for treasures,
who rejoice exceedingly,
and they are glad when they find the grave?
Why does he give light to a man whose way is hidden,
and God has fenced him in all around?
For my sighing comes before my bread,
and my groanings gush forth like water
because the dread that I feel has come upon me,
and what I feared befalls me.
I am not at ease, and I am not at peace,
and I do not have rest, thus turmoil has come."

Psalm 29A psalm of David. Ascribe to Yahweh, O sons of God,
ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength.
Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due his name.
Worship Yahweh in holy array.
The voice of Yahweh is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders.
Yahweh is over many waters.
The voice of Yahweh is powerful.
The voice of Yahweh is majestic.
The voice of Yahweh breaks the cedars.
Yahweh shatters even the cedars of Lebanon.
And he makes them skip like a calf;
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of Yahweh flashes flames of fire.
The voice of Yahweh shakes the wilderness.
Yahweh shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of Yahweh causes deer to give birth
and strips the forests bare.
And at his temple all in it say, "Glory!"
Yahweh sits enthroned at the flood,
and Yahweh sits as king forever.
May Yahweh give strength to his people.
May Yahweh bless his people with peace.

Revelation 10And I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, and a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire, and holding in his hand a little scroll that was opened. And he put his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. And he cried out with a loud voice like a lion roars, and when he cried out, the seven thunders sounded their own voices. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write, and I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders spoke, and do not write them!"

And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, "There will be no more delay! But in the days of the sound of the seventh angel, whenever he is about to blow the trumpet, then the mystery of God is completed, as he announced to his own slaves the prophets."

And the voice that I had heard from heaven was speaking with me again and saying, "Go, take the opened scroll in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land." And I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll, and he said to me, "Take and eat it up, and it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey." And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it up, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth, and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. And they said to me, "It is necessary for you to prophesy again about many peoples and nations and languages and kings."

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The reading for today is Malachi 1-4; Psalm 2; Revelation 9.

Malachi 1An oracle. The word of Yahweh to Israel through Malachi.

"I have loved you," says Yahweh, but you say, "How have you loved us?" "Is Esau not Jacob’s brother?" declares Yahweh. "I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated. I have made his mountain ranges a desolation, and given his inheritance to the jackals of the desert." If Edom says, "We are shattered, but we will return and rebuild the ruins," Yahweh of hosts says this: "They may build, but I will tear down; and they will be called a territory of wickedness, and the people with whom Yahweh is angry forever." Your eyes will see this, and you will say, "Yahweh is great beyond the borders of Israel."

"A son honors his father, and a slave his master; but if I am a father, where is my honor, and if I am a master, where is my reverence?" says Yahweh of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. "But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ You are presenting defiled food on my altar! But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ By saying that the table of Yahweh is despised! When you offer a blind animal for sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer the lame and the one who is ill, is that not wrong? Present it, please, to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Will he show you favor?" says Yahweh of hosts. So then, implore the favor of God so that he will be gracious to us. "This is what you have done. Will he show favor to any of you?" says Yahweh of hosts. "Who also among you will shut the temple doors so that you will not kindle fire in vain on my altar? I take no pleasure in you," says Yahweh of hosts, "and I will not accept an offering from your hand. From the rising of the sun to its setting, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is being presented to my name, and a pure offering. For my name is great among the nations," says Yahweh of hosts. "But you are profaning it by saying the table of the Lord is defiled, and its fruit—its food—is despised! And you say, ‘Look! This is a weariness,’ and you sniff with disdain at it," says Yahweh of hosts. "And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the one that is sick—this you bring as the offering! Should I accept it from your hand?" says Yahweh. "Cursed is the one who cheats, who has in his flock a male and vows it, but instead sacrifices a blemished one to the Lord! For I am a great king," says Yahweh of hosts, "and my name is awesome among the nations."

Malachi 2"And so then, O priests, this command is for you: If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart to give glory to my name," says Yahweh of hosts, "then I will send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings; moreover I have already cursed them because you are not taking it to heart. Look! I am going to rebuke your offspring, and I will scatter offal on your faces, the offal of your religious feasts, and you will be carried to it.

"Then you will know that I have sent to you this command, that my covenant with Levi continues," says Yahweh of hosts. "My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. This required reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe before my name. The instruction of truth was in his mouth, and wickedness was not found on his lips. In peace and in uprightness he walked with me, and he brought back many from sin. For the lips of the priest should guard knowledge, and they should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of Yahweh of hosts. But you, you have turned from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have ruined the covenant of Levi," says Yahweh of hosts. "And in turn I have made you despised and humbled before all the people, inasmuch as you are not keeping my way, but are favoring your own instruction."

Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we unfaithful to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors? Judah has been faithless, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. Judah has profaned the sanctuary of Yahweh which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. May Yahweh cut off from the tents of Jacob the man who does this, the one who is awake and who answers, and the one who brings an offering to Yahweh of hosts!

And this you do as well: you cover the altar of Yahweh with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you ask, "For what reason?" Because Yahweh stands as a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have been unfaithful, even though she is your marriage partner and your wife by covenant. Did not one God make them? But a remnant of the spirit is his. And what does the one God desire? An offspring of God. You must be attentive to your spirit, and you must not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. "For I hate divorce," says Yahweh, the God of Israel, "and he who covers his clothing with violence," says Yahweh of hosts. "You must be attentive to your spirit and you must not be unfaithful."

You have wearied Yahweh with your words, but you ask, "With what have we wearied him?" You have done so when you say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of Yahweh, and in them he delights," or "Where is the God of justice?"

Malachi 3"Look! I am going to send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you are seeking will come suddenly to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you are taking pleasure—look!—he is about to come," says Yahweh of hosts. And who can endure the day of his coming? And who is the one who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, like launderers’ alkali. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the children of Levi, and he will refine them like gold and like silver, and they will present to Yahweh offerings in righteousness. And the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to Yahweh, like in the days of old and like in former years.

"Then I will approach you for judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers, and against those who swear falsely, and against the oppressors of the hired worker with his wages, the widow and the orphan, and the abusers of the alien, and yet do not fear me," says Yahweh of hosts.

"For I, Yahweh, have not changed, and you, O children of Jacob, have not perished. From the days of your ancestors you have turned aside from my rules, and have not kept them! Return to me and I will return to you," says Yahweh of hosts, "but you say, ‘How shall we return?’

Will a human dare to rob God? Yet you are robbing me! And you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In the tithes and the contributions! You are being cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole tithe to the storehouse, so that there will be food in my house, and test me please in this," says Yahweh of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour forth for you an overflowing blessing. I will rebuke the devourer for you; it will not destroy the fruit of your soil; your vine in the field will not be unfruitful," says Yahweh of hosts. "And all the nations will call you blessed, because you will be a land in which one takes joy," says Yahweh of hosts. "Your words have been harsh against me," says Yahweh. "But you say, ‘How have we spoken together against you?’ You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God! What is the gain if we keep his requirements, and if we walk as mourners before Yahweh of hosts? And now we are calling the arrogant blessed! Not only do those who do wickedness prosper; they also test God and they escape!’"

Then those who revered Yahweh spoke with one another. And Yahweh listened attentively and heard, and a scroll of remembrance was written before him of those who revere Yahweh and ponder his name. "They will be mine," says Yahweh of hosts, "on the day that I am acting, my treasured possession. I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him. You will return and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve him.

Malachi 4 "For look! The day is about to come, burning like an oven, and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble. The coming day will consume them," says Yahweh of hosts. "It will not leave behind for them root or branch. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise, with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like fattened calves. You will trample down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I am going to act," says Yahweh of hosts.

"Remember the instruction of my servant Moses, which I commanded him at Horeb to all Israel, the rules and regulations. Look! I am going to send to you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of Yahweh! And he will bring back the hearts of the fathers to the sons, and the hearts of the sons to their fathers, so that I will not come and strike the land with a ban."

Psalm 2Why are nations in tumult,
and countries plotting in vain?
The kings of the earth establish themselves,
and the rulers conspire together
against Yahweh and his anointed:
"Let us tear off their bonds,
and cast their cords from us!"
He who sits enthroned in the heavens laughs.
The Lord derides them.
Then he speaks to them in his wrath,
and in his fury he terrifies them:
"But as for me, I have set my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will tell the decree;
Yahweh said to me:
"You are my son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask from me and I will make the nations your heritage,
and your possession the ends of the earth.
You will break them with an iron rod.
Like a potter’s vessel you will shatter them."
So then, O kings, be wise.
Be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve Yahweh with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son
lest he be angry and you perish on the way,
for his anger burns quickly.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Revelation 9And the fifth angel blew the trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth, and the key of the shaft of the abyss was given to him. And he opened the shaft of the abyss, and smoke went up from the shaft like smoke from a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the shaft. And out of the smoke locusts came to the earth, and power was given to them like the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was told to them that they should not damage the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, except those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And it was granted to them that they should not kill them, but that they would be tormented five months, and their torment is like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a person. And in those days people will seek death and will never find it, and they will long to die, and death will flee from them.

