Thematic Bible: Select readings
Thematic Bible
Christ » Devotions of » Select readings
And Abraham came near, and said, Will you let destruction come on the upright with the sinners? If by chance there are fifty upright men in the town, will you give the place to destruction and not have mercy on it because of the fifty upright men? Let such a thing be far from you, to put the upright to death with the sinner: will not the judge of all the earth do right? read more.
And the Lord said, If there are fifty upright men in the town, I will have mercy on it because of them. And Abraham answering said, Truly, I who am only dust, have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: If by chance there are five less than fifty upright men, will you give up all the town to destruction because of these five? And he said, I will not give it to destruction if there are forty-five. And again he said to him, By chance there may be forty there. And he said, I will not do it if there are forty. And he said, Let not the Lord be angry with me if I say, What if there are thirty there? And he said, I will not do it if there are thirty. And he said, See now, I have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: what if there are twenty there? And he said, I will have mercy because of the twenty. And he said, O let not the Lord be angry and I will say only one word more: by chance there may be ten there. And he said, I will have mercy because of the ten.
And the Lord said, If there are fifty upright men in the town, I will have mercy on it because of them. And Abraham answering said, Truly, I who am only dust, have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: If by chance there are five less than fifty upright men, will you give up all the town to destruction because of these five? And he said, I will not give it to destruction if there are forty-five. And again he said to him, By chance there may be forty there. And he said, I will not do it if there are forty. And he said, Let not the Lord be angry with me if I say, What if there are thirty there? And he said, I will not do it if there are thirty. And he said, See now, I have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: what if there are twenty there? And he said, I will have mercy because of the twenty. And he said, O let not the Lord be angry and I will say only one word more: by chance there may be ten there. And he said, I will have mercy because of the ten.
Then Jacob was by himself; and a man was fighting with him till dawn. But when the man saw that he was not able to overcome Jacob, he gave him a blow in the hollow part of his leg, so that his leg was damaged. And he said to him, Let me go now, for the dawn is near. But Jacob said, I will not let you go till you have given me your blessing. read more.
Then he said, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome. Then Jacob said, What is your name? And he said, What is my name to you? Then he gave him a blessing. And Jacob gave that place the name of Peniel, saying, I have seen God face to face, and still I am living.
Then he said, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome. Then Jacob said, What is your name? And he said, What is my name to you? Then he gave him a blessing. And Jacob gave that place the name of Peniel, saying, I have seen God face to face, and still I am living.
Then David the king went in and took his seat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have been my guide till now? And this was only a small thing to you, O Lord God; but your words have even been about the far-off future of your servant's family, O Lord God! What more may David say to you? for you have knowledge of your servant, O Lord God. read more.
Because of your word and from your heart, you have done all this great work, and let your servant see it. Truly you are great, O Lord God: there is no one like you and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears. And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, and to make a name for himself, and to do great and strange things for them, driving out a nation and its gods from before his people? But you took and made strong for yourself your people Israel, to be your people for ever; and you, Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, may the word which you have said about your servant and about his family, be made certain for ever, and may you do as you have said! And let your name be made great for ever, and let men say, The Lord of armies is God over Israel: and let the family of David your servant be made strong before you! For you, O Lord of armies, the God of Israel, have clearly said to your servant, I will make you the head of a family of kings: and so it has come into your servant's heart to make this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true and you have said you will give your servant this good thing; So may it be your pleasure to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you: (for you, O Lord God, have said it,) and may your blessing be on your servant's family line for ever!
Because of your word and from your heart, you have done all this great work, and let your servant see it. Truly you are great, O Lord God: there is no one like you and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears. And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, and to make a name for himself, and to do great and strange things for them, driving out a nation and its gods from before his people? But you took and made strong for yourself your people Israel, to be your people for ever; and you, Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, may the word which you have said about your servant and about his family, be made certain for ever, and may you do as you have said! And let your name be made great for ever, and let men say, The Lord of armies is God over Israel: and let the family of David your servant be made strong before you! For you, O Lord of armies, the God of Israel, have clearly said to your servant, I will make you the head of a family of kings: and so it has come into your servant's heart to make this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true and you have said you will give your servant this good thing; So may it be your pleasure to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you: (for you, O Lord God, have said it,) and may your blessing be on your servant's family line for ever!
Then Solomon took his place before the altar of the Lord, all the men of Israel being present, and stretching out his hands to heaven, Said, O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on the earth; keeping faith and mercy unchanging for your servants, while they go in your ways with all their hearts. And you have kept the word which you gave to your servant David, my father; with your mouth you said it and with your hand you have made it come true this day. read more.
So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done. So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father. But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made! Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day; That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place. Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy. If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house: Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong. When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house: Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers. When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them: Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage. If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be: Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men: So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers. And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name: (For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm;) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name. If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name: Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them. If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin,) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near; And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil; And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name: Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them; Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them; For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace; Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you. For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God. Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven; And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice, Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true. Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up; Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers. And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need. So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other. Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.
So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done. So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father. But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made! Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day; That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place. Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy. If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house: Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong. When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house: Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers. When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them: Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage. If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be: Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men: So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers. And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name: (For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm;) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name. If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name: Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them. If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin,) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near; And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil; And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name: Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them; Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them; For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace; Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you. For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God. Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven; And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice, Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true. Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up; Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers. And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need. So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other. Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.
And it came about that he was in prayer in a certain place, and when he came to an end, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, will you give us teaching about prayer, as John did to his disciples? And he said to them, When you say your prayers, say, Father, may your name be kept holy and your kingdom come. Give us every day bread for our needs. read more.
May we have forgiveness for our sins, as we make free all those who are in debt to us. And let us not be put to the test. And he said to them, Which of you, having a friend, would go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, Friend, let me have three cakes of bread; Because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to put before him; And he, from inside the house, would say in answer, Do not be a trouble to me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; it is not possible for me to get up and give to you? I say to you, Though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of. And I say to you, Make requests, and they will be answered; what you are searching for, you will get; when you give the sign, the door will be open to you. For to everyone who makes a request, it will be given; and he who is searching will get his desire; and to him who gives the sign, the door will be open. And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake? Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?
May we have forgiveness for our sins, as we make free all those who are in debt to us. And let us not be put to the test. And he said to them, Which of you, having a friend, would go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, Friend, let me have three cakes of bread; Because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to put before him; And he, from inside the house, would say in answer, Do not be a trouble to me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; it is not possible for me to get up and give to you? I say to you, Though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of. And I say to you, Make requests, and they will be answered; what you are searching for, you will get; when you give the sign, the door will be open to you. For to everyone who makes a request, it will be given; and he who is searching will get his desire; and to him who gives the sign, the door will be open. And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake? Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?
And he made a story for them, the point of which was that men were to go on making prayer and not get tired; Saying, There was a judge in a certain town, who had no fear of God or respect for man: And there was a widow in that town, and she kept on coming to him and saying, Give me my right against the man who has done me wrong. read more.
And for a time he would not: but later, he said to himself, Though I have no fear of God or respect for man, Because this widow is a trouble to me, I will give her her right; for if not, I will be completely tired out by her frequent coming. And the Lord said, Give ear to the words of the evil judge. And will not God do right in the cause of his saints, whose cries come day and night to his ears, though he is long in doing it? I say to you that he will quickly do right in their cause. But when the Son of man comes, will there be any faith on earth?
And for a time he would not: but later, he said to himself, Though I have no fear of God or respect for man, Because this widow is a trouble to me, I will give her her right; for if not, I will be completely tired out by her frequent coming. And the Lord said, Give ear to the words of the evil judge. And will not God do right in the cause of his saints, whose cries come day and night to his ears, though he is long in doing it? I say to you that he will quickly do right in their cause. But when the Son of man comes, will there be any faith on earth?
Daily duty » Select readings
Let no one give evil for evil; but ever go after what is good, for one another and for all. Have joy at all times. Keep on with your prayers. read more.
In everything give praise: for this is the purpose of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not put out the light of the Spirit; Do not make little of the words of the prophets; Let all things be tested; keep to what is good; Keep from every form of evil. And may the God of peace himself make you holy in every way; and may your spirit and soul and body be free from all sin at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, by whom you have been marked out in his purpose, is unchanging and will make it complete. Brothers, keep us in mind in your prayers. Give all the brothers a holy kiss. I give orders in the name of the Lord that all the brothers are to be present at the reading of this letter. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
In everything give praise: for this is the purpose of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not put out the light of the Spirit; Do not make little of the words of the prophets; Let all things be tested; keep to what is good; Keep from every form of evil. And may the God of peace himself make you holy in every way; and may your spirit and soul and body be free from all sin at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, by whom you have been marked out in his purpose, is unchanging and will make it complete. Brothers, keep us in mind in your prayers. Give all the brothers a holy kiss. I give orders in the name of the Lord that all the brothers are to be present at the reading of this letter. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
The Dead » Resurrection of » Select readings
But it is our desire, brothers, that you may be certain about those who are sleeping; so that you may have no need for sorrow, as others have who are without hope. For if we have faith that Jesus underwent death and came back again, even so those who are sleeping will come again with him by God's power. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are still living at the coming of the Lord, will not go before those who are sleeping. read more.
Because the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a word of authority, with the voice of the chief angel, with the sound of a horn: and the dead in Christ will come to life first; Then we who are still living will be taken up together with them into the clouds to see the Lord in the air: and so will we be for ever with the Lord. So then, give comfort to one another with these words.
Because the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a word of authority, with the voice of the chief angel, with the sound of a horn: and the dead in Christ will come to life first; Then we who are still living will be taken up together with them into the clouds to see the Lord in the air: and so will we be for ever with the Lord. So then, give comfort to one another with these words.
Now a certain man named Lazarus was ill; he was of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (The Mary whose brother Lazarus was ill, was the Mary who put perfumed oil on the Lord and made his feet dry with her hair.) So the sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, your dear friend is ill. read more.
When this came to his ears, Jesus said, The end of this disease is not death, but the glory of God, so that the Son of God may have glory because of it. Now Jesus had love in his heart for Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when the news came to him that Lazarus was ill, he did not go from the place where he was for two days. Then after that time he said to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. The disciples said to him, Master, the Jews were attempting only the other day to have you stoned, and are you going back there again? Then Jesus said in answer, Are there not twelve hours in the day? A man may go about in the day without falling, because he sees the light of this world. But if a man goes about in the night, he may have a fall because the light is not in him. These things said he: and after that he said to them, Lazarus our friend is at rest; but I go so that I may make him come out of his sleep. Then his disciples said to him, Lord, if he is resting he will get well. Jesus, however, was talking of his death: but they had the idea that he was talking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them clearly, Lazarus is dead. And because of you I am glad I was not there, so that you may have faith; but let us go to him. Then Thomas, who was named Didymus, said to the other disciples, Let us go so that we may be with him in death. Now when Jesus came, he made the discovery that Lazarus had been put into the earth four days before. Now Bethany was near to Jerusalem, about two miles away; And a number of Jews had come to Martha and Mary to give them comfort about their brother. When Martha had the news that Jesus was on the way, she went out to him, but Mary did not go from the house. Then Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here my brother would not be dead. But I am certain that, even now, whatever request you make to God, God will give it to you. Jesus said to her, Your brother will come to life again. Martha said to him, I am certain that he will come to life again when all come back from the dead at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am myself that day and that life; he who has faith in me will have life even if he is dead; And no one who is living and has faith in me will ever see death. Is this your faith? She said to him, Yes, Lord: my faith is that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world. And having said this, she went away and said secretly to her sister Mary, The Master is here and has sent for you. And Mary, hearing this, got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not at this time come into the town, but was still in the place where Martha had seen him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, comforting her, when they saw Mary get up quickly and go out, went after her in the belief that she was going to the place of the dead and would be weeping there. When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she went down at his feet, saying, Lord, if you had been here my brother would not be dead. And when Jesus saw her weeping, and saw the Jews weeping who came with her, his spirit was moved and he was troubled, And said, Where have you put him? They said, Come and see, Lord. And Jesus himself was weeping. So the Jews said, See how dear he was to him! But some of them said, This man, who made open the eyes of the blind man, was he not able to keep his friend from death? So Jesus, deeply troubled in heart, came to the place of the dead. It was a hole in the rock, and a stone was over the opening. Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said, Lord, by this time the body will be smelling, for he has been dead four days. Jesus said to her, Did I not say to you that if you had faith you would see the glory of God? So they took away the stone. And Jesus, looking up to heaven, said, Father, I give praise to you for hearing me. I was certain that your ears are at all times open to me, but I said it because of these who are here, so that they may see that you sent me. Then he said in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out! And he who was dead came out, with linen bands folded tightly about his hands and feet, and a cloth about his face. Jesus said to them, Make him free and let him go.
When this came to his ears, Jesus said, The end of this disease is not death, but the glory of God, so that the Son of God may have glory because of it. Now Jesus had love in his heart for Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when the news came to him that Lazarus was ill, he did not go from the place where he was for two days. Then after that time he said to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. The disciples said to him, Master, the Jews were attempting only the other day to have you stoned, and are you going back there again? Then Jesus said in answer, Are there not twelve hours in the day? A man may go about in the day without falling, because he sees the light of this world. But if a man goes about in the night, he may have a fall because the light is not in him. These things said he: and after that he said to them, Lazarus our friend is at rest; but I go so that I may make him come out of his sleep. Then his disciples said to him, Lord, if he is resting he will get well. Jesus, however, was talking of his death: but they had the idea that he was talking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them clearly, Lazarus is dead. And because of you I am glad I was not there, so that you may have faith; but let us go to him. Then Thomas, who was named Didymus, said to the other disciples, Let us go so that we may be with him in death. Now when Jesus came, he made the discovery that Lazarus had been put into the earth four days before. Now Bethany was near to Jerusalem, about two miles away; And a number of Jews had come to Martha and Mary to give them comfort about their brother. When Martha had the news that Jesus was on the way, she went out to him, but Mary did not go from the house. Then Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here my brother would not be dead. But I am certain that, even now, whatever request you make to God, God will give it to you. Jesus said to her, Your brother will come to life again. Martha said to him, I am certain that he will come to life again when all come back from the dead at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am myself that day and that life; he who has faith in me will have life even if he is dead; And no one who is living and has faith in me will ever see death. Is this your faith? She said to him, Yes, Lord: my faith is that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world. And having said this, she went away and said secretly to her sister Mary, The Master is here and has sent for you. And Mary, hearing this, got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not at this time come into the town, but was still in the place where Martha had seen him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, comforting her, when they saw Mary get up quickly and go out, went after her in the belief that she was going to the place of the dead and would be weeping there. When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she went down at his feet, saying, Lord, if you had been here my brother would not be dead. And when Jesus saw her weeping, and saw the Jews weeping who came with her, his spirit was moved and he was troubled, And said, Where have you put him? They said, Come and see, Lord. And Jesus himself was weeping. So the Jews said, See how dear he was to him! But some of them said, This man, who made open the eyes of the blind man, was he not able to keep his friend from death? So Jesus, deeply troubled in heart, came to the place of the dead. It was a hole in the rock, and a stone was over the opening. Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said, Lord, by this time the body will be smelling, for he has been dead four days. Jesus said to her, Did I not say to you that if you had faith you would see the glory of God? So they took away the stone. And Jesus, looking up to heaven, said, Father, I give praise to you for hearing me. I was certain that your ears are at all times open to me, but I said it because of these who are here, so that they may see that you sent me. Then he said in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out! And he who was dead came out, with linen bands folded tightly about his hands and feet, and a cloth about his face. Jesus said to them, Make him free and let him go.
And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, got spices, so that they might come and put them on him. And very early after dawn on the first day of the week, they came at the time of the coming up of the sun to the place where the body had been put. And they were saying among themselves, Who will get the stone rolled away from the door for us? read more.
