Today's Readings
Genesis 6 : 5 - 9 : 6
5 | Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. |
6 | And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. |
7 | So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." |
8 | But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. |
9 | This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. |
10 | And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. |
11 | The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. |
12 | So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. |
13 | And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. |
14 | Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. |
15 | And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. |
16 | You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. |
17 | And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. |
18 | But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark--you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. |
19 | And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. |
20 | Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. |
21 | And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them." |
22 | Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. |
1 | So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. |
2 | And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. |
3 | Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. |
4 | But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. |
5 | Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man. |
6 | "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man. |
Proverbs 9 : 1 - 11
1 | Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; |
2 | She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table. |
3 | She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city, |
4 | "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, |
5 | "Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed. |
6 | Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding. |
7 | "He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. |
8 | Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. |
9 | Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. |
10 | "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. |
11 | For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you. |
Isaiah 40 : 9 - 30
9 | O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" |
10 | Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him. |
11 | He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. |
12 | Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? |
13 | Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has taught Him? |
14 | With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding? |
15 | Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. |
16 | And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. |
17 | All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless. |
18 | To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? |
19 | The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains. |
20 | Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman To prepare a carved image that will not totter. |
21 | Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? |
22 | It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. |
23 | He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. |
24 | Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble. |
25 | "To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?" says the Holy One. |
26 | Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. |
27 | Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God"? |
28 | Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. |
29 | He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. |
30 | Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, |
Daniel 7 : 9 - 15
9 | "I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; |
10 | A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened. |
11 | "I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. |
12 | As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. |
13 | "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. |
14 | Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed. |
15 | "I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. |
Proverbs 8 : 1 - 12
1 | Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? |
2 | She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. |
3 | She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: |
4 | "To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. |
5 | O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. |
6 | Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; |
7 | For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. |
8 | All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. |
9 | They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. |
10 | Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; |
11 | For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. |
12 | "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion. |