And the appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle, and on their heads were something like crowns similar in appearance to gold, and their faces were like men’s faces, and they had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions, and they had breastplates like iron breastplates, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of many horse-drawn chariots running into battle. And they have tails similar in appearance to scorpions, and stings, and their power to injure people for five months is in their tails. They have as king over them the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

The first woe has passed. Behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

And the sixth angel blew the trumpet, and I heard one voice from the horns of the golden altar that is before God saying to the sixth angel, the one who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who have been bound at the great river Euphrates!" And the four angels who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year were released, in order that they should kill a third of humanity. And the number of the troops of the cavalry was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. And in this way I saw the horses in the vision, and those seated on them, who had fiery red and hyacinth-colored and sulphurous yellow breastplates, and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire and smoke and sulphur. By these three plagues a third of humanity was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the sulphur that came out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are similar in appearance to snakes, having heads, and with them they cause injury.

And the rest of humanity who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands, in order not to worship the demons and the gold and silver and bronze and stone and wooden idols, which are able neither to see nor to hear nor to walk, and they did not repent of their murders or of their magic spells or of their sexual immorality or of their thefts.

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The reading for today is Nehemiah 10-13; Revelation 8.

Nehemiah 10Upon the sealed documents: Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah and Zedekiah; Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah—these are the priests. And the Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui from the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; their brothers Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, Zaccur, Shereiah, Shebanaih, Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. The heads of the people: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nobai, Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

"The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to observe the law of God—their wives, their sons, their daughters, and all who know and understand— are helping their brothers, their nobles, and entering into a solemn oath to walk in the law of God which was given by the hand of Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all of the commandments of Yahweh our Lord and his judgments and regulations. We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land nor take their daughters for our sons. And the peoples of the land who bring merchandise and any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not accept it from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. We will forego the crops of the seventh year and cancel every debt.

"We put on ourselves the commandment upon us to yearly give a third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: for the rows of bread, the offering of the daily sacrifice, the continual burnt sacrifice, the Sabbaths, the new moon festivals, the appointed festival times, the holy objects, the sin offerings that make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. And we have cast lots for the contributions of the wood offering of the priests, the Levites, and the people to bring it to the house of our God, by our fathers’ houses, at designated times, year by year, to burn on the altar of Yahweh our God—as it is written in the law. We also bring the first fruits of our soil and the first fruits of all the fruit trees, year by year, for the house of Yahweh. And the firstborn of our sons and beasts—as it is written in the law—and the firstborn of our cattle and sheep, to bring to the house of our God and to the priests serving in the house of our God. And we bring the best of our dough, our offerings, the fruit of every tree, new wine, and olive oil to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and to bring the tithe of our soil to the Levites, for the Levites receive the tithes in all of our rural towns. And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, will be with the Levites during the tithe the Levites receive. The Levites will bring up a tithe of the tithes for the house of our God to the chambers of the storehouse. For the Israelites and the Levites will bring to the storerooms the offering of grain, new wine, and olive oil. These are the objects of the sanctuary and the priests who minister and the gatekeepers and singers. We will not neglect the house of our God."

Nehemiah 11Now the commanders of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the remainder of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, the other nine’s place was in the other cities. And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.

These are the heads of the province who lived in Jerusalem, but in the cities of Judah each one lived on his property in their cities: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants. And some from the descendants of Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem. From the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, from the descendants of Perez; and Maaseiah son of Baruch, son of Col-Hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Jehoiarib, son of Zechariah, son of the Shilonite. All of the descendants of Perez who were living in Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty-eight able-bodied men.

These are the descendants of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah. And following after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred and twenty-eight. And Joel son of Zicri, their chief officer; and Judah son of Hassenuah, second in command over the city.

From the priests: Jedaiah son of Jehoiarib, Jakin, Seraiah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub—the leader of the house of God— and their brothers who did the work of the house, eight hundred and twenty-two. And Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malkijah, and his brothers, heads of the families, two hundred and forty-two. And Amashai son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer, and their brothers; mighty warriors of strength, one hundred and twenty-eight. The chief officer over them was Zabdiel son of Hagedolim.

Now from the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni; and Shabbethai and Jehozabad, leaders over the work of the Levites outside of the house of God; Mattaniah son of Micah, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, who was the leader to begin the thanksgiving prayer, and Bakbukiah the second of his brothers; Abda son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. All of the Levites in the holy city were two hundred and eighty-four.

The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, the keepers of the gates, one hundred and seventy-two. And the remainder of Israel, the priests and the Levites, in all of the cities of Judah, each in his inheritance. But the temple servants were living on the Ophel; Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants.

The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, from the descendants of Asaph, the singers over the work of the house of God. For there was a command of the king concerning them and a regulation concerning the singers, required day by day. And Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, from the descendants of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the hand of the king in all matters concerning the people.

As for the villages in their territories, some from the descendants of Judah lived in Kiriath-Arba and its settlements, Dibon and its settlements, Jekabzeel and its settlements, Jeshua, Moladah, Beth Pelet, Hazar Shual, Beersheba and its settlements, Ziklad, Meconah and its settlements, En-Rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuch, Zanoah, Adullam and their settlements, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its settlements. So they camped from Beersheba up to the Valley of Hinnom. The descendants of Benjamin from Geba, Micmash, Aija, Bethel and their settlements, Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, Lod, and Ono the valley of the artisans. And from the Levites the working groups of Judah were assigned to Benjamin.

Nehemiah 12These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah, Jehoiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These are the heads of the priests and their brothers in the days of Jeshua.

And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah and his brothers who were in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. And Bakbukiah, Unno, their brothers stood opposite them during service. Jeshua fathered Jehoiakim; Jehoiakim fathered Eliashib; Eliashib fathered Jehoiada; Jehoiada fathered Jehonathan; Jehonathan fathered Jaddua.

Now in the days of Jehoiakim the priests and the heads of the families were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; of Melichu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; of Adaia, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; of Abijah, Zicri; of Miniamin; of Moadiah, Piltai; of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; of Jehoiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; of Sallu, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; and of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

In the days of Eliashib, Jehoiada, Jehohanan, and Jaddua the Levites were recorded as heads of the families. So these were the priests during the reign of Darius the Persian. The descendants of Levi and the heads of the families were recorded in the scroll of the Annals until the days of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. And the heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their brothers opposite them, to praise and to give thanks by the command of David the man of God, section alongside section. Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storerooms of the gates. These were in the days of Jehoiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jehozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe.

At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites from all of their places in order to bring them to Jerusalem to do the dedication with joy, thanksgivings, song and cymbals, stringed instruments and lyres. The singers were gathered from the circuit all around Jerusalem and from the villages of Netophathite, from Beth Gilgal, from the field of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers built for themselves villages all around Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves and purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

Then I brought the commanders of Judah up on to the wall. I appointed two great choirs; one went in a procession to the right on the wall to the Dung Gate. After them went Hoshaiah, half of the commanders of Judah, Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, and the priests with trumpets; Zechariah son of Jehonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph; and his brothers Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani with the instruments of the songs of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe went before them. At the Fountain Gate opposite them they went up the steps of the city of David, at the assent to the wall, over the house of David, and up to the Water Gate to the east.

Then the second choir went the opposite way. I followed after them with half of the people on the wall, from over the Tower of the Ovens up to the Wide Wall and over the Gate of Ephraim, at the Old Gate, at the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, and to the Sheep Gate. And they stopped and stood at the Gate of the Guard. So the two choirs stood in the house of God, and I and half of the prefects with me; and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah with the trumpets; Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jizrahiah the chief officer. They offered on that day great sacrifices and rejoiced because God brought great joy to them. And the women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

On that day men were appointed for the storehouse rooms, the offerings, the first fruits, and the tithes, in order to gather in them from the fields of the cities the requirements of the law for the priests and Levites; for the joy of Judah was upon the priests and Levites standing there. They kept the responsibility of their God and the responsibility of cleansing, and the singers and gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon. For in the days of David and Asaph from ancient times there was the head of the singers and a song of praise and thanksgiving to God. So all of Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily food portions of the singers and gatekeepers. And they set apart that which was for the Levites, and the Levites set apart that which was for the descendants of Aaron.

Nehemiah 13On that day the book of Moses was read in the hearing of the people and it was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God because they did not come to meet the Israelites with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them in order to curse them—but our God changed the curse into a blessing. So it happened when they heard the law that they separated all of the foreign people from Israel.

Before this, Eliashib the priest who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God—the one related to Tobiah— prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had formerly put the grain offering, the frankincense, the temple objects, tithes of grain, wine, and oil commanded for the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the offerings of the priests. During all of this, I was not in Jerusalem because in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. At the end of some days I asked permission from the king to leave. So I came to Jerusalem. And I came to learn of the wrong that Eliashib had done for Tobiah by making him a room in the courtyard of the house of God. It was very displeasing for me, and I threw all of the objects from the house of Tobiah outside of the chamber. And I spoke in order, and they cleansed the chambers. Then I returned the objects of the house of God—the grain offering and the frankincense.