And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; and it was of great size. And when they went in, they saw a young man seated on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were full of wonder. And he said to them, Do not be troubled: you are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been put to death on the cross; he has come back from the dead; he is not here: see, the place where they put him! But go, say to his disciples and to Peter, He goes before you into Galilee: there you will see him, as he said to you. And they went out quickly from the place, because fear and great wonder had come on them: and they said nothing to anyone, because they were full of fear that ... Now when he came back from the dead early on the first day of the week, he went first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had sent out seven evil spirits. She went and gave news of it to those who had been with him, while they were sorrowing and weeping. And they, when it came to their ears that he was living, and had been seen by her, had no belief in it. And after these things he was seen in another form by two of them, while they were walking on their way into the country. And they went away and gave news of it to the rest; and they had no belief in what was said. And later he was seen by the eleven themselves while they were taking food; and he said sharp words to them because they had no faith and their hearts were hard, and because they had no belief in those who had seen him after he had come back from the dead.
And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; and it was of great size. And when they went in, they saw a young man seated on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were full of wonder. And he said to them, Do not be troubled: you are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been put to death on the cross; he has come back from the dead; he is not here: see, the place where they put him! But go, say to his disciples and to Peter, He goes before you into Galilee: there you will see him, as he said to you. And they went out quickly from the place, because fear and great wonder had come on them: and they said nothing to anyone, because they were full of fear that ... Now when he came back from the dead early on the first day of the week, he went first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had sent out seven evil spirits. She went and gave news of it to those who had been with him, while they were sorrowing and weeping. And they, when it came to their ears that he was living, and had been seen by her, had no belief in it. And after these things he was seen in another form by two of them, while they were walking on their way into the country. And they went away and gave news of it to the rest; and they had no belief in what was said. And later he was seen by the eleven themselves while they were taking food; and he said sharp words to them because they had no faith and their hearts were hard, and because they had no belief in those who had seen him after he had come back from the dead.
But on the first day of the week, at dawn, they came to the place where his body had been put, taking the spices which they had got ready. And they saw that the stone had been rolled away. And they went in, but the body of the Lord Jesus was not there. read more.
And while they were in doubt about it, they saw two men in shining clothing by them: And while their faces were bent down to the earth in fear, these said to them, Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has come back to life: have in mind what he said to you when he was still in Galilee, saying, The Son of man will be given up into the hands of evil-doers, and be put to death on the cross, and on the third day he will come back to life. And his words came back into their minds, And they went away from that place and gave an account of all these things to the eleven disciples and all the others. Now they were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary, the mother of James: and the other women with them said these things to the Apostles. But these words seemed foolish to them, and they had no belief in them. But Peter got up and went to the place where the body had been put, and looking in he saw nothing but the linen cloths, and he went to his house full of wonder at what had taken place. And then, two of them, on that very day, were going to a little town named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking together about all those things which had taken place. And while they were talking and questioning together, Jesus himself came near and went with them. But their eyes were not open that they might have knowledge of him. And he said to them, What are you talking about together while you go? Then stopping, and looking sadly at him, one of them, named Cleopas, said to him, Are you the only man living in Jerusalem who has not had news of the things which have taken place there at this time? And he said to them, What things? And they said, The things to do with Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, great in his acts and his words, before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers gave him up to be put to death on the cross. But we were hoping that he would be the Saviour of Israel. In addition to all this he has now let three days go by from the time when these things took place; And certain women among us gave us cause for wonder, for they went early to the place where his body had been put, And it was not there; then they came saying that they had seen a vision of angels who said that he was living. And some of those who were with us went to the place, and saw that it was as the women had said, but him they did not see. And he said, O foolish men! how slow you are to give belief to what the prophets have said. Was it not necessary for the Christ to go through these things, and to come into his glory? And he made clear to them all the things in the Writings, from Moses and from all the prophets, which had to do with himself. And they came near the town to which they were going, and he seemed as if he was going on; But they kept him back, saying, Do not go, for evening is near, the day is almost gone. And he went in with them. And when he was seated with them at table, he took the bread, and said words of blessing and, making division of it, he gave it to them. And then their eyes were open, and they had knowledge of him, but he went from their view. And they said to one another, Were not our hearts burning in us while he was talking to us on the way, making clear to us the holy Writings? And that very hour they got up and went back to Jerusalem, where the eleven and the others had come together. And they said to them, The Lord has truly come back to life again, and Simon has seen him. And they gave an account of the things which had taken place on the way, and how, when he gave them bread, they had knowledge of him. And while they were saying these things, he himself was among them, and said to them, Peace be with you! But they were full of fear, being of the opinion that they were seeing a spirit. And he said to them, Why are you troubled, and why are your hearts full of doubt? See; my hands and my feet: it is I myself; put your hands on me and make certain; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have. And when he had said this, he let them see his hands and his feet. And because, for joy and wonder, they were still in doubt, he said to them, Have you any food here? And they gave him a bit of cooked fish. And before their eyes he took a meal. And he said to them, These are the words which I said to you when I was still with you, how it was necessary for all the things which are in the writings of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms about me, to be put into effect. Then he made the holy Writings clear to their minds. And he said to them, So it is in the Writings that the Christ would undergo death, and come back to life again on the third day;
And while they were in doubt about it, they saw two men in shining clothing by them: And while their faces were bent down to the earth in fear, these said to them, Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has come back to life: have in mind what he said to you when he was still in Galilee, saying, The Son of man will be given up into the hands of evil-doers, and be put to death on the cross, and on the third day he will come back to life. And his words came back into their minds, And they went away from that place and gave an account of all these things to the eleven disciples and all the others. Now they were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary, the mother of James: and the other women with them said these things to the Apostles. But these words seemed foolish to them, and they had no belief in them. But Peter got up and went to the place where the body had been put, and looking in he saw nothing but the linen cloths, and he went to his house full of wonder at what had taken place. And then, two of them, on that very day, were going to a little town named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking together about all those things which had taken place. And while they were talking and questioning together, Jesus himself came near and went with them. But their eyes were not open that they might have knowledge of him. And he said to them, What are you talking about together while you go? Then stopping, and looking sadly at him, one of them, named Cleopas, said to him, Are you the only man living in Jerusalem who has not had news of the things which have taken place there at this time? And he said to them, What things? And they said, The things to do with Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, great in his acts and his words, before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers gave him up to be put to death on the cross. But we were hoping that he would be the Saviour of Israel. In addition to all this he has now let three days go by from the time when these things took place; And certain women among us gave us cause for wonder, for they went early to the place where his body had been put, And it was not there; then they came saying that they had seen a vision of angels who said that he was living. And some of those who were with us went to the place, and saw that it was as the women had said, but him they did not see. And he said, O foolish men! how slow you are to give belief to what the prophets have said. Was it not necessary for the Christ to go through these things, and to come into his glory? And he made clear to them all the things in the Writings, from Moses and from all the prophets, which had to do with himself. And they came near the town to which they were going, and he seemed as if he was going on; But they kept him back, saying, Do not go, for evening is near, the day is almost gone. And he went in with them. And when he was seated with them at table, he took the bread, and said words of blessing and, making division of it, he gave it to them. And then their eyes were open, and they had knowledge of him, but he went from their view. And they said to one another, Were not our hearts burning in us while he was talking to us on the way, making clear to us the holy Writings? And that very hour they got up and went back to Jerusalem, where the eleven and the others had come together. And they said to them, The Lord has truly come back to life again, and Simon has seen him. And they gave an account of the things which had taken place on the way, and how, when he gave them bread, they had knowledge of him. And while they were saying these things, he himself was among them, and said to them, Peace be with you! But they were full of fear, being of the opinion that they were seeing a spirit. And he said to them, Why are you troubled, and why are your hearts full of doubt? See; my hands and my feet: it is I myself; put your hands on me and make certain; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have. And when he had said this, he let them see his hands and his feet. And because, for joy and wonder, they were still in doubt, he said to them, Have you any food here? And they gave him a bit of cooked fish. And before their eyes he took a meal. And he said to them, These are the words which I said to you when I was still with you, how it was necessary for all the things which are in the writings of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms about me, to be put into effect. Then he made the holy Writings clear to their minds. And he said to them, So it is in the Writings that the Christ would undergo death, and come back to life again on the third day;
God » Wisdom of » Select readings
But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge? Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living. The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me. read more.
Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it. It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire. Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold. There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls. The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold. From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge? For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air. Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears. God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place; For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven. When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters; When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames; Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely. And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it. It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire. Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold. There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls. The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold. From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge? For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air. Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears. God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place; For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven. When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters; When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames; Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely. And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
Happy is the man who makes discovery of wisdom, and he who gets knowledge. For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold. She is of more value than jewels, and nothing for which you may have a desire is fair in comparison with her. read more.
Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour. Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace. She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her. The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place. By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies. My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes. So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck. Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping. When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour. Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace. She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her. The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place. By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies. My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes. So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck. Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping. When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge: For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me. For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother. read more.
And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life: Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth. Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe. The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge. Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love. She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory. Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours. I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way. When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall. Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.
And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life: Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth. Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe. The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge. Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love. She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory. Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours. I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way. When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall. Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.
spiritual Growth » Encouraged » Select readings
Of whom we have much to say which it is hard to make clear, because you are slow of hearing. And though by this time it would be right for you to be teachers, you still have need of someone to give you teaching about the first simple rules of God's revelation; you have become like babies who have need of milk, and not of solid food. For everyone who takes milk is without experience of the word of righteousness: he is a child. read more.
But solid food is for men of full growth, even for those whose senses are trained by use to see what is good and what is evil.
But solid food is for men of full growth, even for those whose senses are trained by use to see what is good and what is evil.
For this reason let us go on from the first things about Christ to full growth; not building again that on which it is based, that is, the turning of the heart from dead works, and faith in God, The teaching of baptisms, and of the putting on of hands, and of the future life of the dead, and of the judging on the last day. Now we will do this, if God lets us. read more.
As for those who at one time saw the light, tasting the good things from heaven, and having their part in the Holy Spirit, With knowledge of the good word of God, and of the powers of the coming time, And then let themselves be turned away, it is not possible for their hearts to be made new a second time; because they themselves put the Son of God on the cross again, openly shaming him. For a land, drinking in the frequent rain and producing good plants for those for whom it is worked, has a blessing from God: But if it sends up thorns and evil plants, it is of no use and is ready to be cursed; its only end is to be burned. But, my loved ones, though we say this, we are certain that you have better things in you, things which go with salvation; For God is true, and will not put away from him the memory of your work and of your love for his name, in the help which you gave and still give to the saints. And it is our desire that you may all keep the same high purpose in certain hope to the end: So that you may not be slow in heart, but may take as your example those to whom God has given their heritage, because of their faith and their long waiting. For when God made his oath to Abraham, because there was no greater oath, he made it by himself, Saying, Be certain that I will give you my blessing, and make your numbers very great. And so, when he had been waiting calmly for a long time, God's word to him was put into effect. For men at all times make their oaths by what is greater; and any argument is ended by the decision of the oath.
As for those who at one time saw the light, tasting the good things from heaven, and having their part in the Holy Spirit, With knowledge of the good word of God, and of the powers of the coming time, And then let themselves be turned away, it is not possible for their hearts to be made new a second time; because they themselves put the Son of God on the cross again, openly shaming him. For a land, drinking in the frequent rain and producing good plants for those for whom it is worked, has a blessing from God: But if it sends up thorns and evil plants, it is of no use and is ready to be cursed; its only end is to be burned. But, my loved ones, though we say this, we are certain that you have better things in you, things which go with salvation; For God is true, and will not put away from him the memory of your work and of your love for his name, in the help which you gave and still give to the saints. And it is our desire that you may all keep the same high purpose in certain hope to the end: So that you may not be slow in heart, but may take as your example those to whom God has given their heritage, because of their faith and their long waiting. For when God made his oath to Abraham, because there was no greater oath, he made it by himself, Saying, Be certain that I will give you my blessing, and make your numbers very great. And so, when he had been waiting calmly for a long time, God's word to him was put into effect. For men at all times make their oaths by what is greater; and any argument is ended by the decision of the oath.
Heavenly » Home heavenly home the final dwelling place of the saints » Select readings
And I say to you, Make friends for yourselves through the wealth of this life, so that when it comes to an end, you may be taken into the eternal resting-places.
Importunity » Select readings
And Abraham came near, and said, Will you let destruction come on the upright with the sinners? If by chance there are fifty upright men in the town, will you give the place to destruction and not have mercy on it because of the fifty upright men? Let such a thing be far from you, to put the upright to death with the sinner: will not the judge of all the earth do right? read more.
And the Lord said, If there are fifty upright men in the town, I will have mercy on it because of them. And Abraham answering said, Truly, I who am only dust, have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: If by chance there are five less than fifty upright men, will you give up all the town to destruction because of these five? And he said, I will not give it to destruction if there are forty-five. And again he said to him, By chance there may be forty there. And he said, I will not do it if there are forty. And he said, Let not the Lord be angry with me if I say, What if there are thirty there? And he said, I will not do it if there are thirty. And he said, See now, I have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: what if there are twenty there? And he said, I will have mercy because of the twenty. And he said, O let not the Lord be angry and I will say only one word more: by chance there may be ten there. And he said, I will have mercy because of the ten.
And the Lord said, If there are fifty upright men in the town, I will have mercy on it because of them. And Abraham answering said, Truly, I who am only dust, have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: If by chance there are five less than fifty upright men, will you give up all the town to destruction because of these five? And he said, I will not give it to destruction if there are forty-five. And again he said to him, By chance there may be forty there. And he said, I will not do it if there are forty. And he said, Let not the Lord be angry with me if I say, What if there are thirty there? And he said, I will not do it if there are thirty. And he said, See now, I have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: what if there are twenty there? And he said, I will have mercy because of the twenty. And he said, O let not the Lord be angry and I will say only one word more: by chance there may be ten there. And he said, I will have mercy because of the ten.
Then Jacob was by himself; and a man was fighting with him till dawn. But when the man saw that he was not able to overcome Jacob, he gave him a blow in the hollow part of his leg, so that his leg was damaged. And he said to him, Let me go now, for the dawn is near. But Jacob said, I will not let you go till you have given me your blessing. read more.
Then he said, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome. Then Jacob said, What is your name? And he said, What is my name to you? Then he gave him a blessing. And Jacob gave that place the name of Peniel, saying, I have seen God face to face, and still I am living.
Then he said, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome. Then Jacob said, What is your name? And he said, What is my name to you? Then he gave him a blessing. And Jacob gave that place the name of Peniel, saying, I have seen God face to face, and still I am living.
Then David the king went in and took his seat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have been my guide till now? And this was only a small thing to you, O Lord God; but your words have even been about the far-off future of your servant's family, O Lord God! What more may David say to you? for you have knowledge of your servant, O Lord God. read more.
Because of your word and from your heart, you have done all this great work, and let your servant see it. Truly you are great, O Lord God: there is no one like you and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears. And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, and to make a name for himself, and to do great and strange things for them, driving out a nation and its gods from before his people? But you took and made strong for yourself your people Israel, to be your people for ever; and you, Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, may the word which you have said about your servant and about his family, be made certain for ever, and may you do as you have said! And let your name be made great for ever, and let men say, The Lord of armies is God over Israel: and let the family of David your servant be made strong before you! For you, O Lord of armies, the God of Israel, have clearly said to your servant, I will make you the head of a family of kings: and so it has come into your servant's heart to make this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true and you have said you will give your servant this good thing; So may it be your pleasure to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you: (for you, O Lord God, have said it,) and may your blessing be on your servant's family line for ever!
