Today's Readings
Deuteronomy 8 : 11 - 20
11 | "Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, |
12 | lest--when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; |
13 | and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; |
14 | when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; |
15 | who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; |
16 | who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end-- |
17 | then you say in your heart, "My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.' |
18 | "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. |
19 | Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. |
20 | As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God. |
Sirach 2 : 1 - 9
1 | Son, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation. |
2 | Humble thy heart, and endure: incline thy ear, and receive the words of understanding: and make not haste in the time of clouds. |
3 | Wait on God with patience: join thyself to God, and endure, that thy life may be increased in the latter end. |
4 | Take all that shall be brought upon thee: and in thy sorrow endure, and in thy humiliation keep patience. |
5 | For gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation. |
6 | Believe God, and he will recover thee: and direct thy way, and trust in him. Keep his fear, and grow old therein. |
7 | Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy: and go not aside from him, lest ye fall. |
8 | Ye that fear the Lord, believe him: and your reward shall not be made void. |
9 | Ye that fear the Lord, hope in him: and mercy shall come to you for your delight. |
Job 27 : 1 - 20
1 | Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said: |
2 | "As God lives, who has taken away my justice, And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, |
3 | As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils, |
4 | My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit. |
5 | Far be it from me That I should say you are right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. |
6 | My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live. |
7 | "May my enemy be like the wicked, And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous. |
8 | For what is the hope of the hypocrite, Though he may gain much, If God takes away his life? |
9 | Will God hear his cry When trouble comes upon him? |
10 | Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call on God? |
11 | "I will teach you about the hand of God; What is with the Almighty I will not conceal. |
12 | Surely all of you have seen it; Why then do you behave with complete nonsense? |
13 | "This is the portion of a wicked man with God, And the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty: |
14 | If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. |
15 | Those who survive him shall be buried in death, And their widows shall not weep, |
16 | Though he heaps up silver like dust, And piles up clothing like clay-- |
17 | He may pile it up, but the just will wear it, And the innocent will divide the silver. |
18 | He builds his house like a moth, Like a booth which a watchman makes. |
19 | The rich man will lie down, But not be gathered up; He opens his eyes, And he is no more. |
20 | Terrors overtake him like a flood; A tempest steals him away in the night. |
Job 28 : 1 - 2
1 | "Surely there is a mine for silver, And a place where gold is refined. |
2 | Iron is taken from the earth, And copper is smelted from ore. |
Kings 19 : 9 - 14