And then I came to learn that the food of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, the doers of the work, had gone back each to his field. So I quarreled with the prefects, and I said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them and set them at their station. So all of Judah brought the tithe of grain, new wine, and olive oil into the storehouses. I appointed as treasurer over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, Pedaiah from the Levites, and as their hand Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered faithful. The responsibility given to them was to distribute to their brothers. Remember me, my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my loyal acts which I have done in the house of my God and in his service.

In those days I saw in Judah people treading the wine press on the Sabbath, bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys along with wine, grapes and figs, and every kind of burden and bringing it all to Jerusalem on the day of the Sabbath. And I warned them at that time against selling food. Tyrian men who lived in Jerusalem brought fish and every kind of merchandise and sold it on the Sabbath to the descendants of Judah and in Jerusalem. So I quarreled with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the day of the Sabbath? Did not your ancestors do this also, and our God brought on us all of this disaster and on this city too? Now you are adding fierce wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath!"

So when it became dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors be shut and said that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I appointed some of my young men over the gates to prevent any goods being brought in on the day of the Sabbath. So the merchants and the sellers of merchandise spent the night outside of Jerusalem once or twice. But I warned them and said to them, "Why are you spending the night opposite the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands against you." From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. And then I told two Levites that they must purify themselves and come to guard the gates in order to consecrate the day of the Sabbath. Remember this also, my God, and take pity on me according to the greatness of your loyal love.

Also in those days I saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. Half of their children spoke Ashdodite and could not speak Judean, but only the tongues of other nations. So I quarreled with them and cursed them and beat some of their men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath by God: "Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in this way? And among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Yet the foreign women made even him sin. Should we listen to you all and do this great evil, acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?"

One from the sons of Jehoiada, son of the high priest Eliashib, who was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonote was there. I chased him away from me. Remember them, my God, because of their defilements of the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

So I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established responsibilities for the priests and Levites, each in his own work, a contribution of the wood offering at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.

Revelation 8And when he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel who had a golden censer came and stood at the altar, and a large amount of incense was given to him, in order that he could offer the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. And the smoke of the incense went up before God with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel. And the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire from the altar and threw it to the earth, and there were thunders and sounds and lightnings and an earthquake.

And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves in order to blow them.

And the first blew the trumpet, and there was hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was thrown to the earth, and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

And the second angel blew the trumpet, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures in the sea—the ones which had life—died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

And the third angel blew the trumpet, and a great star burning like a torch fell from heaven, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. And the name of the star was called Wormwood, and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the waters because they were made bitter.

And the fourth angel blew the trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened, and the day did not shine with respect to a third of it, and the night likewise.

And I looked, and I heard one eagle flying directly overhead, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to those who live on the earth, from the remaining sounds of the trumpets of the three angels who are about to blow the trumpet!"

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The reading for today is Nehemiah 7-9; Psalm 140; Revelation 7.

Nehemiah 7Now when the wall had been built and I had erected the doors and appointed the gatekeepers, singers, and the Levites, I gave command over Jerusalem to my brother Hanani and Hananiah the commander of the citadel. For he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. I said to them, "Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While they are standing guard let them shut and fasten the doors. And appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his post and another opposite his house." The city was widespread and large, but the people in it were few and no houses were rebuilt.

Then my God put into my heart to assemble the nobles, the prefects, and the people to be enrolled. I found the book of the genealogy of those who first came back, and I found this written upon it:

These are the people of the province who came up from captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each one to his city. These came with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.

The number of the men of the people of Israel: the descendants of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two. The descendants of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two. The descendants of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two. The descendants of Pahath-Moab, of the descendants of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen. The descendants of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. The descendants of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five. The descendants of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. The descendants of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight. The descendants of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight. The descendants of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two. The descendants of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven. The descendants of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven. The descendants of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five. The descendants of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. The descendants of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight. The descendants of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four. The descendants of Hariph, one hundred and twelve. The descendants of Gibeon, ninety-five. The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight. The men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight. The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two. The men of Kiriath-Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three. The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one. The men of Micmash, one hundred and twenty-two. The men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three. The men of the other Nebo, fifty-two. The people of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. The people of Harim, three hundred and twenty. The people of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. The people of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one. The people of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.

The priests: The descendants of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. The descendants of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two. The descendants of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven. The descendants of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.

The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the descendants of Hodaviah, seventy-four. The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight. The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, the descendants of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight.

The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagaba, the descendants of Shalmai, the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephushesim, the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, the descendants of Bazlith, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, the descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha.

The descendants of Solomon’s servants: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida, the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pochereth-Hazzebaim, the descendants of Amon.

All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two.

These were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their ancestral houses or their descent, whether they were from Israel: the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, the descendants of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two. And from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai (who had taken as a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). These sought their record among those enrolled in the genealogy, but it was not found there, so they were excluded as unclean from the priesthood. So the governor said to them that they could not eat the most holy food until a priest could come with Urim and Thummim.

All of the assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, besides their servants and female slaves—these were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. And the male and female singers were two hundred and forty-five, there were four hundred and thirty-five camels and six thousand seven hundred and twenty male donkeys.

Now some from the heads of the families gave to the work. The governor gave to the storehouse one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priestly tunics. Now some of the heads of the families gave to the storehouse of the work twenty thousand gold darics and two thousand two hundred silver minas. And what the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand silver minas, and sixty-seven priestly tunics.

So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel settled in their cities. When the seventh month came, the Israelites were in their cities.

Nehemiah 8All of the people gathered as one to the public square before the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses that Yahweh had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly for each man and woman to hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the public square before the Water Gate from dawn until noon that day, opposite the men, women, and those with understanding. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. Then Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden podium that had been made for the occasion. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right. On his left was Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, because he was above all of the people. When he opened it all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed Yahweh the great God, and all of the people answered, "Amen! Amen!" while lifting their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped Yahweh with their noses to the ground. And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites were teaching the people from the law while the people were in their places. So they read the book from the law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that they could understand the reading.

Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all of the people, "This day is holy to Yahweh your God. Do not mourn nor weep." For all of the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, "Go, eat festive food and drink sweet drinks, and send a share to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our lord. Do not be grieved because the joy of Yahweh is your refuge." So the Levites silenced all of the people, saying, "Silence, for this day is holy. Do not be grieved." All of the people went to eat, to drink, to send a share, and to have great joy because they understood the words that they had made known to them.

On the second day the heads of the families of all the people, the priests, and the Levites gathered together to Ezra the scribe to study the words of the law. They found written in the law, which Yahweh had commanded by the hand of Moses, that the Israelites should live in booths during the festival of the seventh month, and that they should proclaim and give voice in all of their cities in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the hill and bring olive tree branches, olive oil wood branches, myrtle shrub branches, palm tree branches, and other leafy tree branches to make booths, as it is written." So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the house of God, in the public square of the Water Gate, and in the public square of the Gate of Ephraim. And all of the assembly of those who returned from captivity made booths and lived in the booths because the Israelites had not done it from the days of Jeshua son of Nun until that day. And there was very great joy. And he read from the scroll of the law of God day by day from the first day up to the last day. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly according to the rule.

Nehemiah 9On the twenty-fourth day of this month the Israelites gathered in fasting, in sackcloths, and with soil on them. Those of the seed of Israel separated themselves from all of the foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors. They stood up in their place and read from the book of the law of Yahweh their God for a fourth part of the day, and for a fourth they were confessing and worshiping Yahweh their God. Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani stood on the platform of the Levites and cried out with a loud voice to Yahweh their God. Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, "Stand up, bless Yahweh your God from everlasting until everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name that is being exalted above all blessing and praise!

"You alone are Yahweh. You alone have made the heavens, the heavens of the heavens, and all of their army, the earth and all that is in it, the waters and all that is in them. You give life to all of them, and the army of the heavens worship you. You are Yahweh, the God who chose Abram and brought him from Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham. You found his heart faithful before you and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite and the Girgashite—to give it to his seed. And you have kept your word because you are righteous.

"You saw the misery of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their shout at the Red Sea. You gave signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all of his servants, and all of the people of his land because you knew that they acted arrogantly against them. You made a name for yourself, as it is this day. And you divided the sea before them, and they passed through the sea on dry ground, but their pursuers you threw into the depths like a stone into mighty waters. You led them by day with a column of cloud and with a column of fire by night, to give them light on the way that they were to go. Then you came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right judgments and true teachings, good regulations and commandments. You made known your holy Sabbath to them and gave them commandments, regulations, and law by the hand of your servant Moses. You gave them bread from heaven for their starvation, and you caused water to go out from a rock for their thirst. You told them to go in order to take into possession the land that you have sworn by your hand to give to them.