Because of your word and from your heart, you have done all this great work, and let your servant see it. Truly you are great, O Lord God: there is no one like you and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears. And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, and to make a name for himself, and to do great and strange things for them, driving out a nation and its gods from before his people? But you took and made strong for yourself your people Israel, to be your people for ever; and you, Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, may the word which you have said about your servant and about his family, be made certain for ever, and may you do as you have said! And let your name be made great for ever, and let men say, The Lord of armies is God over Israel: and let the family of David your servant be made strong before you! For you, O Lord of armies, the God of Israel, have clearly said to your servant, I will make you the head of a family of kings: and so it has come into your servant's heart to make this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true and you have said you will give your servant this good thing; So may it be your pleasure to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you: (for you, O Lord God, have said it,) and may your blessing be on your servant's family line for ever!
Then Solomon took his place before the altar of the Lord, all the men of Israel being present, and stretching out his hands to heaven, Said, O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on the earth; keeping faith and mercy unchanging for your servants, while they go in your ways with all their hearts. And you have kept the word which you gave to your servant David, my father; with your mouth you said it and with your hand you have made it come true this day. read more.
So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done. So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father. But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made! Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day; That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place. Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy. If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house: Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong. When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house: Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers. When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them: Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage. If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be: Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men: So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers. And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name: (For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm;) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name. If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name: Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them. If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin,) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near; And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil; And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name: Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them; Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them; For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace; Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you. For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God. Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven; And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice, Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true. Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up; Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers. And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need. So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other. Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.
So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done. So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father. But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made! Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day; That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place. Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy. If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house: Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong. When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house: Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers. When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them: Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage. If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be: Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men: So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers. And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name: (For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm;) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name. If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name: Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them. If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin,) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near; And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil; And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name: Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them; Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them; For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace; Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you. For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God. Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven; And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice, Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true. Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up; Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers. And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need. So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other. Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.
And it came about that he was in prayer in a certain place, and when he came to an end, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, will you give us teaching about prayer, as John did to his disciples? And he said to them, When you say your prayers, say, Father, may your name be kept holy and your kingdom come. Give us every day bread for our needs. read more.
May we have forgiveness for our sins, as we make free all those who are in debt to us. And let us not be put to the test. And he said to them, Which of you, having a friend, would go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, Friend, let me have three cakes of bread; Because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to put before him; And he, from inside the house, would say in answer, Do not be a trouble to me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; it is not possible for me to get up and give to you? I say to you, Though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of. And I say to you, Make requests, and they will be answered; what you are searching for, you will get; when you give the sign, the door will be open to you. For to everyone who makes a request, it will be given; and he who is searching will get his desire; and to him who gives the sign, the door will be open. And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake? Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?
May we have forgiveness for our sins, as we make free all those who are in debt to us. And let us not be put to the test. And he said to them, Which of you, having a friend, would go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, Friend, let me have three cakes of bread; Because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to put before him; And he, from inside the house, would say in answer, Do not be a trouble to me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; it is not possible for me to get up and give to you? I say to you, Though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of. And I say to you, Make requests, and they will be answered; what you are searching for, you will get; when you give the sign, the door will be open to you. For to everyone who makes a request, it will be given; and he who is searching will get his desire; and to him who gives the sign, the door will be open. And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake? Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?
And he made a story for them, the point of which was that men were to go on making prayer and not get tired; Saying, There was a judge in a certain town, who had no fear of God or respect for man: And there was a widow in that town, and she kept on coming to him and saying, Give me my right against the man who has done me wrong. read more.
And for a time he would not: but later, he said to himself, Though I have no fear of God or respect for man, Because this widow is a trouble to me, I will give her her right; for if not, I will be completely tired out by her frequent coming. And the Lord said, Give ear to the words of the evil judge. And will not God do right in the cause of his saints, whose cries come day and night to his ears, though he is long in doing it? I say to you that he will quickly do right in their cause. But when the Son of man comes, will there be any faith on earth?
And for a time he would not: but later, he said to himself, Though I have no fear of God or respect for man, Because this widow is a trouble to me, I will give her her right; for if not, I will be completely tired out by her frequent coming. And the Lord said, Give ear to the words of the evil judge. And will not God do right in the cause of his saints, whose cries come day and night to his ears, though he is long in doing it? I say to you that he will quickly do right in their cause. But when the Son of man comes, will there be any faith on earth?
Prayer » Select readings
And Abraham came near, and said, Will you let destruction come on the upright with the sinners? If by chance there are fifty upright men in the town, will you give the place to destruction and not have mercy on it because of the fifty upright men? Let such a thing be far from you, to put the upright to death with the sinner: will not the judge of all the earth do right? read more.
And the Lord said, If there are fifty upright men in the town, I will have mercy on it because of them. And Abraham answering said, Truly, I who am only dust, have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: If by chance there are five less than fifty upright men, will you give up all the town to destruction because of these five? And he said, I will not give it to destruction if there are forty-five. And again he said to him, By chance there may be forty there. And he said, I will not do it if there are forty. And he said, Let not the Lord be angry with me if I say, What if there are thirty there? And he said, I will not do it if there are thirty. And he said, See now, I have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: what if there are twenty there? And he said, I will have mercy because of the twenty. And he said, O let not the Lord be angry and I will say only one word more: by chance there may be ten there. And he said, I will have mercy because of the ten.
And the Lord said, If there are fifty upright men in the town, I will have mercy on it because of them. And Abraham answering said, Truly, I who am only dust, have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: If by chance there are five less than fifty upright men, will you give up all the town to destruction because of these five? And he said, I will not give it to destruction if there are forty-five. And again he said to him, By chance there may be forty there. And he said, I will not do it if there are forty. And he said, Let not the Lord be angry with me if I say, What if there are thirty there? And he said, I will not do it if there are thirty. And he said, See now, I have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: what if there are twenty there? And he said, I will have mercy because of the twenty. And he said, O let not the Lord be angry and I will say only one word more: by chance there may be ten there. And he said, I will have mercy because of the ten.
Then Jacob was by himself; and a man was fighting with him till dawn. But when the man saw that he was not able to overcome Jacob, he gave him a blow in the hollow part of his leg, so that his leg was damaged. And he said to him, Let me go now, for the dawn is near. But Jacob said, I will not let you go till you have given me your blessing. read more.
Then he said, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome. Then Jacob said, What is your name? And he said, What is my name to you? Then he gave him a blessing. And Jacob gave that place the name of Peniel, saying, I have seen God face to face, and still I am living.
Then he said, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome. Then Jacob said, What is your name? And he said, What is my name to you? Then he gave him a blessing. And Jacob gave that place the name of Peniel, saying, I have seen God face to face, and still I am living.
Then David the king went in and took his seat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have been my guide till now? And this was only a small thing to you, O Lord God; but your words have even been about the far-off future of your servant's family, O Lord God! What more may David say to you? for you have knowledge of your servant, O Lord God. read more.
Because of your word and from your heart, you have done all this great work, and let your servant see it. Truly you are great, O Lord God: there is no one like you and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears. And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, and to make a name for himself, and to do great and strange things for them, driving out a nation and its gods from before his people? But you took and made strong for yourself your people Israel, to be your people for ever; and you, Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, may the word which you have said about your servant and about his family, be made certain for ever, and may you do as you have said! And let your name be made great for ever, and let men say, The Lord of armies is God over Israel: and let the family of David your servant be made strong before you! For you, O Lord of armies, the God of Israel, have clearly said to your servant, I will make you the head of a family of kings: and so it has come into your servant's heart to make this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true and you have said you will give your servant this good thing; So may it be your pleasure to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you: (for you, O Lord God, have said it,) and may your blessing be on your servant's family line for ever!
Because of your word and from your heart, you have done all this great work, and let your servant see it. Truly you are great, O Lord God: there is no one like you and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears. And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, and to make a name for himself, and to do great and strange things for them, driving out a nation and its gods from before his people? But you took and made strong for yourself your people Israel, to be your people for ever; and you, Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, may the word which you have said about your servant and about his family, be made certain for ever, and may you do as you have said! And let your name be made great for ever, and let men say, The Lord of armies is God over Israel: and let the family of David your servant be made strong before you! For you, O Lord of armies, the God of Israel, have clearly said to your servant, I will make you the head of a family of kings: and so it has come into your servant's heart to make this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true and you have said you will give your servant this good thing; So may it be your pleasure to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you: (for you, O Lord God, have said it,) and may your blessing be on your servant's family line for ever!
Then Solomon took his place before the altar of the Lord, all the men of Israel being present, and stretching out his hands to heaven, Said, O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on the earth; keeping faith and mercy unchanging for your servants, while they go in your ways with all their hearts. And you have kept the word which you gave to your servant David, my father; with your mouth you said it and with your hand you have made it come true this day. read more.
So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done. So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father. But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made! Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day; That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place. Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy. If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house: Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong. When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house: Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers. When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them: Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage. If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be: Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men: So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers. And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name: (For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm;) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name. If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name: Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them. If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin,) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near; And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil; And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name: Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them; Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them; For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace; Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you. For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God. Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven; And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice, Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true. Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up; Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers. And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need. So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other. Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.
So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done. So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father. But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made! Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day; That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place. Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy. If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house: Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong. When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house: Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers. When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them: Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage. If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be: Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men: So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers. And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name: (For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm;) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name. If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name: Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them. If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin,) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near; And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil; And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name: Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them; Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them; For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace; Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you. For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God. Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven; And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice, Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true. Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up; Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers. And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need. So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other. Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.
And it came about that he was in prayer in a certain place, and when he came to an end, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, will you give us teaching about prayer, as John did to his disciples? And he said to them, When you say your prayers, say, Father, may your name be kept holy and your kingdom come. Give us every day bread for our needs. read more.
May we have forgiveness for our sins, as we make free all those who are in debt to us. And let us not be put to the test. And he said to them, Which of you, having a friend, would go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, Friend, let me have three cakes of bread; Because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to put before him; And he, from inside the house, would say in answer, Do not be a trouble to me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; it is not possible for me to get up and give to you? I say to you, Though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of. And I say to you, Make requests, and they will be answered; what you are searching for, you will get; when you give the sign, the door will be open to you. For to everyone who makes a request, it will be given; and he who is searching will get his desire; and to him who gives the sign, the door will be open. And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake? Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?
May we have forgiveness for our sins, as we make free all those who are in debt to us. And let us not be put to the test. And he said to them, Which of you, having a friend, would go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, Friend, let me have three cakes of bread; Because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to put before him; And he, from inside the house, would say in answer, Do not be a trouble to me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; it is not possible for me to get up and give to you? I say to you, Though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of. And I say to you, Make requests, and they will be answered; what you are searching for, you will get; when you give the sign, the door will be open to you. For to everyone who makes a request, it will be given; and he who is searching will get his desire; and to him who gives the sign, the door will be open. And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake? Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?
And he made a story for them, the point of which was that men were to go on making prayer and not get tired; Saying, There was a judge in a certain town, who had no fear of God or respect for man: And there was a widow in that town, and she kept on coming to him and saying, Give me my right against the man who has done me wrong. read more.
And for a time he would not: but later, he said to himself, Though I have no fear of God or respect for man, Because this widow is a trouble to me, I will give her her right; for if not, I will be completely tired out by her frequent coming. And the Lord said, Give ear to the words of the evil judge. And will not God do right in the cause of his saints, whose cries come day and night to his ears, though he is long in doing it? I say to you that he will quickly do right in their cause. But when the Son of man comes, will there be any faith on earth?
And for a time he would not: but later, he said to himself, Though I have no fear of God or respect for man, Because this widow is a trouble to me, I will give her her right; for if not, I will be completely tired out by her frequent coming. And the Lord said, Give ear to the words of the evil judge. And will not God do right in the cause of his saints, whose cries come day and night to his ears, though he is long in doing it? I say to you that he will quickly do right in their cause. But when the Son of man comes, will there be any faith on earth?
Select readings » The raising of lazarus
Now a certain man named Lazarus was ill; he was of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (The Mary whose brother Lazarus was ill, was the Mary who put perfumed oil on the Lord and made his feet dry with her hair.) So the sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, your dear friend is ill.
Now Bethany was near to Jerusalem, about two miles away; And a number of Jews had come to Martha and Mary to give them comfort about their brother. When Martha had the news that Jesus was on the way, she went out to him, but Mary did not go from the house. read more.
Then Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here my brother would not be dead. But I am certain that, even now, whatever request you make to God, God will give it to you. Jesus said to her, Your brother will come to life again. Martha said to him, I am certain that he will come to life again when all come back from the dead at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am myself that day and that life; he who has faith in me will have life even if he is dead; And no one who is living and has faith in me will ever see death. Is this your faith? She said to him, Yes, Lord: my faith is that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world. And having said this, she went away and said secretly to her sister Mary, The Master is here and has sent for you. And Mary, hearing this, got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not at this time come into the town, but was still in the place where Martha had seen him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, comforting her, when they saw Mary get up quickly and go out, went after her in the belief that she was going to the place of the dead and would be weeping there. When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she went down at his feet, saying, Lord, if you had been here my brother would not be dead. And when Jesus saw her weeping, and saw the Jews weeping who came with her, his spirit was moved and he was troubled, And said, Where have you put him? They said, Come and see, Lord. And Jesus himself was weeping. So the Jews said, See how dear he was to him! But some of them said, This man, who made open the eyes of the blind man, was he not able to keep his friend from death? So Jesus, deeply troubled in heart, came to the place of the dead. It was a hole in the rock, and a stone was over the opening. Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said, Lord, by this time the body will be smelling, for he has been dead four days. Jesus said to her, Did I not say to you that if you had faith you would see the glory of God? So they took away the stone. And Jesus, looking up to heaven, said, Father, I give praise to you for hearing me. I was certain that your ears are at all times open to me, but I said it because of these who are here, so that they may see that you sent me. Then he said in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out! And he who was dead came out, with linen bands folded tightly about his hands and feet, and a cloth about his face. Jesus said to them, Make him free and let him go. Then a number of the Jews who had come to Mary and had seen the things which Jesus did had belief in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees with the news of what Jesus had done.
Then Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here my brother would not be dead. But I am certain that, even now, whatever request you make to God, God will give it to you. Jesus said to her, Your brother will come to life again. Martha said to him, I am certain that he will come to life again when all come back from the dead at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am myself that day and that life; he who has faith in me will have life even if he is dead; And no one who is living and has faith in me will ever see death. Is this your faith? She said to him, Yes, Lord: my faith is that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world. And having said this, she went away and said secretly to her sister Mary, The Master is here and has sent for you. And Mary, hearing this, got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not at this time come into the town, but was still in the place where Martha had seen him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, comforting her, when they saw Mary get up quickly and go out, went after her in the belief that she was going to the place of the dead and would be weeping there. When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she went down at his feet, saying, Lord, if you had been here my brother would not be dead. And when Jesus saw her weeping, and saw the Jews weeping who came with her, his spirit was moved and he was troubled, And said, Where have you put him? They said, Come and see, Lord. And Jesus himself was weeping. So the Jews said, See how dear he was to him! But some of them said, This man, who made open the eyes of the blind man, was he not able to keep his friend from death? So Jesus, deeply troubled in heart, came to the place of the dead. It was a hole in the rock, and a stone was over the opening. Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said, Lord, by this time the body will be smelling, for he has been dead four days. Jesus said to her, Did I not say to you that if you had faith you would see the glory of God? So they took away the stone. And Jesus, looking up to heaven, said, Father, I give praise to you for hearing me. I was certain that your ears are at all times open to me, but I said it because of these who are here, so that they may see that you sent me. Then he said in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out! And he who was dead came out, with linen bands folded tightly about his hands and feet, and a cloth about his face. Jesus said to them, Make him free and let him go. Then a number of the Jews who had come to Mary and had seen the things which Jesus did had belief in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees with the news of what Jesus had done.
Select readings » David's lament over absalom
Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, Let me go and give the king news of how the Lord has done right in his cause against those who took up arms against him. And Joab said, You will take no news today; another day you may give him the news, but you will take no news today, because the king's son is dead. Then Joab said to the Cushite, Go and give the king word of what you have seen. And the Cushite, making a sign of respect to Joab, went off running. read more.
Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said to Joab again, Whatever may come of it, let me go after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why have you a desire to go, my son, seeing that you will get no reward for your news? Whatever may come of it, he said, I will go. Then he said to him, Go. So Ahimaaz went running by the lowland road and overtook the Cushite. Now David was seated between the two town doors; and the watchman went up to the roof of the doorways, on the wall, and, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running by himself. And the watchman gave news of it to the king. And the king said, If he is coming by himself, then he has news. And the man was travelling quickly, and came near. Then the watchman saw another man running: and crying out in the direction of the door he said, Here is another man running by himself. And the king said, He, like the other, comes with news. And the watchman said, It seems to me that the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and his news will be good. And Ahimaaz, crying out to the king, said, It is well. And falling down before the king, with his face to the earth, he said, May the Lord your God be praised, who has given up the men who took up arms against my lord the king! And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz said in answer, When Joab sent me, your servant, I saw a great outcry going on, but I had no knowledge of what it was. And the king said, Get back and take your place here. So turning to one side, he took his place there. And then the Cushite came and said, I have news for my lord the king: today the Lord has done right in your cause against all those who took up arms against you. And the king said to the Cushite, Is the young man Absalom safe? And the Cushite said in answer, May all the king's haters and those who do evil against the king, be as that young man is! Then the king was much moved, and went up into the room over the door, weeping, and saying, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! if only my life might have been given for yours, O Absalom, my son, my son!
Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said to Joab again, Whatever may come of it, let me go after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why have you a desire to go, my son, seeing that you will get no reward for your news? Whatever may come of it, he said, I will go. Then he said to him, Go. So Ahimaaz went running by the lowland road and overtook the Cushite. Now David was seated between the two town doors; and the watchman went up to the roof of the doorways, on the wall, and, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running by himself. And the watchman gave news of it to the king. And the king said, If he is coming by himself, then he has news. And the man was travelling quickly, and came near. Then the watchman saw another man running: and crying out in the direction of the door he said, Here is another man running by himself. And the king said, He, like the other, comes with news. And the watchman said, It seems to me that the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and his news will be good. And Ahimaaz, crying out to the king, said, It is well. And falling down before the king, with his face to the earth, he said, May the Lord your God be praised, who has given up the men who took up arms against my lord the king! And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz said in answer, When Joab sent me, your servant, I saw a great outcry going on, but I had no knowledge of what it was. And the king said, Get back and take your place here. So turning to one side, he took his place there. And then the Cushite came and said, I have news for my lord the king: today the Lord has done right in your cause against all those who took up arms against you. And the king said to the Cushite, Is the young man Absalom safe? And the Cushite said in answer, May all the king's haters and those who do evil against the king, be as that young man is! Then the king was much moved, and went up into the room over the door, weeping, and saying, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! if only my life might have been given for yours, O Absalom, my son, my son!
Select readings » The betrayal of jesus by judas iscariot
And while he was saying these words, there came a band of people, and Judas, one of the twelve, was in front of them, and he came near to Jesus to give him a kiss. But Jesus said to him, Judas, will you be false to the Son of man with a kiss? And when those who were with him saw what was coming, they said, Lord, may we not make use of our swords? read more.
And one of them gave a blow to the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus, answering, said, Put up with this, at least. And touching his ear, he made it well. And Jesus said to the chief priests and the captains of the Temple and the rulers, who had come against him, Have you come out as against a thief, with swords and sticks? When I was in the Temple with you every day, your hands were not stretched out against me: but this is your hour, and the authority of the dark power. And they made him a prisoner and took him away to the house of the high priest. But Peter went after them at a distance. And a fire was lighted in the middle of the open square, and they were seated together, and Peter was among them. And a certain woman-servant, seeing him in the light of the fire, and looking at him with attention, said, This man was with him. But he said, Woman, it is not true; I have no knowledge of him. And after a little time, another saw him and said, You are one of them; and he said, Man, I am not. And after about an hour, another man said, with decision, Certainly this man was with him, for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I have no knowledge of these things of which you are talking. And straight away, while he was saying these words, there came the cry of a cock. And the Lord, turning, gave Peter a look. And the words of the Lord came to Peter's mind, how he had said, This night, before the hour of the cock's cry, you will be false to me three times. And he went out, weeping bitterly.
And one of them gave a blow to the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus, answering, said, Put up with this, at least. And touching his ear, he made it well. And Jesus said to the chief priests and the captains of the Temple and the rulers, who had come against him, Have you come out as against a thief, with swords and sticks? When I was in the Temple with you every day, your hands were not stretched out against me: but this is your hour, and the authority of the dark power. And they made him a prisoner and took him away to the house of the high priest. But Peter went after them at a distance. And a fire was lighted in the middle of the open square, and they were seated together, and Peter was among them. And a certain woman-servant, seeing him in the light of the fire, and looking at him with attention, said, This man was with him. But he said, Woman, it is not true; I have no knowledge of him. And after a little time, another saw him and said, You are one of them; and he said, Man, I am not. And after about an hour, another man said, with decision, Certainly this man was with him, for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I have no knowledge of these things of which you are talking. And straight away, while he was saying these words, there came the cry of a cock. And the Lord, turning, gave Peter a look. And the words of the Lord came to Peter's mind, how he had said, This night, before the hour of the cock's cry, you will be false to me three times. And he went out, weeping bitterly.
Select readings » The parable of the good samaritan
And a certain teacher of the law got up and put him to the test, saying, Master, what have I to do so that I may have eternal life? And he said to him, What does the law say, in your reading of it? And he, answering, said, Have love for the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and for your neighbour as for yourself. read more.
And he said, You have given the right answer: do this and you will have life. But he, desiring to put himself in the right, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus, answering him, said, A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he got into the hands of thieves, who took his clothing and gave him cruel blows, and when they went away, he was half dead. And by chance a certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he went by on the other side. And in the same way, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, went by on the other side. But a certain man of Samaria, journeying that way, came where he was, and when he saw him, he was moved with pity for him, And came to him and put clean linen round his wounds, with oil and wine; and he put him on his beast and took him to a house and took care of him. And the day after he took two pennies and gave them to the owner of the house and said, Take care of him; and if this money is not enough, when I come again I will give you whatever more is needed. Which of these three men, in your opinion, was neighbour to the man who came into the hands of thieves? And he said, The one who had mercy on him. And Jesus said, Go and do the same.
And he said, You have given the right answer: do this and you will have life. But he, desiring to put himself in the right, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus, answering him, said, A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he got into the hands of thieves, who took his clothing and gave him cruel blows, and when they went away, he was half dead. And by chance a certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he went by on the other side. And in the same way, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, went by on the other side. But a certain man of Samaria, journeying that way, came where he was, and when he saw him, he was moved with pity for him, And came to him and put clean linen round his wounds, with oil and wine; and he put him on his beast and took him to a house and took care of him. And the day after he took two pennies and gave them to the owner of the house and said, Take care of him; and if this money is not enough, when I come again I will give you whatever more is needed. Which of these three men, in your opinion, was neighbour to the man who came into the hands of thieves? And he said, The one who had mercy on him. And Jesus said, Go and do the same.
Select readings » Elijah's miraculous preservation
And Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, By the living Lord, the God of Israel, whose servant I am, there will be no dew or rain in these years, but only at my word. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Go from here in the direction of the east, and keep yourself in a secret place by the stream Cherith, east of Jordan. read more.
The water of the stream will be your drink, and by my orders the ravens will give you food there. So he went and did as the Lord said, living by the stream Cherith, east of Jordan. And the ravens took him bread in the morning and meat in the evening; and the water of the stream was his drink. Now after a time the stream became dry, because there was no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Up! go now to Zarephath, in Zidon, and make your living-place there; I have given orders to a widow woman there to see that you have food. So he got up and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the door of the town, he saw a widow woman getting sticks together; and crying out to her he said, Will you give me a little water in a vessel for my drink? And when she was going to get it, he said to her, And get me with it a small bit of bread. Then she said, By the life of the Lord your God, I have nothing but a little meal in my store, and a drop of oil in the bottle; and now I am getting two sticks together so that I may go in and make it ready for me and my son, so that we may have a meal before our death. And Elijah said to her, Have no fear; go and do as you have said, but first make me a little cake of it and come and give it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is the word of the Lord, the God of Israel: The store of meal will not come to an end, and the bottle will never be without oil, till the day when the Lord sends rain on the earth. So she went and did as Elijah said; and she and he and her family had food for a long time. The store of meal did not come to an end, and the bottle was never without oil, as the Lord had said by the mouth of Elijah.
The water of the stream will be your drink, and by my orders the ravens will give you food there. So he went and did as the Lord said, living by the stream Cherith, east of Jordan. And the ravens took him bread in the morning and meat in the evening; and the water of the stream was his drink. Now after a time the stream became dry, because there was no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Up! go now to Zarephath, in Zidon, and make your living-place there; I have given orders to a widow woman there to see that you have food. So he got up and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the door of the town, he saw a widow woman getting sticks together; and crying out to her he said, Will you give me a little water in a vessel for my drink? And when she was going to get it, he said to her, And get me with it a small bit of bread. Then she said, By the life of the Lord your God, I have nothing but a little meal in my store, and a drop of oil in the bottle; and now I am getting two sticks together so that I may go in and make it ready for me and my son, so that we may have a meal before our death. And Elijah said to her, Have no fear; go and do as you have said, but first make me a little cake of it and come and give it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is the word of the Lord, the God of Israel: The store of meal will not come to an end, and the bottle will never be without oil, till the day when the Lord sends rain on the earth. So she went and did as Elijah said; and she and he and her family had food for a long time. The store of meal did not come to an end, and the bottle was never without oil, as the Lord had said by the mouth of Elijah.
Select readings » The parable of the prodigal son
And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me that part of your property which will be mine. And he made division of his goods between them. And not long after, the younger son got together everything which was his and took a journey into a far-away country, and there all his money went in foolish living. read more.
And when everything was gone, there was no food to be had in that country, and he was in need. And he went and put himself into the hands of one of the people of that country, and he sent him into his fields to give the pigs their food. And so great was his need that he would have been glad to take the pigs' food, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to his senses, he said, What numbers of my father's servants have bread enough, and more, while I am near to death here through need of food! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes: I am no longer good enough to be named your son: make me like one of your servants. And he got up and went to his father. But while he was still far away, his father saw him and was moved with pity for him and went quickly and took him in his arms and gave him a kiss. And his son said to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes: I am no longer good enough to be named your son. But the father said to his servants, Get out the first robe quickly, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet: And get the fat young ox and put it to death, and let us have a feast, and be glad. For this, my son, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away from me, and has come back. And they were full of joy. Now the older son was in the field: and when he came near the house, the sounds of music and dancing came to his ears. And he sent for one of the servants, questioning him about what it might be. And he said to him, Your brother has come; and your father has had the young ox put to death because he has come back safely. But he was angry and would not go in; and his father came out and made a request to him to come in. But he made answer and said to his father, See, all these years I have been your servant, doing your orders in everything: and you never gave me even a young goat so that I might have a feast with my friends: But when this your son came, who has been wasting your property with bad women, you put to death the fat young ox for him. And he said to him, Son, you are with me at all times, and all I have is yours. But it was right to be glad and to have a feast; for this your brother, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away and has come back.
And when everything was gone, there was no food to be had in that country, and he was in need. And he went and put himself into the hands of one of the people of that country, and he sent him into his fields to give the pigs their food. And so great was his need that he would have been glad to take the pigs' food, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to his senses, he said, What numbers of my father's servants have bread enough, and more, while I am near to death here through need of food! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes: I am no longer good enough to be named your son: make me like one of your servants. And he got up and went to his father. But while he was still far away, his father saw him and was moved with pity for him and went quickly and took him in his arms and gave him a kiss. And his son said to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes: I am no longer good enough to be named your son. But the father said to his servants, Get out the first robe quickly, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet: And get the fat young ox and put it to death, and let us have a feast, and be glad. For this, my son, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away from me, and has come back. And they were full of joy. Now the older son was in the field: and when he came near the house, the sounds of music and dancing came to his ears. And he sent for one of the servants, questioning him about what it might be. And he said to him, Your brother has come; and your father has had the young ox put to death because he has come back safely. But he was angry and would not go in; and his father came out and made a request to him to come in. But he made answer and said to his father, See, all these years I have been your servant, doing your orders in everything: and you never gave me even a young goat so that I might have a feast with my friends: But when this your son came, who has been wasting your property with bad women, you put to death the fat young ox for him. And he said to him, Son, you are with me at all times, and all I have is yours. But it was right to be glad and to have a feast; for this your brother, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away and has come back.
Select readings » The brevity of life
As for man, the son of woman, his days are short and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower, and is cut down: he goes in flight like a shade, and is never seen again. Is it on such a one as this that your eyes are fixed, with the purpose of judging him? read more.
If only a clean thing might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible. If his days are ordered, and you have knowledge of the number of his months, having given him a fixed limit past which he may not go; Let your eyes be turned away from him, and take your hand from him, so that he may have pleasure at the end of his day, like a servant working for payment. For there is hope of a tree; if it is cut down, it will come to life again, and its branches will not come to an end. Though its root may be old in the earth, and its cut-off end may be dead in the dust; Still, at the smell of water, it will make buds, and put out branches like a young plant. But man comes to his death and is gone: he gives up his spirit, and where is he?
If only a clean thing might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible. If his days are ordered, and you have knowledge of the number of his months, having given him a fixed limit past which he may not go; Let your eyes be turned away from him, and take your hand from him, so that he may have pleasure at the end of his day, like a servant working for payment. For there is hope of a tree; if it is cut down, it will come to life again, and its branches will not come to an end. Though its root may be old in the earth, and its cut-off end may be dead in the dust; Still, at the smell of water, it will make buds, and put out branches like a young plant. But man comes to his death and is gone: he gives up his spirit, and where is he?
Select readings » Paul on mars' hill
And Paul got to his feet on Mars' Hill and said, O men of Athens, I see that you are overmuch given to fear of the gods. For when I came by, I was looking at the things to which you give worship, and I saw an altar with this writing on it, TO THE GOD OF WHOM THERE IS NO KNOWLEDGE. Now, what you, without knowledge, give worship to, I make clear to you. The God who made the earth and everything in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, is not housed in buildings made with hands; read more.
And he is not dependent on the work of men's hands, as if he had need of anything, for he himself gives to all life and breath and all things; And he has made of one blood all the nations of men living on all the face of the earth, ordering their times and the limits of their lands, So that they might make search for God, in order, if possible, to get knowledge of him and make discovery of him, though he is not far from every one of us: For in him we have life and motion and existence; as certain of your verse writers have said, For we are his offspring. If then we are the offspring of God, it is not right for us to have the idea that God is like gold or silver or stone, formed by the art or design of man. Those times when men had no knowledge were overlooked by God; but now he gives orders to all men in every place to undergo a change of heart: Because a day has been fixed in which all the world will be judged in righteousness by the man who has been marked out by him for this work; of which he has given a sign to all men by giving him back from the dead.
And he is not dependent on the work of men's hands, as if he had need of anything, for he himself gives to all life and breath and all things; And he has made of one blood all the nations of men living on all the face of the earth, ordering their times and the limits of their lands, So that they might make search for God, in order, if possible, to get knowledge of him and make discovery of him, though he is not far from every one of us: For in him we have life and motion and existence; as certain of your verse writers have said, For we are his offspring. If then we are the offspring of God, it is not right for us to have the idea that God is like gold or silver or stone, formed by the art or design of man. Those times when men had no knowledge were overlooked by God; but now he gives orders to all men in every place to undergo a change of heart: Because a day has been fixed in which all the world will be judged in righteousness by the man who has been marked out by him for this work; of which he has given a sign to all men by giving him back from the dead.