"But they and our ancestors acted arrogantly and stiffened their neck and did not listen to your commandments. They refused to listen and did not remember your wonders that you did among them. They stiffened their neck and in their rebellion determined to return to their slavery. But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abundant in loyal love, so you did not abandon them. Even when they made for themselves a molten idol of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you out from Egypt,’ and committed great blasphemies. But you in your many mercies did not abandon them in the desert. The column of cloud that was over them in the day did not cease to leave them on the way, and the column of fire by night that gave light to them on the way that they went. And you gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. Forty years you sustained them in the desert—they were not in need. Their clothing did not wear out and their feet did not swell. And you gave them kingdoms and nations and allotted them a portion. They took into possession the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan. You made their children numerous like the stars of the heavens and brought them to the land that you told their ancestors to enter in order to take possession. So the children went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites; you gave them into their hand, and their kings and the nations of the land to do with them according to their pleasure. And they captured fortified cities and a fertile land and took possession of houses filled with every good thing: hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, and many fruit trees. They ate and became full, and they became fat and took delight in your great goodness.

"But they rebelled and were rebellious against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them to turn back to you, and they did great blasphemies. Therefore you gave them into the hand of their enemy, and they brought trouble to them. Then in the time of their trouble they cried out to you, and you heard from the heavens, and according to your great compassions, you gave them saviors, and you saved them from the hand of their enemies. But when they had rest they returned to doing evil before you, and you abandoned them in the hand of their enemies, and they ruled over them. Then they returned and cried out to you, and from the heavens you heard and many times rescued them according to your compassions. You warned them so that they would return to your law. Yet they acted arrogantly and did not listen to your commandments but sinned against your judgments that a person must do so that they may live. They turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not listen. You were patient toward them for many years, and you have warned them by your spirit through the hand of your prophets, but they did not listen. So you gave them into the hand of the nations of the lands. But in your great compassions you did not put an end to them, and you did not abandon them. For you are a gracious and compassionate God.

"And now our God, the great, mighty, and awesome God who keeps his covenant and loyal love, do not belittle in your presence all of the hardship that is found in us, our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all of our people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until this day. You are righteous in everything that has come on us, for you dealt faithfully, and we have acted wickedly. Our kings, our officials, our priests, and our ancestors did not keep your law and did not listen to your commandments and statutes that you declared to them. And in their kingdom and in the greatness you gave to them, and in the wide and fertile land that you gave before them, they did not serve you and did not turn from their evil deeds. Behold, we are slaves to this day, and the land that you have given to our ancestors to eat its fruits and enjoy its goodness—behold, we are slaves in it! Its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have given over us because of our sins, and they are ruling over our dead bodies and our livestock at their pleasure. We are in great trouble.

"Now because of all of this we make a binding written agreement and are writing on the sealed documents the names of our commanders, our Levites, and our priests."

Psalm 140For the music director. A psalm of David. Rescue me, O Yahweh, from evil men.
Preserve me from violent men,
who plan evil things in their heart.
They stir up wars continually.
They sharpen their tongue as sharp as a snake’s;
the venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah
Protect me, O Yahweh, from the hands of the wicked.
Preserve me from violent men,
who have planned to make me stumble.
The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords.
They have spread out a net along the side of the path.
They have set snares for me. Selah
I say to Yahweh, "You are my God."
Listen, O Yahweh, to the voice of my supplications.
O Yahweh, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.
Do not grant, O Yahweh, the desires of the wicked.
Do not allow them to attain their plan, lest they be exalted. Selah
With respect to the head of those who surround me,
may the harm of their lips cover them.
Let burning coals fall on them;
let them be dropped into the fire,
into bottomless pits from which they cannot rise.
Do not let a slanderer be established in the land;
as for the man of violence, let evil hunt him quickly.
I know that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and justice for the needy.
Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name;
the upright will dwell in your presence.

Revelation 7After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind could blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, holding the seal of the living God, and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels who were given permission to damage the earth and the sea, saying, "Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the slaves of our God on their foreheads." And I heard the number of the ones who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed,

from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand,

from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

After these things I looked, and behold, a great crowd that no one was able to number, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes and with palm branches in their hands. And they were crying out with a loud voice, saying,

"Salvation to our God
who is seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb!"

And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying,

"Amen! Praise and glory,
and wisdom and thanksgiving,
and honor and power and strength
be to our God forever and ever. Amen!"

And one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are dressed in the white robes—who are they, and from where have they come?" And I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me,

"These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation,
and have washed their robes
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Because of this, they are before the throne of God,
and they serve him day and night in his temple,
and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will not be hungry any longer or be thirsty any longer,
nor will the sun ever beat down on them, nor any heat,
because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them
and will lead them to springs of living waters,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

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The reading for today is Nehemiah 4-6; Psalm 98; Revelation 6.

Nehemiah 4 Now it happened when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he became angry and greatly provoked, and he mocked the Jews. Then he said before his brothers and the army of Samaria, "What are the feeble Jews doing? Will they restore these things for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the piles of rubble—even those burned up?"

Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him and said, "Their wall of stone that they are building would break down if a fox went on it!"

Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn on their head and give them over to plunder in the land of captivity. Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before you. They have provoked the builders to anger.

So we rebuilt the wall, and all of the wall was joined up to half its height. For the people had a heart to do it.

Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem were going forward and the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. So all of them plotted together to come fight against Jerusalem and to make trouble for it. So we prayed to our God and set up a guard against them day and night.

But Judah said, "The strength of the carriers is failing, and there is too much dirt, and we are not able to build at the wall." Then our enemies said, "They will not know nor see until we come upon them and will kill them and stop the work." When the Jews who lived beside them came, they said to us ten times, "From all of the places where they live, they will come up against us." I stationed the people behind the deepest part of the wall in the open places according to their families, with their swords, spears, and bows. And I looked, got up, and said to the nobles, prefects, and the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses."

It happened when our enemies heard that their plan was known to us, that God had frustrated it, and we all returned to the wall—each to his work. From that day, half of my servants were working on craftsmanship, half were holding spears, small shields, bows, and breastplates. The commanders were behind the whole house of Judah. The ones who were building the wall and the ones who carried the materials were carrying in one hand while doing the task, and with the other hand were grasping a weapon. Each of the builders had his sword tied to his side while building. And the man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. I said to the nobles, to the prefects, and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and widespread, and we are spread out over the wall far from each other. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, come together to us there. Our God will fight for us."

So we labored at the work, and half of them were holding the spears from dawn until the stars came out. At the time I also said to the people, "Let each man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they will be a guard for us in the night and work in the day." So neither I nor my brothers nor my young men nor the men of the guard who were behind me took off our clothes. Each one kept his weapon even in the water.

Nehemiah 5Now there was a great cry of distress of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. There were those who were saying, "Our sons and daughters, we are many. We must get grain so that we may eat and live." There were also those saying, "We have pledged our fields and our vineyards and our houses so that we can get grain in the famine." And there were those who were saying, "We have borrowed money on our fields and our vineyards for the tax of the king. Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our sons are like their sons. Look, we are subduing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and there are some from our daughters being molested. We are powerless, and our fields and vineyards belong to others."

I was very angry when I heard their shouts and these words. I thought over this in my heart, and then I quarreled with the nobles and the prefects. I said to them, "You yourselves are taking interest from your own brother!" So I called the great assembly against them, and I said to them: "We ourselves have bought back our brothers the Jews who were sold to the nations as we were able. But now you yourselves have sold your brothers so they may be sold to us!" They were silent and could not find a word to say.

So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God to prevent the disgrace from the nations, our enemies? Also, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please stop taking this interest. Please restore to them this day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, their houses, and the interest on the money, the grain, the grape juice, and the olive oil that you have been taking from them." So they said, "We will restore it and will not request anything more. So we will do as you say." Then I called the priests and made them take an oath to do this promise. I also shook out my garment and said, "This is how God will shake out everyone from his house who will not keep this promise. So this is how his possessions will be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said, "Amen!" And they praised Yahweh, and the people kept this promise.

Moreover, from the appointed day I was made their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes—twelve years. My brothers and I did not eat the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and they took food and wine from them, besides forty shekels. Also, their servants controlled the people, but I did not do so because of the fear of God. I also devoted myself to the work of this wall, and we did not buy land. All of my servants were gathered for the work. One hundred and fifty men, prefects and Jews, and those who came to us from the nations around us, were at my table. Now what was prepared each day for me was one ox, six choice sheep, and birds. And every ten days all kinds of wine were made. But for this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor because the slavery was too heavy on this people. Remember me for good, my God, all that I have done for this people.

Nehemiah 6Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall and that no gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not erected doors in the gates— Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they planned to do evil to me. So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I am not able to come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you all?" And they sent a message to me four times like this, and I returned an answer like this to them. And Sanballat sent his servant with an open letter, another word like this to me a fifth time, in his hand. In it was written, "It has been reported among the nations, and Gashmu also is saying it, that you and the Jews are considering rebellion. Therefore, truly you are building the wall and you are becoming their king, according to these words. You have also set up prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now it will be proclaimed to the king according to these words. Now, come and we will plan together." So I sent to him saying, "None of these words you have spoken has happened. You are indeed saying things created in your own mind"— for all of them sought to frighten us, saying, "their hands will not do the work." And now, God, strengthen my hands.