Select readings » Judah's defense
Then Judah came near him, and said, Let your servant say a word in my lord's ears, and let not your wrath be burning against your servant: for you are in the place of Pharaoh to us. My lord said to his servants, Have you a father or a brother? And we said to my lord, We have an old father and a young child, whom he had when he was old; his brother is dead and he is the only son of his mother, and is very dear to his father. read more.
And you said to your servants, Let him come down to me with you, so that I may see him. And we said to my lord, His father will not let him go; for if he went away his father would come to his death. But you said to your servants, If your youngest brother does not come with you, you will not see my face again. And when we went back to your servant, our father, we gave him an account of my lord's words. And our father said, Go again and get us a little food. And we said, Only if our youngest brother goes with us will we go down; for we may not see the man's face again if our youngest brother is not with us. And our father said to us, You have knowledge that my wife gave me two sons; The one went away from me, and I said, Truly he has come to a violent death; and from that time I have not seen him, If now you take this one from me, and some evil comes to him, you will make my grey head go down in sorrow to the underworld. If then I go back to your servant, my father, without the boy, because his life and the boy's life are one, When he sees that the boy is not with us, he will come to his death, and our father's grey head will go down in sorrow to the underworld. For I made myself responsible for the boy to my father, saying, If I do not give him safely back to you, let mine be the sin for ever. So now let me be my lord's servant here in place of the boy, and let him go back with his brothers. For how may I go back to my father without the boy, and see the evil which will come on my father?
And you said to your servants, Let him come down to me with you, so that I may see him. And we said to my lord, His father will not let him go; for if he went away his father would come to his death. But you said to your servants, If your youngest brother does not come with you, you will not see my face again. And when we went back to your servant, our father, we gave him an account of my lord's words. And our father said, Go again and get us a little food. And we said, Only if our youngest brother goes with us will we go down; for we may not see the man's face again if our youngest brother is not with us. And our father said to us, You have knowledge that my wife gave me two sons; The one went away from me, and I said, Truly he has come to a violent death; and from that time I have not seen him, If now you take this one from me, and some evil comes to him, you will make my grey head go down in sorrow to the underworld. If then I go back to your servant, my father, without the boy, because his life and the boy's life are one, When he sees that the boy is not with us, he will come to his death, and our father's grey head will go down in sorrow to the underworld. For I made myself responsible for the boy to my father, saying, If I do not give him safely back to you, let mine be the sin for ever. So now let me be my lord's servant here in place of the boy, and let him go back with his brothers. For how may I go back to my father without the boy, and see the evil which will come on my father?
Select readings » Paul and silas in prison
And when we were going to the place of prayer, we came across a girl with a spirit which gave knowledge of the future, whose masters made great profit from her power. She came after Paul and us, crying out and saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who are giving you news of the way of salvation. And this she did on a number of days. But Paul was greatly troubled and, turning, said to the spirit, I give you orders in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her. And it came out that very hour. read more.
But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they took Paul and Silas, pulling them into the market-place before the rulers; And when they had taken them before the authorities, they said, These men, who are Jews, are greatly troubling our town; Teaching rules of living which it is not right for us to have or to keep, being Romans. And the people made an attack on them all together: and the authorities took their clothing off them, and gave orders for them to be whipped. And when they had given them a great number of blows, they put them in prison, giving orders to the keeper of the prison to keep them safely: And he, having such orders, put them into the inner prison with chains on their feet. But about the middle of the night, Paul and Silas were making prayers and songs to God in the hearing of the prisoners; And suddenly there was an earth-shock, so that the base of the prison was moved: and all the doors came open, and everyone's chains came off. And the keeper, coming out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, took his sword and was about to put himself to death, fearing that the prisoners had got away. But Paul said in a loud voice, Do yourself no damage, for we are all here. And he sent for lights and came rushing in and, shaking with fear, went down on his face before Paul and Silas, And took them out and said, Sirs, what have I to do to get salvation? And they said, Have faith in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will have salvation. And they gave the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And that same hour of the night, he took them, and when he had given attention to their wounds, he and all his family had baptism straight away. And he took them into his house and gave them food, and he was full of joy, having faith in God with all his family. But when it was day, the authorities sent the police, saying, Let these men go. And the keeper said to Paul, The authorities have given orders to let you go: come out now, and go in peace. But Paul said to them, They have given us who are Romans a public whipping without judging us, and have put us in prison. Will they now send us out secretly? no, truly, let them come themselves and take us out. And the police gave an account of these words to the authorities, and they were full of fear on hearing that they were Romans; Then they came and made prayers to them, requesting them, when they had taken them out, to go away from the town. And they came out of the prison and went to the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brothers they gave them comfort and went away.
But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they took Paul and Silas, pulling them into the market-place before the rulers; And when they had taken them before the authorities, they said, These men, who are Jews, are greatly troubling our town; Teaching rules of living which it is not right for us to have or to keep, being Romans. And the people made an attack on them all together: and the authorities took their clothing off them, and gave orders for them to be whipped. And when they had given them a great number of blows, they put them in prison, giving orders to the keeper of the prison to keep them safely: And he, having such orders, put them into the inner prison with chains on their feet. But about the middle of the night, Paul and Silas were making prayers and songs to God in the hearing of the prisoners; And suddenly there was an earth-shock, so that the base of the prison was moved: and all the doors came open, and everyone's chains came off. And the keeper, coming out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, took his sword and was about to put himself to death, fearing that the prisoners had got away. But Paul said in a loud voice, Do yourself no damage, for we are all here. And he sent for lights and came rushing in and, shaking with fear, went down on his face before Paul and Silas, And took them out and said, Sirs, what have I to do to get salvation? And they said, Have faith in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will have salvation. And they gave the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And that same hour of the night, he took them, and when he had given attention to their wounds, he and all his family had baptism straight away. And he took them into his house and gave them food, and he was full of joy, having faith in God with all his family. But when it was day, the authorities sent the police, saying, Let these men go. And the keeper said to Paul, The authorities have given orders to let you go: come out now, and go in peace. But Paul said to them, They have given us who are Romans a public whipping without judging us, and have put us in prison. Will they now send us out secretly? no, truly, let them come themselves and take us out. And the police gave an account of these words to the authorities, and they were full of fear on hearing that they were Romans; Then they came and made prayers to them, requesting them, when they had taken them out, to go away from the town. And they came out of the prison and went to the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brothers they gave them comfort and went away.
Select readings » The majesty of God
Your way, O God, is holy: what god is so great as our God? You are the God who does works of power: you have made your strength clear to the nations. With your arm you have made your people free, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. (Selah.) read more.
The waters saw you, O God; the waters saw you, they were in fear: even the deep was troubled. The clouds sent out water; the skies gave out a sound; truly, your arrows went far and wide. The voice of your thunder went rolling on; the world was flaming with the light of the storm; the earth was shaking. Your way was in the sea, and your road in the great waters; there was no knowledge of your footsteps. You were guiding your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
The waters saw you, O God; the waters saw you, they were in fear: even the deep was troubled. The clouds sent out water; the skies gave out a sound; truly, your arrows went far and wide. The voice of your thunder went rolling on; the world was flaming with the light of the storm; the earth was shaking. Your way was in the sea, and your road in the great waters; there was no knowledge of your footsteps. You were guiding your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. The heavens were covered with his glory, and the earth was full of his praise. He was shining like the light; he had rays coming out from his hand: there his power was kept secret. Before him went disease, and flames went out at his feet. read more.
From his high place he sent shaking on the earth; he saw and nations were suddenly moved: and the eternal mountains were broken, the unchanging hills were bent down; his ways are eternal. The curtains of Cushan were troubled, and the tents of Midian were shaking. Was your wrath burning against the rivers? were you angry with the sea, that you went on your horses, on your war-carriages of salvation? Your bow was quite uncovered. Selah. By you the earth was cut through with rivers. The mountains saw you and were moved with fear; the clouds were streaming with water: the voice of the deep was sounding; the sun did not come up, and the moon kept still in her place. At the light of your arrows they went away, at the shining of your polished spear. You went stepping through the land in wrath, crushing the nations in your passion.
From his high place he sent shaking on the earth; he saw and nations were suddenly moved: and the eternal mountains were broken, the unchanging hills were bent down; his ways are eternal. The curtains of Cushan were troubled, and the tents of Midian were shaking. Was your wrath burning against the rivers? were you angry with the sea, that you went on your horses, on your war-carriages of salvation? Your bow was quite uncovered. Selah. By you the earth was cut through with rivers. The mountains saw you and were moved with fear; the clouds were streaming with water: the voice of the deep was sounding; the sun did not come up, and the moon kept still in her place. At the light of your arrows they went away, at the shining of your polished spear. You went stepping through the land in wrath, crushing the nations in your passion.
Select readings » Song of moses when pharaoh and his army were overthrown
Then Moses and the children of Israel made this song to the Lord, and said, I will make a song to the Lord, for he is lifted up in glory: the horse and the horseman he has sent down into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my strong helper, he has become my salvation: he is my God and I will give him praise; my father's God and I will give him glory. The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name. read more.
Pharaoh's war-carriages and his army he has sent down into the sea: the best of his captains have gone down into the Red Sea. They were covered by the deep waters: like a stone they went down under the waves. Full of glory, O Lord, is the power of your right hand; by your right hand those who came against you are broken. When you are lifted up in power, all those who come against you are crushed: when you send out your wrath, they are burned up like dry grass. By your breath the waves were massed together, the flowing waters were lifted up like a pillar; the deep waters became solid in the heart of the sea. Egypt said, I will go after them, I will overtake, I will make division of their goods: my desire will have its way with them; my sword will be uncovered, my hand will send destruction on them. You sent your wind and the sea came over them: they went down like lead into the great waters. Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? who is like you, in holy glory, to be praised with fear, doing wonders? When your right hand was stretched out, the mouth of the earth was open for them. In your mercy you went before the people whom you have made yours; guiding them in your strength to your holy place. Hearing of you the peoples were shaking in fear: the people of Philistia were gripped with pain. The chiefs of Edom were troubled in heart; the strong men of Moab were in the grip of fear: all the people of Canaan became like water. Fear and grief came on them; by the strength of your arm they were turned to stone; till your people went over, O Lord, till the people went over whom you have made yours. You will take them in, planting them in the mountain of your heritage, the place, O Lord, where you have made your house, the holy place, O Lord, the building of your hands. The Lord is King for ever and ever. For the horses of Pharaoh, with his war-carriages and his horsemen, went into the sea, and the Lord sent the waters of the sea back over them; but the children of Israel went through the sea on dry land.
Pharaoh's war-carriages and his army he has sent down into the sea: the best of his captains have gone down into the Red Sea. They were covered by the deep waters: like a stone they went down under the waves. Full of glory, O Lord, is the power of your right hand; by your right hand those who came against you are broken. When you are lifted up in power, all those who come against you are crushed: when you send out your wrath, they are burned up like dry grass. By your breath the waves were massed together, the flowing waters were lifted up like a pillar; the deep waters became solid in the heart of the sea. Egypt said, I will go after them, I will overtake, I will make division of their goods: my desire will have its way with them; my sword will be uncovered, my hand will send destruction on them. You sent your wind and the sea came over them: they went down like lead into the great waters. Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? who is like you, in holy glory, to be praised with fear, doing wonders? When your right hand was stretched out, the mouth of the earth was open for them. In your mercy you went before the people whom you have made yours; guiding them in your strength to your holy place. Hearing of you the peoples were shaking in fear: the people of Philistia were gripped with pain. The chiefs of Edom were troubled in heart; the strong men of Moab were in the grip of fear: all the people of Canaan became like water. Fear and grief came on them; by the strength of your arm they were turned to stone; till your people went over, O Lord, till the people went over whom you have made yours. You will take them in, planting them in the mountain of your heritage, the place, O Lord, where you have made your house, the holy place, O Lord, the building of your hands. The Lord is King for ever and ever. For the horses of Pharaoh, with his war-carriages and his horsemen, went into the sea, and the Lord sent the waters of the sea back over them; but the children of Israel went through the sea on dry land.
Select readings » The deliverance of the israelites from pharaoh
And word came to Pharaoh of the flight of the people: and the feeling of Pharaoh and of his servants about the people was changed, and they said, Why have we let Israel go, so that they will do no more work for us? So he had his war-carriage made ready and took his people with him: And he took six hundred carriages, all the carriages of Egypt, and captains over all of them. read more.
And the Lord made the heart of Pharaoh hard, and he went after the children of Israel: for the children of Israel had gone out without fear. But the Egyptians went after them, all the horses and carriages of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them in their tents by the sea, by Pihahiroth, before Baal-zephon. And when Pharaoh came near, the children of Israel, lifting up their eyes, saw the Egyptians coming after them, and were full of fear; and their cry went up to God. And they said to Moses, Was there no resting-place for the dead in Egypt, that you have taken us away to come to our death in the waste land? why have you taken us out of Egypt? Did we not say to you in Egypt, Let us be as we are, working for the Egyptians? for it is better to be the servants of the Egyptians than to come to our death in the waste land. But Moses said, Keep where you are and have no fear; now you will see the salvation of the Lord which he will give you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again. The Lord will make war for you, you have only to keep quiet. And the Lord said to Moses, Why are you crying out to me? give the children of Israel the order to go forward. And let your rod be lifted up and your hand stretched out over the sea, and it will be parted in two; and the children of Israel will go through on dry land. And I will make the heart of the Egyptians hard, and they will go in after them: and I will be honoured over Pharaoh and over his army, his war-carriages, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians will see that I am the Lord, when I get honour over Pharaoh and his war-carriages and his horsemen. Then the angel of God, who had been before the tents of Israel, took his place at their back; and the pillar of cloud, moving from before them, came to rest at their back: And it came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel; and there was a dark cloud between them, and they went on through the night; but the one army came no nearer to the other all the night. And when Moses' hand was stretched out over the sea, the Lord with a strong east wind made the sea go back all night, and the waters were parted in two and the sea became dry land. And the children of Israel went through the sea on dry land: and the waters were a wall on their right side and on their left. Then the Egyptians went after them into the middle of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses and his war-carriages and his horsemen. And in the morning watch, the Lord, looking out on the armies of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud, sent trouble on the army of the Egyptians; And made the wheels of their war-carriages stiff, so that they had hard work driving them: so the Egyptians said, Let us go in flight from before the face of Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians. And the Lord said to Moses, Let your hand be stretched out over the sea, and the waters will come back again on the Egyptians, and on their war-carriages and on their horsemen. And when Moses' hand was stretched out over the sea, at dawn the sea came flowing back, meeting the Egyptians in their flight, and the Lord sent destruction on the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. And the waters came back, covering the war-carriages and the horsemen and all the army of Pharaoh which went after them into the middle of the sea; not one of them was to be seen. But the children of Israel went through the sea walking on dry land, and the waters were a wall on their right side and on their left. So that day the Lord gave Israel salvation from the hands of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the sea's edge.
And the Lord made the heart of Pharaoh hard, and he went after the children of Israel: for the children of Israel had gone out without fear. But the Egyptians went after them, all the horses and carriages of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them in their tents by the sea, by Pihahiroth, before Baal-zephon. And when Pharaoh came near, the children of Israel, lifting up their eyes, saw the Egyptians coming after them, and were full of fear; and their cry went up to God. And they said to Moses, Was there no resting-place for the dead in Egypt, that you have taken us away to come to our death in the waste land? why have you taken us out of Egypt? Did we not say to you in Egypt, Let us be as we are, working for the Egyptians? for it is better to be the servants of the Egyptians than to come to our death in the waste land. But Moses said, Keep where you are and have no fear; now you will see the salvation of the Lord which he will give you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again. The Lord will make war for you, you have only to keep quiet. And the Lord said to Moses, Why are you crying out to me? give the children of Israel the order to go forward. And let your rod be lifted up and your hand stretched out over the sea, and it will be parted in two; and the children of Israel will go through on dry land. And I will make the heart of the Egyptians hard, and they will go in after them: and I will be honoured over Pharaoh and over his army, his war-carriages, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians will see that I am the Lord, when I get honour over Pharaoh and his war-carriages and his horsemen. Then the angel of God, who had been before the tents of Israel, took his place at their back; and the pillar of cloud, moving from before them, came to rest at their back: And it came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel; and there was a dark cloud between them, and they went on through the night; but the one army came no nearer to the other all the night. And when Moses' hand was stretched out over the sea, the Lord with a strong east wind made the sea go back all night, and the waters were parted in two and the sea became dry land. And the children of Israel went through the sea on dry land: and the waters were a wall on their right side and on their left. Then the Egyptians went after them into the middle of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses and his war-carriages and his horsemen. And in the morning watch, the Lord, looking out on the armies of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud, sent trouble on the army of the Egyptians; And made the wheels of their war-carriages stiff, so that they had hard work driving them: so the Egyptians said, Let us go in flight from before the face of Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians. And the Lord said to Moses, Let your hand be stretched out over the sea, and the waters will come back again on the Egyptians, and on their war-carriages and on their horsemen. And when Moses' hand was stretched out over the sea, at dawn the sea came flowing back, meeting the Egyptians in their flight, and the Lord sent destruction on the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. And the waters came back, covering the war-carriages and the horsemen and all the army of Pharaoh which went after them into the middle of the sea; not one of them was to be seen. But the children of Israel went through the sea walking on dry land, and the waters were a wall on their right side and on their left. So that day the Lord gave Israel salvation from the hands of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the sea's edge.
Select readings » The prophetic blessing of zacharias
And his father, Zacharias, was full of the Holy Spirit, and with the voice of a prophet said these words: Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and made them free, Lifting up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, read more.
(As he said, by the mouth of his holy prophets, from the earliest times,) Salvation from those who are against us, and from the hands of those who have hate for us; To do acts of mercy to our fathers and to keep in mind his holy word, The oath which he made to Abraham, our father, That we, being made free from the fear of those who are against us, might give him worship, In righteousness and holy living before him all our days. And you, child, will be named the prophet of the Most High: you will go before the face of the Lord, to make ready his ways; To give knowledge of salvation to his people, through the forgiveness of sins, Because of the loving mercies of our God, by which the dawn from heaven has come to us, To give light to those in dark places, and in the shade of death, so that our feet may be guided into the way of peace. And the child became tall, and strong in spirit; and he was living in the waste land till the day when he came before the eyes of Israel.
(As he said, by the mouth of his holy prophets, from the earliest times,) Salvation from those who are against us, and from the hands of those who have hate for us; To do acts of mercy to our fathers and to keep in mind his holy word, The oath which he made to Abraham, our father, That we, being made free from the fear of those who are against us, might give him worship, In righteousness and holy living before him all our days. And you, child, will be named the prophet of the Most High: you will go before the face of the Lord, to make ready his ways; To give knowledge of salvation to his people, through the forgiveness of sins, Because of the loving mercies of our God, by which the dawn from heaven has come to us, To give light to those in dark places, and in the shade of death, so that our feet may be guided into the way of peace. And the child became tall, and strong in spirit; and he was living in the waste land till the day when he came before the eyes of Israel.
Select readings » Joseph revealing his identity
Then Joseph, unable to keep back his feelings before those who were with him, gave orders for everyone to be sent away, and no one was present when he made clear to his brothers who he was. And so loud was his weeping, that it came to the ears of the Egyptians and all Pharaoh's house. And Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph: is my father still living? But his brothers were not able to give him an answer for they were troubled before him. read more.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, Come near to me. And they came near, And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sent into Egypt. Now do not be troubled or angry with yourselves for sending me away, because God sent me before you to be the saviour of your lives. For these two years have been years of need, and there are still five more years to come in which there will be no ploughing or cutting of grain. God sent me before you to keep you and yours living on earth so that you might become a great nation. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God: and he has made me as a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Now go quickly to my father, and say to him, Your son Joseph says, God has made me ruler over all the land of Egypt: come down to me straight away: The land of Goshen will be your living-place, and you will be near me; you and your children and your children's children, and your flocks and herds and all you have: And there I will take care of you, so that you and your family may not be in need, for there are still five bad years to come. Now truly, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which says these things to you. Give my father word of all my glory in Egypt and of all you have seen; and come back quickly with my father. Then, weeping, he took Benjamin in his arms, and Benjamin himself was weeping on Joseph's neck. Then he gave a kiss to all his brothers, weeping over them; and after that his brothers had no fear of talking to him.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, Come near to me. And they came near, And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sent into Egypt. Now do not be troubled or angry with yourselves for sending me away, because God sent me before you to be the saviour of your lives. For these two years have been years of need, and there are still five more years to come in which there will be no ploughing or cutting of grain. God sent me before you to keep you and yours living on earth so that you might become a great nation. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God: and he has made me as a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Now go quickly to my father, and say to him, Your son Joseph says, God has made me ruler over all the land of Egypt: come down to me straight away: The land of Goshen will be your living-place, and you will be near me; you and your children and your children's children, and your flocks and herds and all you have: And there I will take care of you, so that you and your family may not be in need, for there are still five bad years to come. Now truly, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which says these things to you. Give my father word of all my glory in Egypt and of all you have seen; and come back quickly with my father. Then, weeping, he took Benjamin in his arms, and Benjamin himself was weeping on Joseph's neck. Then he gave a kiss to all his brothers, weeping over them; and after that his brothers had no fear of talking to him.
Select readings » Mankind in extremity
I will give you my love, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my Rock, my walled town, and my saviour; my God, my Rock, in him will I put my faith; my breastplate, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will send up my cry to the Lord, who is to be praised; so will I be made safe from those who are against me. read more.
The cords of death were round me, and the seas of evil put me in fear. The cords of hell were round me: the nets of death came on me. In my trouble my voice went up to the Lord, and my cry to my God: my voice came to his hearing in his holy Temple, and my prayer came before him, even into his ears. Then trouble and shock came on the earth; and the bases of the mountains were moved and shaking, because he was angry. There went up a smoke from his nose, and a fire of destruction from his mouth: flames were lighted by it. The heavens were bent, so that he might come down; and it was dark under his feet. And he went in flight through the air, seated on a storm-cloud: going quickly on the wings of the wind. He made the dark his secret place; his tent round him was the dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. Before his shining light his dark clouds went past, raining ice and fire. The Lord made thunder in the heavens, and the voice of the Highest was sounding out: a rain of ice and fire. He sent out his arrows, driving them in all directions; by his flames of fire they were troubled. Then the deep beds of the waters were seen, and the bases of the world were uncovered, because of your words of wrath, O Lord, because of the breath from your mouth. He sent from on high, he took me, pulling me out of great waters. He made me free from my strong hater, and from those who were against me, because they were stronger than I. They came on me in the day of my trouble; but the Lord was my support. He took me out into a wide place; he was my saviour because he had delight in me.
The cords of death were round me, and the seas of evil put me in fear. The cords of hell were round me: the nets of death came on me. In my trouble my voice went up to the Lord, and my cry to my God: my voice came to his hearing in his holy Temple, and my prayer came before him, even into his ears. Then trouble and shock came on the earth; and the bases of the mountains were moved and shaking, because he was angry. There went up a smoke from his nose, and a fire of destruction from his mouth: flames were lighted by it. The heavens were bent, so that he might come down; and it was dark under his feet. And he went in flight through the air, seated on a storm-cloud: going quickly on the wings of the wind. He made the dark his secret place; his tent round him was the dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. Before his shining light his dark clouds went past, raining ice and fire. The Lord made thunder in the heavens, and the voice of the Highest was sounding out: a rain of ice and fire. He sent out his arrows, driving them in all directions; by his flames of fire they were troubled. Then the deep beds of the waters were seen, and the bases of the world were uncovered, because of your words of wrath, O Lord, because of the breath from your mouth. He sent from on high, he took me, pulling me out of great waters. He made me free from my strong hater, and from those who were against me, because they were stronger than I. They came on me in the day of my trouble; but the Lord was my support. He took me out into a wide place; he was my saviour because he had delight in me.
Select readings » Mary's magnificat
And Mary said: My soul gives glory to God; My spirit is glad in God my Saviour. For he has had pity on his servant, though she is poor and lowly placed: and from this hour will all generations give witness to the blessing which has come to me. read more.
For he who is strong has done great things for me; and holy is his name. His mercy is for all generations in whom is the fear of him. With his arm he has done acts of power; he has put to flight those who have pride in their hearts. He has put down kings from their seats, lifting up on high the men of low degree. Those who had no food he made full of good things; the men of wealth he sent away with nothing in their hands; His help he has given to Israel, his servant, so that he might keep in mind his mercy to Abraham and his seed for ever, As he gave his word to our fathers. And Mary was with her for about three months and then went back to her house.
For he who is strong has done great things for me; and holy is his name. His mercy is for all generations in whom is the fear of him. With his arm he has done acts of power; he has put to flight those who have pride in their hearts. He has put down kings from their seats, lifting up on high the men of low degree. Those who had no food he made full of good things; the men of wealth he sent away with nothing in their hands; His help he has given to Israel, his servant, so that he might keep in mind his mercy to Abraham and his seed for ever, As he gave his word to our fathers. And Mary was with her for about three months and then went back to her house.
Select readings » God's providence
See the birds of heaven; they do not put seeds in the earth, they do not get in grain, or put it in store-houses; and your Father in heaven gives them food. Are you not of much more value than they? And which of you by taking thought is able to make himself a cubit taller? And why are you troubled about clothing? See the flowers of the field, how they come up; they do no work, they make no thread: read more.
But I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God gives such clothing to the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is put into the oven, will he not much more give you clothing, O you of little faith? Then do not be full of care, saying, What are we to have for food or drink? or, With what may we be clothed? Because the Gentiles go in search of all these things: for your Father in heaven has knowledge that you have need of all these things: But let your first care be for his kingdom and his righteousness; and all these other things will be given to you in addition. Then have no care for tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Take the trouble of the day as it comes.
But I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God gives such clothing to the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is put into the oven, will he not much more give you clothing, O you of little faith? Then do not be full of care, saying, What are we to have for food or drink? or, With what may we be clothed? Because the Gentiles go in search of all these things: for your Father in heaven has knowledge that you have need of all these things: But let your first care be for his kingdom and his righteousness; and all these other things will be given to you in addition. Then have no care for tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Take the trouble of the day as it comes.
Select readings » Naaman the leper
Now Naaman, chief of the army of the king of Aram, was a man of high position with his master, and greatly respected, because by him the Lord had given salvation to Aram; but he was a leper. Now the Aramaeans had gone out in bands, and taken prisoner from Israel a little girl, who became servant to Naaman's wife. And she said to her master's wife, If only my lord would go to the prophet in Samaria, he would make him well. read more.
And someone went and said to his lord, This is what the girl from the land of Israel says. So the king of Aram said, Go then; and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. And he went, taking with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. And he took the letter to the king of Israel, in which the king of Aram had said, See, I have sent my servant Naaman to you to be made well, for he is a leper. But the king of Israel, after reading the letter, was greatly troubled and said, Am I God, to give death and life? why does this man send a leper to me to be made well? is it not clear that he is looking for a cause of war? Now Elisha, the man of God, hearing that the king of Israel had done this, sent to the king, saying, Why are you troubled? send the man to me, so that he may see that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman, with all his horses and his carriages, came to the door of Elisha's house. And Elisha sent a servant to him, saying, Go to Jordan, and after washing seven times in its waters your flesh will be well again and you will be clean. But Naaman was angry and went away and said, I had the idea that he would come out to see such an important person as I am, and make prayer to the Lord his God, and with a wave of his hand over the place make the leper well. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not be washed in them and become clean? So turning, he went away in wrath. Then his servants came to him and said, If the prophet had given you orders to do some great thing, would you not have done it? how much more then, when he says to you, Be washed and become clean? Then he went down seven times into the waters of Jordan, as the man of God had said; and his flesh became like the flesh of a little child again, and he was clean.
And someone went and said to his lord, This is what the girl from the land of Israel says. So the king of Aram said, Go then; and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. And he went, taking with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. And he took the letter to the king of Israel, in which the king of Aram had said, See, I have sent my servant Naaman to you to be made well, for he is a leper. But the king of Israel, after reading the letter, was greatly troubled and said, Am I God, to give death and life? why does this man send a leper to me to be made well? is it not clear that he is looking for a cause of war? Now Elisha, the man of God, hearing that the king of Israel had done this, sent to the king, saying, Why are you troubled? send the man to me, so that he may see that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman, with all his horses and his carriages, came to the door of Elisha's house. And Elisha sent a servant to him, saying, Go to Jordan, and after washing seven times in its waters your flesh will be well again and you will be clean. But Naaman was angry and went away and said, I had the idea that he would come out to see such an important person as I am, and make prayer to the Lord his God, and with a wave of his hand over the place make the leper well. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not be washed in them and become clean? So turning, he went away in wrath. Then his servants came to him and said, If the prophet had given you orders to do some great thing, would you not have done it? how much more then, when he says to you, Be washed and become clean? Then he went down seven times into the waters of Jordan, as the man of God had said; and his flesh became like the flesh of a little child again, and he was clean.
Select readings » The resurrection of jesus Christ
But on the first day of the week, at dawn, they came to the place where his body had been put, taking the spices which they had got ready. And they saw that the stone had been rolled away. And they went in, but the body of the Lord Jesus was not there. read more.
And while they were in doubt about it, they saw two men in shining clothing by them: And while their faces were bent down to the earth in fear, these said to them, Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has come back to life: have in mind what he said to you when he was still in Galilee, saying, The Son of man will be given up into the hands of evil-doers, and be put to death on the cross, and on the third day he will come back to life. And his words came back into their minds, And they went away from that place and gave an account of all these things to the eleven disciples and all the others. Now they were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary, the mother of James: and the other women with them said these things to the Apostles. But these words seemed foolish to them, and they had no belief in them. But Peter got up and went to the place where the body had been put, and looking in he saw nothing but the linen cloths, and he went to his house full of wonder at what had taken place.
And while they were in doubt about it, they saw two men in shining clothing by them: And while their faces were bent down to the earth in fear, these said to them, Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has come back to life: have in mind what he said to you when he was still in Galilee, saying, The Son of man will be given up into the hands of evil-doers, and be put to death on the cross, and on the third day he will come back to life. And his words came back into their minds, And they went away from that place and gave an account of all these things to the eleven disciples and all the others. Now they were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary, the mother of James: and the other women with them said these things to the Apostles. But these words seemed foolish to them, and they had no belief in them. But Peter got up and went to the place where the body had been put, and looking in he saw nothing but the linen cloths, and he went to his house full of wonder at what had taken place.
Select readings » Wise and foolish builders
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will go into the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the pleasure of my Father in heaven. A great number will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, were we not prophets in your name, and did we not by your name send out evil spirits, and by your name do works of power? And then will I say to them, I never had knowledge of you: go from me, you workers of evil. read more.
Everyone, then, to whom my words come and who does them, will be like a wise man who made his house on a rock; And the rain came down and there was a rush of waters and the winds were driving against that house, but it was not moved; because it was based on the rock. And everyone to whom my words come and who does them not, will be like a foolish man who made his house on sand; And the rain came down and there was a rush of waters and the winds were driving against that house; and it came down and great was its fall.
Everyone, then, to whom my words come and who does them, will be like a wise man who made his house on a rock; And the rain came down and there was a rush of waters and the winds were driving against that house, but it was not moved; because it was based on the rock. And everyone to whom my words come and who does them not, will be like a foolish man who made his house on sand; And the rain came down and there was a rush of waters and the winds were driving against that house; and it came down and great was its fall.