Now I went into the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, and he said, "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple; for they are coming to kill you—during the night they are coming to kill you." But I said, "Should a man like me run away? And would a man like me go into the temple so that he can save his life? I will not go in!" Then I look and realized God had not sent him; rather, he had spoken the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this reason he was hired: to frighten me so that I would act and sin, so that they would have a bad report so they could taunt me. Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to their works, and also Noadiah the prophetess, and the remainder of the prophets who were frightening me.

So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. When our enemies heard of this, all of the nations surrounding us were afraid and lost their confidence. They knew that this work had been done with the help of our God. Also, in those days the nobles of Judah increasingly sent their letters to Tobiah, and letters from Tobiah returned to them. For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. His son Jehohanan took as a wife the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. They also were speaking of his good deeds in my presence, and they were sending my words out to him. Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.

Psalm 98A psalm. Sing to Yahweh a new song, for he has done wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm have secured his victory.
Yahweh has made known his salvation;
to the eyes of the nations he has revealed his righteousness.
He has remembered his loyal love and his faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout joyfully to Yahweh, all the earth.
Be cheerful and sing for joy and sing praises.
Sing praises to Yahweh with lyre,
with lyre and melodious sound.
With trumpets and sound of horn,
shout joyfully before the king, Yahweh.
Let the sea with its fullness roar,
the world and those who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands.
Let the hills sing joyfully together
before Yahweh, for he is coming
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with equity.

Revelation 6And I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying like the sound of thunder, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and the one seated on it had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and in order that he might conquer.

And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come!" And another horse came out, fiery red, and it was granted to the one seated on it to take peace from the earth, and that they would slaughter one another, and a large sword was given to him.

And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a black horse, and the one seated on it had a balance scale in his hand. And I heard something like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not damage the olive oil and the wine!"

And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard a voice from the fourth living creature saying, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a pale green horse, and the one seated on it was named Death, and Hades followed after him. And authority was granted to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill by the sword and by famine and by pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had, and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, holy and true Lord, will you not judge and avenge our blood from those who live on the earth?" And to each one of them a white robe was given, and it was said to them that they should rest yet a short time, until the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed as they had been were completed also.

And I watched when he opened the sixth seal, and a great earthquake took place, and the sun became black like sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood, and the stars of heaven fell to the earth like a fig tree throws down its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. And the sky was split apart like a scroll that is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved from their place. And the kings of the earth, and the most important people, and the military leaders, and the rich, and the powerful, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

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The reading for today is Nehemiah 1-3; Revelation 5.

Nehemiah 1The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah.

It happened in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, that I myself was in the citadel in Susa, and one of my brothers, Hanani, came with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had escaped the captivity and about Jerusalem. They replied to me, "The survivors in the province who have survived the captivity are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned in the fire."

When I heard these words, I sat and wept and mourned for days, and I was fasting and praying before the God of the heavens. I said, "O Yahweh God of the heavens, the great and awesome one who keeps the covenant and loyal love for the ones who love him and for those who keep his commands. Please, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I am praying before you by day and by night for your servants, the Israelites, and confessing the sins of the Israelites that we have sinned against you. I and my father’s house have sinned. We have certainly offended you and have not kept the commands, regulations, and judgments that you have commanded your servant Moses. Please, remember the word that you have commanded to your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you act unfaithfully I will scatter you all among the nations. But if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, even though all of your outcasts are at the furthest parts of heaven, I will gather them and bring them to the place which I have chosen to make my name dwell.’ They are your servants and your people whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, please let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight to revere in your name. Please, let your servant be successful this day and give him compassion before this man."

I was cupbearer for the king.

Nehemiah 2It happened in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I carried the wine and gave it to the king. And I had never been sad before the king. So the king said to me, "Why is your face sad since you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart." And I was very much afraid. I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad when the city of my ancestors’ burial site is ruined and her gates are consumed by fire?" Then the king said to me, "What is your request?" So I prayed to the God of the heavens. Then I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your presence, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ burial sites, so that I may rebuild it."

With the queen sitting beside him, the king said to me, "How long will your journey be and when will you return?" So it pleased the king and he sent me, and I set for him an appointed time. Then I said to the king, "If it is good for the king, let letters be given to me for the governors in the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass until I come to Judah. Also, a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s land reserve, that he should give me timber for laying the beams for the gates of the citadel of the house and for the walls of the city, and for the house which I will enter." And the king gave permission to me, according to the good hand of God on me.

I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and I gave them the letters of the king. Then the king sent troop commanders and horses with me. But when Sanballat the Horonite and the Ammonite servant Tobiah heard this, they were greatly displeased that a person had come to seek the welfare of the Israelites.

I came to Jerusalem and was there for three days. I got up during the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anybody what my God put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. No animal was with me except the animal that I was riding on. I went out during the night at the gate of the valley by the Dragon spring and to the Dung Gate. And I examined the walls in Jerusalem and its gates that had been destroyed by the fire. I crossed over to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but there was no place for my mount to cross over. So I went up by the valley during the night and was examining the wall. Then I returned and came to the Valley Gate and returned. The prefects did not know where I had gone and what I was doing. I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the prefects, and the rest of the workers.

Then I said to them, "You see the misery that we are in, that Jerusalem is ruined and its gates burned by the fire. Come, build the walls of Jerusalem and we shall no longer be a disgrace." I told them of the good hand of my God that was upon me and surely the words of the king that were spoken to me. And they said, "Let us arise and build!" And they strengthened their hands for this good work. But Sanballat the Horonite, the Ammonite servant Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard it, and they mocked and despised us, saying, "What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?" Then I answered and said to them, "The God of the heavens himself will let us succeed, and we his servants shall arise and build. But for you there is no share, right, or memorial in Jerusalem."

Nehemiah 3Then Eliashib the high priest and his brothers the priests arose and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and erected its doors. They consecrated it up to the Tower of the Hundred and up to the Tower of Hananel. And next to him the men of Jericho built, and next to him Zaccur son of Imri built.

The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and erected its doors, its bolts, and its bars. Next to them Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, repaired. Next to them Meshullam son of Berekiah, son of Meshezabel, repaired. Next to them Zadok son of Baana repaired. Next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles did not put their neck to the work of their lord.

Jehoiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam repaired the old Yeshanah Gate. They laid its beams and erected its doors, its bolts, and its bars. Next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and Mizpah who were under the rule of the governor of the province Beyond the River, repaired. Next to him Uzziel son of Harhaiah (goldsmiths) repaired. Next to him Hananiah son of the perfume-makers repaired. They restored Jerusalem up to the Broad Wall. Next to them Rephaiah son of Hur, commander of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired. Next to them Jedaiah son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. Next to him Hattush son of Hashabneiah repaired.

Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. Next to him Shallum son of Hallohesh, commander of half of the district of Jerusalem, repaired with his daughters.

Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and erected its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and a thousand cubits of the wall up to the Dung Gate.

Malkijah son of Recab, commander of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and erected its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

Shallun son of Col-Hozeh, the commander of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and erected its doors, its bolts, its bars, and he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king’s garden, right up to the steps going down from the city of David. After him Nehemiah son of Azbuk, commander of half of the district of Beth Zur, repaired up to a point opposite the burial sites of David, and up to the artificial pool and to the house of the mighty warriors.

After him the Levites repaired; Rehum son of Bani, and next to him Hashabiah, commander of half of the district of Keilah, repaired his district. After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai son of Henadad, commander of half of the district of Keilah, next to him Ezer son of Jeshua, commander of Mizpah, repaired a second section of a wall opposite of the ascent of the armory at the angle. After him Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired a second section of a wall from the angle up to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest. After him Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, repaired a second section of a wall from the doorway of the house of Eliashib up to the end of the house of Eliashib.

After him the priests, men from the vicinity, repaired. After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, repaired beside his house. After him Binnui son of Henadad repaired a second section of a wall from the house of Azariah up to the angle up to the corner. Palal son of Uzai repaired opposite the Angle at the tower that juts out from the upper house of the king, at the courtyard of the guard. After him Pedaiah son of Parosh and the temple servants who were living on Ophel repaired up to opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower. After him the Tekoites repaired a second section of a wall opposite the projecting tower that goes out as far as the wall of Ophel.

Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his house. After them Zadok son of Immer repaired opposite his house. After him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, keeper of the East Gate, repaired. After him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him Meshullam son of Berekiah repaired the wall opposite his room. After him Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired up to the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Enrollment Gate and up to the upper room of the corner. Between the upper room of the corner to the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and merchants repaired.

Revelation 5And I saw in the right hand of the one who is seated on the throne a scroll, written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a powerful angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?" And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.