Select readings » Peter on the day of pentecost
And when the day of Pentecost was come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rushing of a violent wind, and all the house where they were was full of it. And they saw tongues, like flames of fire, coming to rest on every one of them. read more.
And they were all full of the Holy Spirit, and were talking in different languages, as the Spirit gave them power. Now there were living at Jerusalem, Jews, God-fearing men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound came to their ears, they all came together, and were greatly surprised because every man was hearing the words of the disciples in his special language. And they were full of wonder and said, Are not all these men Galilaeans? And how is it that every one of us is hearing their words in the language which was ours from our birth? Men of Parthia, Media, and Elam, and those living in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, In Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and those who have come from Rome, Jews by birth and others who have become Jews, Men of Crete and Arabia, to all of us they are talking in our different languages, of the great works of God. And they were all surprised and in doubt saying to one another, What is the reason of this? But others, making sport of them, said, They are full of new wine. But Peter, getting up, with the eleven, said in a loud voice, O men of Judaea, and all you who are living in Jerusalem, take note of this and give ear to my words. For these men are not overcome with wine, as it seems to you, for it is only the third hour of the day; But this is the thing which was said by the prophet Joel; And it will come about, in the last days, says God, that I will send out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will be prophets, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams: And on my men-servants and my women-servants I will send my Spirit, and they will be prophets. And wonders will be seen in heaven, and signs on the earth, blood and fire and smoke: The sun will become dark and the moon will be turned to blood, before that great day of the Lord comes in glory: And whoever makes his prayer to the Lord will have salvation. Men of Israel, give ear to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man who had the approval of God, as was made clear to you by the great works and signs and wonders which God did by him among you, as you yourselves have knowledge, Him, when he was given up, by the decision and knowledge of God, you put to death on the cross, by the hands of evil men: But God gave him back to life, having made him free from the pains of death because it was not possible for him to be overcome by it. For David said of him, I saw the Lord before my face at all times, for he is at my right hand, so that I may not be moved: And for this cause my heart was glad and my tongue full of joy, and my flesh will be resting in hope: For you will not let my soul be in hell and you will not give up your Holy One to destruction. You have made me see the ways of life; I will be full of joy when I see your face. My brothers, I may say to you openly that David came to his death, and was put in the earth, and his resting-place is with us today. But being a prophet, and having in mind the oath which God had given to him, that of the fruit of his body one would take his place as a king, He, having knowledge of the future, was talking of the coming again of Christ from the dead, that he was not kept in hell and his body did not see destruction. This Jesus God has given back to life, of which we all are witnesses. And so, being lifted up to the right hand of God, and having the Father's word that the Holy Spirit would come, he has sent this thing, which now you see and have knowledge of. For David has not gone up into heaven, but says, himself, The Lord said to my Lord, Be seated at my right hand, Till I put all those who are against you under your feet. For this reason, let all Israel be certain that this Jesus, whom you put to death on the cross, God has made Lord and Christ.
And they were all full of the Holy Spirit, and were talking in different languages, as the Spirit gave them power. Now there were living at Jerusalem, Jews, God-fearing men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound came to their ears, they all came together, and were greatly surprised because every man was hearing the words of the disciples in his special language. And they were full of wonder and said, Are not all these men Galilaeans? And how is it that every one of us is hearing their words in the language which was ours from our birth? Men of Parthia, Media, and Elam, and those living in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, In Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and those who have come from Rome, Jews by birth and others who have become Jews, Men of Crete and Arabia, to all of us they are talking in our different languages, of the great works of God. And they were all surprised and in doubt saying to one another, What is the reason of this? But others, making sport of them, said, They are full of new wine. But Peter, getting up, with the eleven, said in a loud voice, O men of Judaea, and all you who are living in Jerusalem, take note of this and give ear to my words. For these men are not overcome with wine, as it seems to you, for it is only the third hour of the day; But this is the thing which was said by the prophet Joel; And it will come about, in the last days, says God, that I will send out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will be prophets, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams: And on my men-servants and my women-servants I will send my Spirit, and they will be prophets. And wonders will be seen in heaven, and signs on the earth, blood and fire and smoke: The sun will become dark and the moon will be turned to blood, before that great day of the Lord comes in glory: And whoever makes his prayer to the Lord will have salvation. Men of Israel, give ear to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man who had the approval of God, as was made clear to you by the great works and signs and wonders which God did by him among you, as you yourselves have knowledge, Him, when he was given up, by the decision and knowledge of God, you put to death on the cross, by the hands of evil men: But God gave him back to life, having made him free from the pains of death because it was not possible for him to be overcome by it. For David said of him, I saw the Lord before my face at all times, for he is at my right hand, so that I may not be moved: And for this cause my heart was glad and my tongue full of joy, and my flesh will be resting in hope: For you will not let my soul be in hell and you will not give up your Holy One to destruction. You have made me see the ways of life; I will be full of joy when I see your face. My brothers, I may say to you openly that David came to his death, and was put in the earth, and his resting-place is with us today. But being a prophet, and having in mind the oath which God had given to him, that of the fruit of his body one would take his place as a king, He, having knowledge of the future, was talking of the coming again of Christ from the dead, that he was not kept in hell and his body did not see destruction. This Jesus God has given back to life, of which we all are witnesses. And so, being lifted up to the right hand of God, and having the Father's word that the Holy Spirit would come, he has sent this thing, which now you see and have knowledge of. For David has not gone up into heaven, but says, himself, The Lord said to my Lord, Be seated at my right hand, Till I put all those who are against you under your feet. For this reason, let all Israel be certain that this Jesus, whom you put to death on the cross, God has made Lord and Christ.
Select readings » Elisha and the widow's oil
Now a certain woman, the wife of one of the sons of the prophets, came crying to Elisha and said, Your servant my husband is dead; and to your knowledge he was a worshipper of the Lord; but now, the creditor has come to take my two children as servants in payment of his debt. Then Elisha said to her, What am I to do for you? say now, what have you in the house? And she said, Your servant has nothing in the house but a pot of oil. Then he said, Go out to all your neighbours and get vessels, a very great number of them. read more.
Then go in, and, shutting the door on yourself and your sons, put oil into all these vessels, putting on one side the full ones. So she went away, and when the door was shut on her and her sons, they took the vessels to her and she put oil into them. And when all the vessels were full, she said to her son, Get me another vessel. And he said, There are no more. And the flow of oil was stopped. So she came to the man of God and gave him word of what she had done. And he said, Go and get money for the oil and make payment of your debt, and let the rest be for the needs of yourself and your sons.
Then go in, and, shutting the door on yourself and your sons, put oil into all these vessels, putting on one side the full ones. So she went away, and when the door was shut on her and her sons, they took the vessels to her and she put oil into them. And when all the vessels were full, she said to her son, Get me another vessel. And he said, There are no more. And the flow of oil was stopped. So she came to the man of God and gave him word of what she had done. And he said, Go and get money for the oil and make payment of your debt, and let the rest be for the needs of yourself and your sons.
Select readings » Stephen's defense
Then the high priest said, Are these things true? And he said, My brothers and fathers, give hearing. The God of glory came to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he was living in Haran, And said to him, Go out of your land, and away from your family, and come into the land to which I will be your guide. read more.
Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and went into Haran; and from there, when his father was dead, he was guided by God into this land, where you are living now: And God gave him no heritage in it, not even enough to put his foot on: but he gave him an undertaking that he would give it to him and to his children after him, though he had no child at that time. And God said that his seed would be living in a strange land, and that they would make them servants, and be cruel to them for four hundred years. And I will be the judge, said God, of that nation which made them servants: and after that, they will come out and give me worship in this place. And he made with him the agreement of which circumcision was the sign. And so Abraham had a son, Isaac, and gave him circumcision on the eighth day; and Isaac had a son, Jacob, and Jacob was the father of the twelve heads of the families of Israel. And the brothers, moved with envy against Joseph, gave him to the Egyptians for money: but God was with him, And made him free from all his troubles, and gave him wisdom and the approval of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and all his house. Now there was no food to be had in all Egypt and Canaan, and there was great trouble: and our fathers were not able to get food. But Jacob, hearing that there was grain in Egypt, sent out our fathers the first time. And the second time his brothers had a meeting with Joseph, and Pharaoh had knowledge of Joseph's family. Then Joseph sent for Jacob his father and all his family, seventy-five persons. And Jacob went down to Egypt, and came to his end there, and so did our fathers; And they were taken over to Shechem, and put to rest in the place which Abraham got for a price in silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. But when the time was near for putting into effect the undertaking which God had given to Abraham, the people were increasing in Egypt, Till another king came to power, who had no knowledge of Joseph. He, having evil designs against our nation, was cruel to our fathers, and they were forced to put out their young children, so that they might not go on living. At which time Moses came to birth, and he was very beautiful; and he was kept for three months in his father's house: And when he was put out, Pharaoh's daughter took him and kept him as her son. And Moses was trained in all the wisdom of Egypt, and was great in his words and works. But when he was almost forty years old, it came into his heart to go and see his brothers, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them being attacked, he went to his help and gave the Egyptian a death-blow: And he was hoping that his brothers would see that God had sent him to be their saviour; but they did not see. And the day after, he came to them, while they were having a fight, and would have made peace between them, saying, Sirs, you are brothers; why do you do wrong to one another? But the man who was doing wrong to his neighbour, pushing him away, said, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Will you put me to death as you did the Egyptian yesterday? And at these words, Moses went in flight to the land of Midian, and was living there for a time, and had two sons. At the end of forty years, an angel came to him in the waste land of Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn-tree. And Moses, seeing it, was full of wonder, and when he came up to have a nearer view of it, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob. And Moses, shaking with fear, kept his eyes from looking at it. And the Lord said, Take off the shoes from your feet, for the place where you are is holy. Truly, I have seen the sorrows of my people in Egypt, and their cries have come to my ears, and I have come down to make them free: and now, come, I will send you to Egypt. This Moses, whom they would not have, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? him God sent to be a ruler and a saviour, by the hand of the angel whom he saw in the thorn-tree. This man took them out, having done wonders and signs in Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the waste land, for forty years. This is the same Moses, who said to the children of Israel, God will give you a prophet from among your brothers, like me. This is the man who was in the church in the waste land with the angel who was talking to him in Sinai, and with our fathers; and to him were given the living words of God, so that he might give them to you. By whom our fathers would not be controlled; but they put him on one side, turning back in their hearts to Egypt, And saying to Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: as for this Moses, who took us out of the land of Egypt, we have no idea what has become of him. And they made the image of a young ox in those days, and made an offering to it, and had joy in the work of their hands. But God was turned from them and let them give worship to the stars of heaven, as it says in the book of the prophets, Did you make offerings to me of sheep and oxen for forty years in the waste land, O house of Israel? And you took up the tent of Moloch and the star of the god Rephan, images which you made to give worship to them: and I will take you away, farther than Babylon. Our fathers had the Tent of witness in the waste land, as God gave orders to Moses to make it after the design which he had seen. Which our fathers, in their turn, took with them when, with Joshua, they came into the heritage of the nations whom God was driving out before the face of our fathers, till the time of David, Who was pleasing to God; and he had a desire to make a holy tent for the God of Jacob. But Solomon was the builder of his house. But still, the Most High has not his resting-place in houses made with hands, as the prophet says, Heaven is the seat of my power, and earth is a resting-place for my feet: what sort of house will you make for me, says the Lord, or what is my place of rest? Did not my hand make all these things? You whose hearts are hard and whose ears are shut to me; you are ever working against the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets was not cruelly attacked by your fathers? and they put to death those who gave them the news of the coming of the Upright One; whom you have now given up and put to death; You, to whom the law was given as it was ordered by angels, and who have not kept it. Hearing these things, they were cut to the heart and moved with wrath against him. But he was full of the Holy Spirit, and looking up to heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus at the right hand of God. And he said, Now I see heaven open, and the Son of man at the right hand of God.
Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and went into Haran; and from there, when his father was dead, he was guided by God into this land, where you are living now: And God gave him no heritage in it, not even enough to put his foot on: but he gave him an undertaking that he would give it to him and to his children after him, though he had no child at that time. And God said that his seed would be living in a strange land, and that they would make them servants, and be cruel to them for four hundred years. And I will be the judge, said God, of that nation which made them servants: and after that, they will come out and give me worship in this place. And he made with him the agreement of which circumcision was the sign. And so Abraham had a son, Isaac, and gave him circumcision on the eighth day; and Isaac had a son, Jacob, and Jacob was the father of the twelve heads of the families of Israel. And the brothers, moved with envy against Joseph, gave him to the Egyptians for money: but God was with him, And made him free from all his troubles, and gave him wisdom and the approval of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and all his house. Now there was no food to be had in all Egypt and Canaan, and there was great trouble: and our fathers were not able to get food. But Jacob, hearing that there was grain in Egypt, sent out our fathers the first time. And the second time his brothers had a meeting with Joseph, and Pharaoh had knowledge of Joseph's family. Then Joseph sent for Jacob his father and all his family, seventy-five persons. And Jacob went down to Egypt, and came to his end there, and so did our fathers; And they were taken over to Shechem, and put to rest in the place which Abraham got for a price in silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. But when the time was near for putting into effect the undertaking which God had given to Abraham, the people were increasing in Egypt, Till another king came to power, who had no knowledge of Joseph. He, having evil designs against our nation, was cruel to our fathers, and they were forced to put out their young children, so that they might not go on living. At which time Moses came to birth, and he was very beautiful; and he was kept for three months in his father's house: And when he was put out, Pharaoh's daughter took him and kept him as her son. And Moses was trained in all the wisdom of Egypt, and was great in his words and works. But when he was almost forty years old, it came into his heart to go and see his brothers, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them being attacked, he went to his help and gave the Egyptian a death-blow: And he was hoping that his brothers would see that God had sent him to be their saviour; but they did not see. And the day after, he came to them, while they were having a fight, and would have made peace between them, saying, Sirs, you are brothers; why do you do wrong to one another? But the man who was doing wrong to his neighbour, pushing him away, said, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Will you put me to death as you did the Egyptian yesterday? And at these words, Moses went in flight to the land of Midian, and was living there for a time, and had two sons. At the end of forty years, an angel came to him in the waste land of Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn-tree. And Moses, seeing it, was full of wonder, and when he came up to have a nearer view of it, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob. And Moses, shaking with fear, kept his eyes from looking at it. And the Lord said, Take off the shoes from your feet, for the place where you are is holy. Truly, I have seen the sorrows of my people in Egypt, and their cries have come to my ears, and I have come down to make them free: and now, come, I will send you to Egypt. This Moses, whom they would not have, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? him God sent to be a ruler and a saviour, by the hand of the angel whom he saw in the thorn-tree. This man took them out, having done wonders and signs in Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the waste land, for forty years. This is the same Moses, who said to the children of Israel, God will give you a prophet from among your brothers, like me. This is the man who was in the church in the waste land with the angel who was talking to him in Sinai, and with our fathers; and to him were given the living words of God, so that he might give them to you. By whom our fathers would not be controlled; but they put him on one side, turning back in their hearts to Egypt, And saying to Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: as for this Moses, who took us out of the land of Egypt, we have no idea what has become of him. And they made the image of a young ox in those days, and made an offering to it, and had joy in the work of their hands. But God was turned from them and let them give worship to the stars of heaven, as it says in the book of the prophets, Did you make offerings to me of sheep and oxen for forty years in the waste land, O house of Israel? And you took up the tent of Moloch and the star of the god Rephan, images which you made to give worship to them: and I will take you away, farther than Babylon. Our fathers had the Tent of witness in the waste land, as God gave orders to Moses to make it after the design which he had seen. Which our fathers, in their turn, took with them when, with Joshua, they came into the heritage of the nations whom God was driving out before the face of our fathers, till the time of David, Who was pleasing to God; and he had a desire to make a holy tent for the God of Jacob. But Solomon was the builder of his house. But still, the Most High has not his resting-place in houses made with hands, as the prophet says, Heaven is the seat of my power, and earth is a resting-place for my feet: what sort of house will you make for me, says the Lord, or what is my place of rest? Did not my hand make all these things? You whose hearts are hard and whose ears are shut to me; you are ever working against the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets was not cruelly attacked by your fathers? and they put to death those who gave them the news of the coming of the Upright One; whom you have now given up and put to death; You, to whom the law was given as it was ordered by angels, and who have not kept it. Hearing these things, they were cut to the heart and moved with wrath against him. But he was full of the Holy Spirit, and looking up to heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus at the right hand of God. And he said, Now I see heaven open, and the Son of man at the right hand of God.