And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing as though slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth. And he came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. And when he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one of whom had a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they were singing a new song, saying,

"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slaughtered,
and bought people for God by your blood
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they will reign on the earth."

And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and of the living creatures and of the elders, and their number was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands times thousands, saying with a loud voice,

"Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!"

And I heard every creature that is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea and everything in them saying,

"To the one who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power
forever and ever."

And the four living creatures were saying, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.

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The reading for today is Ezra 7-10; Psalm 97; Revelation 4.

Ezra 7After these things during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, , son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest— this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which Yahweh the God of Israel gave. The king granted him all his requests, for the hand of Yahweh was upon him.

Some of the Israelites, some priests and Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. For on the first day of the first month he began the journey from Babylonia; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of Yahweh, to do it, and to teach the regulations and judgments in Israel.

This is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the scroll of the words of the commands of Yahweh and his statutes for Israel: "Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of the heavens. Peace. And now I issue forth a decree that any of the people of Israel, their priests, or their Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem may go with you. For you are sent from the king and his seven counselors to enquire about Judah and Jerusalem concerning the law of your God, which is in your hand. Also, bring the silver and gold that the king and his advisors have freely offered to the God of Israel whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, and all of the silver and gold that you will find in the whole province of Babylonia, with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests giving willingly for the house of their God in Jerusalem. With this money, then, with diligence you must buy young bulls, young rams, lambs, and their offerings and libations. You must offer them on the altar that is in the house of your God in Jerusalem. You may do whatever seems best to you and your brothers to do with the remainder of the silver and gold according to the desire of your God. And the vessels that were given to you for the service of the house of your God you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. And the remainder of the needs for the house of your God that falls to you to provide, you may provide from the house of the king’s treasury."

"I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue forth a decree to all the treasurers who are in the province Beyond the River. Whatever the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may ask of you, let it be done with diligence, up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred measures of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and unlimited salt. All that is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with diligence for the house of the God of heaven, otherwise wrath will come on the kingdom of the king and his sons. You also should be aware that it is not permitted to place tax, tribute, or duty upon all of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, and other servants of the house of God.

"You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges who can judge all of the people in the province Beyond the River who know the laws of your God. And you will teach those who do not know. All who do not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with diligence, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods and for imprisonment."

Blessed be Yahweh the God of our ancestors, who put this in the heart of the king to glorify the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem and who extended to me loyal love before the king and his counselors, and before all of the mighty officials of the king. I took courage, for the hand of Yahweh my God was upon me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

Ezra 8These were the heads of their families and the register of those returnees from Babylonia who came up with me in the reign of King Artaxerxes: From the descendants of Phinehas: Gershom. From the descendants of Ithamar: Daniel. From the descendants of David: Hattush. From the descendants of Shecaniah, from the descendants of Parosh: Zechariah and with him one hundred and fifty registered males. From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah and with him two hundred males. From the descendants of Zattu: Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males. From the descendants of Adin: Ebed son of Jehonathan, and with him fifty males. From the descendants of Elam: Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males. From the descendants of Shephatiah: Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him eighty males. From the descendants of Joab: Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. From the descendants of Bani: Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him one hundred and sixty males. From the descendants of Bebai: Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males. From the descendants of Azgad: Jehohanan son of Haqqatan, and with him one hundred and ten males. From the descendants of Adonikam, those who came last, these were their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel, Shemaiah, and with them sixty males. From the descendants of Bigvai: Uthai son of Zabud, and with him seventy males.

I gathered them by the river that goes to Ahava and we camped there for three days. And I looked at the people and the priests, I found no one there from the sons of Levi. And I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were family heads, and for Jehoiarib and Elnathan who were wise. I sent them to Iddo, the head of the place called Casiphia, and I placed in their mouths what words to say to Iddo and his brothers the temple servants in Casiphia, to send to us ministers for the house of our God. With the good hand of our God before us, they brought us a man of understanding from the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel—Sherebiah and his sons and brothers, eighteen in total. Also Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah, the sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, twenty in total. And from the temple servants, whom David and his officials had set up to serve the Levites, two hundred and twenty in total. All of them were registered by name.

I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava to humble ourselves before our God in order to seek from him a safe journey for us, our children, and our possessions. For I was ashamed to ask the king for troops and horses to protect us from enemies on the way because we said to the king, "the hand of our God is favorable to all who seek him, but his strength and anger are against all who forsake them." So we fasted and sought our God for this and he responded to our prayer.

I set apart twelve of the official priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them. Then I weighed out to them silver and gold and the vessels, the offering of the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his commanders, and all of Israel who was present offered. I weighed out into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, one hundred vessels of silver, one hundred talents of gold, twenty gold bowls worth one thousand darics, and two vessels of good polished bronze as precious as gold. And I said to them, "You are holy to Yahweh and the vessels are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to Yahweh, God of your ancestors. Guard and look after them until you weigh them before the chief priests, the Levites, and the heads of the families of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chamber of the house of Yahweh." So the priests and Levites took over the weighed silver, gold, and the vessels to bring to Jerusalem for the house of our God.

On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the river of Ahava to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushing on the way. We came to Jerusalem and remained there three days. On the fourth day, the silver, gold, and vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of priest Meremoth, the son of Uriah, and with him Eleazar son of Phinehas. With them were the Levites, Jehozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. The amount and weight of all the weighed items was recorded at that time.

The exiles that returned from captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel; twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve goats as a sin offering. All was a burnt offering to Yahweh. They delivered the customs of the king to the king’s satraps and to the governor of the province Beyond the River. And they supported the people of the house of God.

Ezra 9After finishing these things the officials approached me saying, "The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated from the people of the lands with their detestable things, and from the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. For they have taken from their daughters for themselves and their sons. So the holy seed has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands, and the hand of the officials and prefects were foremost in this sin. When I heard this I tore my garment and my robe, and I pulled the hair out from my head and beard, and I sat appalled. Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel because of the sin of the returned exiles were gathered around me and I sat appalled until the evening offering.

At the evening offering I got up from my mourning posture and, with my garment and robe torn, I fell down on my knees and I spread out my palms to Yahweh my God and said, "My God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God. For our sins have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown up to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until this day we have been in great guilt, and because of our sins we ourselves, our kings, and our priests have been handed into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to utter shame, as it is this day. But now for a brief moment mercy has been shown by Yahweh our God, who left behind for us a remnant, and given us security in his holy place—for our God to brighten our eyes and to give us brief relief in our bondage. For we are slaves and in our bondage our God did not forsake us, and he has extended to us loyal love in the presence of the kings of Persia, to give to us deliverance and to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judea and Jerusalem.

"And now our God what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, which you commanded by the hand of your servants the prophets saying, ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land of impurity with the impurity of the peoples of the lands, with their detestable things which they have filled from end to end with their uncleanness. Therefore, do not give your daughters to their sons, and do not take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek their peace and prosperity so that forever you may be strong and eat the good of the land and may give it as an inheritance to your sons.’ After all that has come upon us for our evil practices and for our great guilt—you, our God, have held back less than our guilt deserved and you have given us a remainder such as this. Shall we again break your commandments and intermarry with the peoples who practice these detestable things? Would you not be angry with us until you destroy us with no remnant or remainder? Yahweh, God of Israel, you are righteous, for we have been left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this."

Ezra 10While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children from Israel gathered to him. And the people wept bitterly. Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, "We ourselves have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, and even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. So now let us make a covenant with our God to send away all of these women and their offspring, according to the advice of my lord and those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the law. Arise, for it is your task and we are with you. Be strong and do it." Then Ezra stood up and made the chief priests, Levites, and all of Israel swear to do according to what was said. So they swore this oath.

Ezra rose from before the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He did not eat food nor drink water because he was mourning over the sin of the exiles. And they sent a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. Anyone who did not come within three days, by decision of the officials and elders, all of his possessions would be devoted to God, and he himself would be excluded from the assembly of exiles.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth day of the month. All the people sat in the public square of the house of God trembling because of this matter and from the rains. Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have broke faith and married foreign women, increasing the guilt of Israel. Now make a confession to Yahweh the God of your ancestors and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women."

Then all the assembly answered with a great voice and said, "It is so. We must do according to your words. But the people are many, and it is the time of rain; we are unable to stand outside. The task is not for one day or two, for we greatly rebelled in this matter. Please let our leaders stand for the whole assembly, and let all that are in our cities who have married foreign women come at set times, and with them the elders of and judges of each city, until the fierce wrath of our God because of this matter is averted from us." Only Jehonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah stood against this, and the Levites Meshullam and Shabbethai supported them.

The returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest selected men, the heads of the families according to the house of their fathers, all of them by name. They sat down to examine the matter on the first day of the tenth month. They finished investigating all the men who married foreign women by the first day of the first month.

There was found from the sons of the priests those who had married foreign women, from the sons of Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. They pledged themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt. From the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. From the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. From the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Eleasah.

From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

And from Israel, the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah. From the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah. From the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. From the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. From the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth. From the sons of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh. From the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshiah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Simeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. From the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. From the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu, Bani, Binnui, Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. From the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, Joel, and Benaiah. All of these had married foreign wives, and some from among the wives bore children.

Psalm 97Yahweh is king! Let the earth rejoice;
let many coastlands be glad.
Cloud and thick darkness are surrounding him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him,
and devours his enemies round about.
His lightnings light the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh,
at the presence of the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens declare his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
Let all who serve an image be ashamed,
those who boast about idols.
Worship him, all you gods.
Zion hears and is glad,
and the daughters of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments, O Yahweh.
For you, O Yahweh, are most high over all the earth.
You are highly exalted above all gods.
You who love Yahweh, hate evil.
He protects the lives of his faithful;
he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.
Be glad in Yahweh, you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name.

Revelation 4After these things I looked, and behold, an open door in heaven, and the former voice that I had heard like a trumpet speaking with me was saying, "Come up here and I will show you the things which must take place after these things." Immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one was seated on the throne. And the one seated was similar in appearance to jasper and carnelian stone, and a rainbow was around the throne similar in appearance to emerald. And around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders dressed in white clothing, and on their heads were gold crowns. And from the throne came out lightnings and sounds and thunders, and seven torches of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal, and in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. And the first living creature was similar to a lion, and the second living creature was similar to an ox, and the third living creature had a face like a man’s, and the fourth living creature was similar to an eagle flying. And the four living creatures, each one of them, had six wings apiece, full of eyes around and inside, and they do not have rest day and night, saying,

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God All-Powerful,
the one who was and the one who is and the one who is coming!"

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and put down their crowns before the throne, saying,

"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
because you have created all things,
and because of your will they existed and were created."

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The reading for today is Esther 7-10; Revelation 3.

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The reading for today is Esther 4-6; Revelation 2.

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The reading for today is Esther 1-3; Psalm 139; Revelation 1.

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The reading for today is Ezra 5-6; Psalm 95; 3 John.

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The reading for today is Zechariah 12-14; Psalm 94; 2 John.

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The reading for today is Zechariah 9-11; 1 John 5.

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The reading for today is Zechariah 6-8; 1 John 4.

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The reading for today is Zechariah 2-5; Psalm 93; 1 John 3.

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The reading for today is Haggai; Zechariah 1; Psalm 138; 1 John 2.

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The reading for today is Ezra 3-4; Psalm 92; 1 John 1.

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The reading for today is Ezra 1-2; John 21.

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The reading for today is Daniel 10-12; John 20.

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The reading for today is Daniel 7-9; Psalm 91; John 19.

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The reading for today is Daniel 4-6; John 18.

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The reading for today is Daniel 1-3; Psalm 88; John 17.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 46-48; John 16.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 43-45; Psalm 135; John 15.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 40-42; John 14.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 37-39; Psalm 87; John 13.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 34-36; Psalm 86; John 12.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 31-33; John 11.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 28-30; John 10.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 25-27; Psalm 85; John 9.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 22-24; Psalm 134; John 8.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 19-21; Psalm 84; John 7.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 16-18; John 6.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 13-15; Psalm 136; John 5.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 10-12; Psalm 83; John 4.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 7-9; John 3.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 4-6; Psalm 82; John 2.

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The reading for today is Ezekiel 1-3; John 1.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 50-51; 2 Peter 3.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 47-49; Psalm 80; 2 Peter 2.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 43; Jeremiah 44; Jeremiah 46; 2 Peter 1.

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The reading for today is Obadiah; Jeremiah 40-42; Psalm 147; 1 Peter 5.

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The reading for today is Lamentations; Psalm 137; 1 Peter 4.

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The reading for today is 2Kin 24-25; 2 Chronicles 36; Psalm 126; 1 Peter 3.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 38; Jeremiah 39; Jeremiah 52; 1 Peter 2.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 30-33; 1 Peter 1.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 37; Jeremiah 21; Jeremiah 34; Psalm 79; James 5.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 27; Jeremiah 28; Jeremiah 29; Jeremiah 24; James 4.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 25; Jeremiah 35; Jeremiah 36; Jeremiah 45; Psalm 133; James 3.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 22; Jeremiah 23; Jeremiah 26; Psalm 77; James 2.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 17-20; James 1.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 14-16; Psalm 76; 2 Corinthians 13.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 11-13; 2 Corinthians 12.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 8-10; 2 Corinthians 11.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 5-7; Psalm 75; 2 Corinthians 10.

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The reading for today is Jeremiah 1-4; Psalm 130; 2 Corinthians 9.

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The reading for today is Zephaniah; Psalm 74; 2 Corinthians 8.

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The reading for today is Habakkuk; 2 Corinthians 7.

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The reading for today is 2 Chronicles 34-35; 2 Corinthians 6.

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The reading for today is 2 Kings 22-23; Psalm 73; 2 Corinthians 5.

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The reading for today is Nahum; Psalm 149; 2 Corinthians 4.

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The reading for today is 2 Kings 21; 2 Chronicles 33; Psalm 71; 2 Corinthians 3.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 64-66; 2 Corinthians 2.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 60-63; 2 Corinthians 1.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 56-59; Psalm 70; 1 Corinthians 16.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 53-55; Psalm 128; 1 Corinthians 15.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 49-52; Psalm 69; 1 Corinthians 14.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 45-48; 1 Corinthians 13.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 41-44; 1 Corinthians 12.

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The reading for today is 2 Kings 20; Isaiah 38-40; Psalm 68; 1 Corinthians 11.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 36-37; Psalm 123; 1 Corinthians 10.

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The reading for today is 2 Kings 18-19; 2 Chronicles 32; Psalm 67; 1 Corinthians 9.

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The reading for today is 2 Chronicles 29-31; 1 Corinthians 8.

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The reading for today is 2 Chronicles 28; 2 Kings 17; Psalm 66; 1 Corinthians 7.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 33-35; 1 Corinthians 6.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 30-32; 1 Corinthians 5.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 26-29; Psalm 65; 1 Corinthians 4.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 23-25; 1 Corinthians 3.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 20-22; 1 Corinthians 2.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 17-19; Psalm 62; 1 Corinthians 1.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 14-16; Matthew 28.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 11-13; Psalm 118; Matthew 27.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 7-10; Psalm 22; Matthew 26.

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The reading for today is Micah 5-7; Matthew 25.

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The reading for today is Micah 1-4; Psalm 10; Matthew 24.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 4-6; Matthew 23.

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The reading for today is Isaiah 1-3; Psalm 9; Matthew 22.

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The reading for today is 2 Kings 15-16; Matthew 21.

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The reading for today is Hosea 14; 2 Chronicles 26-27; Psalm 61; Matthew 20.

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The reading for today is Hosea 11-13; Matthew 19.

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The reading for today is Hosea 7-10; Matthew 18.

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The reading for today is Hosea 4-6; Psalm 58; Matthew 17.

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The reading for today is Hosea 1-3; Matthew 16.

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The reading for today is Amos 7-9; Matthew 15.

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The reading for today is Amos 4-6; Psalm 55; Matthew 14.

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The reading for today is Amos 1-3; Matthew 13.

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The reading for today is 2 Kings 13-14; 2 Chronicles 25; Psalm 53; Matthew 12.

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The reading for today is Jonah 1-4; Matthew 11.

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The reading for today is Joel 1-3; Matthew 10.

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The reading for today is 2 Chronicles 24; 2 Kings 12; Psalm 50; Matthew 9.

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The reading for today is 2 Chronicles 22-23; 2 Kings 11; Psalm 131; Matthew 8.

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The reading for today is 2 Kings 9-10; Psalm 49; Matthew 7.

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The reading for today is 2 Kings 7-8; 2 Chronicles 21; Matthew 6.

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The reading for today is 2 Kings 4-6; Matthew 5.

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The reading for today is 2 Kings 2-3; Psalm 48; Matthew 4.

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The reading for today is 2 Chronicles 19-20; 2 Kings 1; Psalm 20; Matthew 3.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18; Matthew 2.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 19-21; 2 Chronicles 17; Psalm 129; Matthew 1.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 17-18; Psalm 119; Jude 1.

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The reading for today is 2 Chronicles 15-16; 1 Kings 16; Philemon 1.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 13-14; Titus 3.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 13-14; 2 Chronicles 12; Psalm 47; Titus 2.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 10-11; Titus 1.

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The reading for today is Ecclesiastes 10-12; 2 Timothy 4.

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The reading for today is Ecclesiastes 7-9; Psalm 46; 2 Timothy 3.

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The reading for today is Ecclesiastes 4-6; Psalm 125; 2 Timothy 2.

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The reading for today is Ecclesiastes 1-3; Psalm 45; 2 Timothy 1.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 10-11; 2 Chronicles 9; 1 Timothy 6.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 9; 2 Chronicles 8; 1 Timothy 5.

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The reading for today is 2 Chronicles 5-7; Psalm 121; 1 Timothy 4.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 8; Psalm 30; 1 Timothy 3.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4; Psalm 44; 1 Timothy 2.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 6; 2 Chronicles 3; 1 Timothy 1.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 5; 2 Chronicles 2; 2 Thessalonians 3.

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The reading for today is Song of Solomon 7-8; Psalm 127; 2 Thessalonians 2.

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The reading for today is Song of Solomon 4-6; 2 Thessalonians 1.

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The reading for today is Song of Solomon 1-3; Psalm 72; 1 Thessalonians 5.

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The reading for today is Proverbs 29-31; 1 Thessalonians 4.

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The reading for today is Proverbs 26-28; 1 Thessalonians 3.

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The reading for today is Proverbs 24-25; Psalm 41; 1 Thessalonians 2.

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The reading for today is Proverbs 22-23; Psalm 117; 1 Thessalonians 1.

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The reading for today is Proverbs 19-21; Psalm 40; Romans 16.

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The reading for today is Proverbs 16-18; Romans 15.

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The reading for today is Proverbs 14-15; Romans 14.

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The reading for today is Proverbs 11-13; Psalm 8; Romans 13.

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The reading for today is Proverbs 8-10; Psalm 144; Romans 12.

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The reading for today is Proverbs 6-7; Psalm 7; Romans 11.

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The reading for today is Proverbs 3-5; Romans 10.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 4; Proverbs 1-2; Psalm 43; Romans 9.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 3; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalm 42; Romans 8.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 2; 1 Chronicles 29; Romans 7.

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The reading for today is 1 Kings 1; 1 Chronicles 26-28; Romans 6.

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The reading for today is 1 Chronicles 22-25; Psalm 78; Romans 5.

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The reading for today is 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21; Romans 4.

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The reading for today is 2 Samuel 21-23; Psalm 18; Romans 3.

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The reading for today is 2 Samuel 18-20; Psalm 34; Romans 2.

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The reading for today is 2 Samuel 15-17; Psalms 3; Psalm 63; Romans 1.

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The reading for today is 2 Samuel 13-14; Acts 28.

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The reading for today is 2 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 20; Psalm 51; Psalm 32; Acts 27.

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The reading for today is 2 Samuel 9-10; 1 Chronicles 18-19; Psalm 89; Acts 26.

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The reading for today is 2 Samuel 7-8; 1 Chronicles 17; Psalm 132; Acts 25.

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The reading for today is 1 Chronicles 14-16; Acts 24.

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The reading for today is 2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13; Psalm 60; Acts 23.

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The reading for today is 2 Samuel 3-5; 1 Chronicles 12; Psalm 122; Acts 22.

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The reading for today is 2 Samuel 1-2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalm 96; Psalm 106; Acts 21.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 30-31; 1 Chronicles 10; Acts 20.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 28-29; 1 Chronicles 9; Acts 19.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 26-27; 1 Chronicles 8; Acts 18.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 25; 1 Chronicles 7; Acts 17.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 23-24; 1 Chronicles 6; Psalm 54; Acts 16.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 21-22; 1 Chronicles 5; Psalm 52; Acts 15.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 20; 1 Chronicles 4; Psalm 56; Psalm 57; Psalm 142; Acts 14.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 18-19; 1 Chronicles 3; Psalm 59; Acts 13.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 17; 1 Chronicles 2; Acts 12.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 15-16; 1 Chronicles 1; Psalm 39; Acts 11.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 14; Psalm 124; Acts 10.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 11-13; Psalm 38; Acts 9.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 9-10; Acts 8.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 6-8; Acts 7.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 3-5; Psalm 23; Acts 6.

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The reading for today is 1 Samuel 1-2; Psalm 120; Acts 5.

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The reading for today is Ruth 3-4; Psalm 37; Acts 4.

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The reading for today is Ruth 1-2; Acts 3.

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The reading for today is Judges 19-21; Acts 2.

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The reading for today is Judges 17-18; Psalm 21; Acts 1.

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The reading for today is Judges 12-16; Psalm 146; Luke 24.

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The reading for today is Judges 9-11; Psalm 17; Luke 23.

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The reading for today is Judges 7-8; Luke 22.

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The reading for today is Judges 4-6; Luke 21.

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The reading for today is Judges 1-3; Psalm 16; Luke 20.

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The reading for today is Joshua 22-24; Psalm 116; Luke 19.

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The reading for today is Joshua 18-21; Psalm 15; Luke 18.

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The reading for today is Joshua 14-17; Luke 17.

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The reading for today is Joshua 9-13; Luke 16.

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The reading for today is Joshua 5-8; Psalm 14; Luke 15.

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The reading for today is Joshua 1-4; Psalm 143; Luke 14.

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The reading for today is Deuteronomy 32-34; Psalm 13; Luke 13.

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The reading for today is Deuteronomy 27-31; Luke 12.

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The reading for today is Deuteronomy 23-26; Luke 11.

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The reading for today is Deuteronomy 19-22; Luke 10.

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The reading for today is Deuteronomy 15-18; Psalm 115; Luke 9.

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The reading for today is Deuteronomy 10-14; Psalm 5; Luke 8.

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The reading for today is Deuteronomy 6-9; Luke 7.

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The reading for today is Deuteronomy 4-5; Luke 6.

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The reading for today is Deuteronomy 1-3; Psalm 36; Luke 5.

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The reading for today is Numbers 34-36; Luke 4.

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The reading for today is Numbers 30-33; Psalm 35; Luke 3.

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The reading for today is Numbers 26-29; Luke 2.

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The reading for today is Numbers 22-25; Luke 1.

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The reading for today is Numbers 19-21; Colossians 4.

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The reading for today is Numbers 15-18; Psalm 113; Colossians 3.

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The reading for today is Numbers 12-14; Psalm 28; Colossians 2.

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The reading for today is Numbers 8-11; Colossians 1.

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The reading for today is Numbers 6-7; Hebrews 13.

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The reading for today is Numbers 3-5; Hebrews 12.

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The reading for today is Numbers 1-2; Psalm 64; Hebrews 11.

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The reading for today is Leviticus 26-27; Psalm 112; Hebrews 10.

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The reading for today is Leviticus 24-25; Psalm 81; Hebrews 9.

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The reading for today is Leviticus 21-23; Hebrews 8.

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The reading for today is Leviticus 19-20; Hebrews 7.

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The reading for today is Leviticus 15-18; Psalm 31; Hebrews 6.

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The reading for today is Leviticus 12-14; Psalm 111; Hebrews 5.

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The reading for today is Leviticus 8-11; Psalm 110; Hebrews 4.

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The reading for today is Leviticus 4-7; Hebrews 3.

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The reading for today is Leviticus 1-3; Psalm 27; Hebrews 2.

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The reading for today is Exodus 38-40; Hebrews 1.

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The reading for today is Exodus 35-37; Psalm 26; Philippians 4.

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The reading for today is Exodus 32-34; Philippians 3.

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The reading for today is Exodus 28-31; Philippians 2.

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The reading for today is Exodus 25-27; Psalm 90; Philippians 1.

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The reading for today is Exodus 22-24; Psalm 109; Ephesians 6.

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The reading for today is Exodus 19-21; Psalm 33; Ephesians 5.

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The reading for today is Exodus 16-18; Ephesians 4.

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The reading for today is Exodus 13-15; Psalm 114; Ephesians 3.

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The reading for today is Exodus 10-12; Ephesians 2.

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The reading for today is Exodus 7-9; Psalm 105; Ephesians 1.

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The reading for today is Exodus 4-6; Galatians 6.

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The reading for today is Exodus 1-3; Galatians 5.

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The reading for today is Genesis 49-50; Galatians 4.

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The reading for today is Genesis 47-48; Psalm 25; Galatians 3.

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The reading for today is Genesis 45-46; Psalm 108; Galatians 2.

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The reading for today is Genesis 43-44; Psalm 24; Galatians 1.

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The reading for today is Genesis 41-42; Mark 16.

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The reading for today is Genesis 38-40; Mark 15.

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The reading for today is Genesis 35-37; Psalm 12; Mark 14.

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The reading for today is Genesis 32-34; Psalm 145; Mark 13.

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The reading for today is Genesis 30-31; Psalm 11; Mark 12.

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The reading for today is Genesis 28-29; Mark 11.

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The reading for today is Genesis 26-27; Mark 10.

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The reading for today is Genesis 24-25; Psalm 4; Mark 9.

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The reading for today is Genesis 21-23; Psalm 107; Mark 8.

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The reading for today is Genesis 19-20; Psalm 1; Mark 7.

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The reading for today is Genesis 16-18; Mark 6.

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The reading for today is Genesis 12-15; Psalm 148; Mark 5.

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The reading for today is Genesis 9-11; Mark 4.

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The reading for today is Genesis 6-8; Psalm 104; Mark 3.

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The reading for today is Genesis 3-5; Mark 2.

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The reading for today is Genesis 1-2; Psalm 19; Mark 1.