Select readings » The beatitudes
And seeing great masses of people he went up into the mountain; and when he was seated his disciples came to him. And with these words he gave them teaching, saying, Happy are the poor in spirit: for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. read more.
Happy are those who are sad: for they will be comforted. Happy are the gentle: for the earth will be their heritage. Happy are those whose heart's desire is for righteousness: for they will have their desire. Happy are those who have mercy: for they will be given mercy. Happy are the clean in heart: for they will see God. Happy are the peacemakers: for they will be named sons of God. Happy are those who are attacked on account of righteousness: for the kingdom of heaven will be theirs. Happy are you when men give you a bad name, and are cruel to you, and say all evil things against you falsely, because of me. Be glad and full of joy; for great is your reward in heaven: for so were the prophets attacked who were before you. You are the salt of the earth; but if its taste goes from the salt, how will you make it salt again? it is then good for nothing but to be put out and crushed under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A town put on a hill may be seen by all. And a burning light is not put under a vessel, but on its table; so that its rays may be shining on all who are in the house. Even so let your light be shining before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Happy are those who are sad: for they will be comforted. Happy are the gentle: for the earth will be their heritage. Happy are those whose heart's desire is for righteousness: for they will have their desire. Happy are those who have mercy: for they will be given mercy. Happy are the clean in heart: for they will see God. Happy are the peacemakers: for they will be named sons of God. Happy are those who are attacked on account of righteousness: for the kingdom of heaven will be theirs. Happy are you when men give you a bad name, and are cruel to you, and say all evil things against you falsely, because of me. Be glad and full of joy; for great is your reward in heaven: for so were the prophets attacked who were before you. You are the salt of the earth; but if its taste goes from the salt, how will you make it salt again? it is then good for nothing but to be put out and crushed under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A town put on a hill may be seen by all. And a burning light is not put under a vessel, but on its table; so that its rays may be shining on all who are in the house. Even so let your light be shining before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Select readings » Old age
Let your mind be turned to your Maker in the days of your strength, while the evil days come not, and the years are far away when you will say, I have no pleasure in them; While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not dark, and the clouds come not back after the rain; In the day when the keepers of the house are shaking for fear, and the strong men are bent down, and the women who were crushing the grain are at rest because their number is small, and those looking out of the windows are unable to see; read more.
When the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of the crushing is low, and the voice of the bird is soft, and the daughters of music will be made low; And he is in fear of that which is high, and danger is in the road, and the tree is white with flower, and the least thing is a weight, and desire is at an end, because man goes to his last resting-place, and those who are sorrowing are in the streets; Before ever the silver cord is cut, or the vessel of gold is broken, or the pot is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the water-hole; And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.
When the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of the crushing is low, and the voice of the bird is soft, and the daughters of music will be made low; And he is in fear of that which is high, and danger is in the road, and the tree is white with flower, and the least thing is a weight, and desire is at an end, because man goes to his last resting-place, and those who are sorrowing are in the streets; Before ever the silver cord is cut, or the vessel of gold is broken, or the pot is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the water-hole; And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.
Select readings » The wrath of God
I saw the Lord stationed by the side of the altar, giving blows to the tops of the pillars so that the doorsteps were shaking: and he said, I will let all of them be broken with earth-shocks; I will put the last of them to the sword: if any one of them goes in flight he will not get away, not one of them will be safe. Even if they go deep into the underworld, my hand will take them up from there; if they go up to heaven, I will get them down: Though they take cover on the top of Carmel, I will go in search of them and get them out; though they keep themselves from my eyes in the bed of the sea, I will give orders to the great snake there and he will give them a bite: read more.
And though they are taken away as prisoners by their attackers, even there will I give orders to the sword to put them to death: my eyes will be fixed on them for evil and not for good. For the Lord, the God of armies, is he at whose touch the land is turned to water, and everyone in it will be given up to sorrow; all of it will be overflowing like the River, and will go down again like the River of Egypt; It is he who makes his rooms in the heaven, basing his arch on the earth; whose voice goes out to the waters of the sea, and sends them flowing over the face of the earth; the Lord is his name.
And though they are taken away as prisoners by their attackers, even there will I give orders to the sword to put them to death: my eyes will be fixed on them for evil and not for good. For the Lord, the God of armies, is he at whose touch the land is turned to water, and everyone in it will be given up to sorrow; all of it will be overflowing like the River, and will go down again like the River of Egypt; It is he who makes his rooms in the heaven, basing his arch on the earth; whose voice goes out to the waters of the sea, and sends them flowing over the face of the earth; the Lord is his name.
Select readings » Esther's triumph
Select readings » The omnipotence and incomparableness of God
Select readings » The majesty and providence of God
Select readings » Christ's kingdom foreshadowed
Select readings » The animals of the field
Select readings » God's challenge to job
Select readings » Nature's testimony
Select readings » In captivity
Select readings » The omnipresence of God
Select readings » Charity
Select readings » The new heaven and the new earth
Select readings » Paul in front of governor felix
Select readings » Paul in front of agrippa
Select readings » The joy of the righteous
Select readings » The state of the Godly
Select readings » Confidence in God
Select readings » The king of glory
Select readings » God, our refuge
Select readings » The new song
Select readings » The river of life
Select readings » God, Glory of
Select readings » The righteous and the wicked in contrast
Select readings » The triumphant king
Select readings » Lights and shadows
Select readings » Mankind in nature
United prayer » Select readings
And Abraham came near, and said, Will you let destruction come on the upright with the sinners? If by chance there are fifty upright men in the town, will you give the place to destruction and not have mercy on it because of the fifty upright men? Let such a thing be far from you, to put the upright to death with the sinner: will not the judge of all the earth do right? read more.
And the Lord said, If there are fifty upright men in the town, I will have mercy on it because of them. And Abraham answering said, Truly, I who am only dust, have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: If by chance there are five less than fifty upright men, will you give up all the town to destruction because of these five? And he said, I will not give it to destruction if there are forty-five. And again he said to him, By chance there may be forty there. And he said, I will not do it if there are forty. And he said, Let not the Lord be angry with me if I say, What if there are thirty there? And he said, I will not do it if there are thirty. And he said, See now, I have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: what if there are twenty there? And he said, I will have mercy because of the twenty. And he said, O let not the Lord be angry and I will say only one word more: by chance there may be ten there. And he said, I will have mercy because of the ten.
And the Lord said, If there are fifty upright men in the town, I will have mercy on it because of them. And Abraham answering said, Truly, I who am only dust, have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: If by chance there are five less than fifty upright men, will you give up all the town to destruction because of these five? And he said, I will not give it to destruction if there are forty-five. And again he said to him, By chance there may be forty there. And he said, I will not do it if there are forty. And he said, Let not the Lord be angry with me if I say, What if there are thirty there? And he said, I will not do it if there are thirty. And he said, See now, I have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: what if there are twenty there? And he said, I will have mercy because of the twenty. And he said, O let not the Lord be angry and I will say only one word more: by chance there may be ten there. And he said, I will have mercy because of the ten.
Then Jacob was by himself; and a man was fighting with him till dawn. But when the man saw that he was not able to overcome Jacob, he gave him a blow in the hollow part of his leg, so that his leg was damaged. And he said to him, Let me go now, for the dawn is near. But Jacob said, I will not let you go till you have given me your blessing. read more.
Then he said, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome. Then Jacob said, What is your name? And he said, What is my name to you? Then he gave him a blessing. And Jacob gave that place the name of Peniel, saying, I have seen God face to face, and still I am living.
Then he said, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome. Then Jacob said, What is your name? And he said, What is my name to you? Then he gave him a blessing. And Jacob gave that place the name of Peniel, saying, I have seen God face to face, and still I am living.
Then David the king went in and took his seat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have been my guide till now? And this was only a small thing to you, O Lord God; but your words have even been about the far-off future of your servant's family, O Lord God! What more may David say to you? for you have knowledge of your servant, O Lord God. read more.
Because of your word and from your heart, you have done all this great work, and let your servant see it. Truly you are great, O Lord God: there is no one like you and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears. And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, and to make a name for himself, and to do great and strange things for them, driving out a nation and its gods from before his people? But you took and made strong for yourself your people Israel, to be your people for ever; and you, Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, may the word which you have said about your servant and about his family, be made certain for ever, and may you do as you have said! And let your name be made great for ever, and let men say, The Lord of armies is God over Israel: and let the family of David your servant be made strong before you! For you, O Lord of armies, the God of Israel, have clearly said to your servant, I will make you the head of a family of kings: and so it has come into your servant's heart to make this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true and you have said you will give your servant this good thing; So may it be your pleasure to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you: (for you, O Lord God, have said it,) and may your blessing be on your servant's family line for ever!
Because of your word and from your heart, you have done all this great work, and let your servant see it. Truly you are great, O Lord God: there is no one like you and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears. And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, and to make a name for himself, and to do great and strange things for them, driving out a nation and its gods from before his people? But you took and made strong for yourself your people Israel, to be your people for ever; and you, Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, may the word which you have said about your servant and about his family, be made certain for ever, and may you do as you have said! And let your name be made great for ever, and let men say, The Lord of armies is God over Israel: and let the family of David your servant be made strong before you! For you, O Lord of armies, the God of Israel, have clearly said to your servant, I will make you the head of a family of kings: and so it has come into your servant's heart to make this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true and you have said you will give your servant this good thing; So may it be your pleasure to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you: (for you, O Lord God, have said it,) and may your blessing be on your servant's family line for ever!
Then Solomon took his place before the altar of the Lord, all the men of Israel being present, and stretching out his hands to heaven, Said, O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on the earth; keeping faith and mercy unchanging for your servants, while they go in your ways with all their hearts. And you have kept the word which you gave to your servant David, my father; with your mouth you said it and with your hand you have made it come true this day. read more.
So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done. So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father. But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made! Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day; That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place. Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy. If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house: Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong. When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house: Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers. When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them: Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage. If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be: Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men: So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers. And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name: (For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm;) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name. If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name: Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them. If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin,) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near; And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil; And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name: Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them; Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them; For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace; Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you. For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God. Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven; And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice, Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true. Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up; Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers. And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need. So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other. Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.
So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done. So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father. But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made! Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day; That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place. Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy. If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house: Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong. When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house: Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers. When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them: Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage. If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be: Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men: So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers. And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name: (For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm;) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name. If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name: Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them. If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin,) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near; And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil; And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name: Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them; Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them; For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace; Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you. For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God. Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven; And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice, Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true. Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up; Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers. And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need. So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other. Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.
And it came about that he was in prayer in a certain place, and when he came to an end, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, will you give us teaching about prayer, as John did to his disciples? And he said to them, When you say your prayers, say, Father, may your name be kept holy and your kingdom come. Give us every day bread for our needs. read more.
May we have forgiveness for our sins, as we make free all those who are in debt to us. And let us not be put to the test. And he said to them, Which of you, having a friend, would go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, Friend, let me have three cakes of bread; Because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to put before him; And he, from inside the house, would say in answer, Do not be a trouble to me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; it is not possible for me to get up and give to you? I say to you, Though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of. And I say to you, Make requests, and they will be answered; what you are searching for, you will get; when you give the sign, the door will be open to you. For to everyone who makes a request, it will be given; and he who is searching will get his desire; and to him who gives the sign, the door will be open. And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake? Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?
May we have forgiveness for our sins, as we make free all those who are in debt to us. And let us not be put to the test. And he said to them, Which of you, having a friend, would go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, Friend, let me have three cakes of bread; Because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to put before him; And he, from inside the house, would say in answer, Do not be a trouble to me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; it is not possible for me to get up and give to you? I say to you, Though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of. And I say to you, Make requests, and they will be answered; what you are searching for, you will get; when you give the sign, the door will be open to you. For to everyone who makes a request, it will be given; and he who is searching will get his desire; and to him who gives the sign, the door will be open. And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake? Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?
And he made a story for them, the point of which was that men were to go on making prayer and not get tired; Saying, There was a judge in a certain town, who had no fear of God or respect for man: And there was a widow in that town, and she kept on coming to him and saying, Give me my right against the man who has done me wrong. read more.
And for a time he would not: but later, he said to himself, Though I have no fear of God or respect for man, Because this widow is a trouble to me, I will give her her right; for if not, I will be completely tired out by her frequent coming. And the Lord said, Give ear to the words of the evil judge. And will not God do right in the cause of his saints, whose cries come day and night to his ears, though he is long in doing it? I say to you that he will quickly do right in their cause. But when the Son of man comes, will there be any faith on earth?
And for a time he would not: but later, he said to himself, Though I have no fear of God or respect for man, Because this widow is a trouble to me, I will give her her right; for if not, I will be completely tired out by her frequent coming. And the Lord said, Give ear to the words of the evil judge. And will not God do right in the cause of his saints, whose cries come day and night to his ears, though he is long in doing it? I say to you that he will quickly do right in their cause. But when the Son of man comes, will there be any faith on earth?
Unwise prayers » Select readings
And Abraham came near, and said, Will you let destruction come on the upright with the sinners? If by chance there are fifty upright men in the town, will you give the place to destruction and not have mercy on it because of the fifty upright men? Let such a thing be far from you, to put the upright to death with the sinner: will not the judge of all the earth do right? read more.
And the Lord said, If there are fifty upright men in the town, I will have mercy on it because of them. And Abraham answering said, Truly, I who am only dust, have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: If by chance there are five less than fifty upright men, will you give up all the town to destruction because of these five? And he said, I will not give it to destruction if there are forty-five. And again he said to him, By chance there may be forty there. And he said, I will not do it if there are forty. And he said, Let not the Lord be angry with me if I say, What if there are thirty there? And he said, I will not do it if there are thirty. And he said, See now, I have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: what if there are twenty there? And he said, I will have mercy because of the twenty. And he said, O let not the Lord be angry and I will say only one word more: by chance there may be ten there. And he said, I will have mercy because of the ten.
And the Lord said, If there are fifty upright men in the town, I will have mercy on it because of them. And Abraham answering said, Truly, I who am only dust, have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: If by chance there are five less than fifty upright men, will you give up all the town to destruction because of these five? And he said, I will not give it to destruction if there are forty-five. And again he said to him, By chance there may be forty there. And he said, I will not do it if there are forty. And he said, Let not the Lord be angry with me if I say, What if there are thirty there? And he said, I will not do it if there are thirty. And he said, See now, I have undertaken to put my thoughts before the Lord: what if there are twenty there? And he said, I will have mercy because of the twenty. And he said, O let not the Lord be angry and I will say only one word more: by chance there may be ten there. And he said, I will have mercy because of the ten.
Then Jacob was by himself; and a man was fighting with him till dawn. But when the man saw that he was not able to overcome Jacob, he gave him a blow in the hollow part of his leg, so that his leg was damaged. And he said to him, Let me go now, for the dawn is near. But Jacob said, I will not let you go till you have given me your blessing. read more.
Then he said, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome. Then Jacob said, What is your name? And he said, What is my name to you? Then he gave him a blessing. And Jacob gave that place the name of Peniel, saying, I have seen God face to face, and still I am living.
Then he said, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for in your fight with God and with men you have overcome. Then Jacob said, What is your name? And he said, What is my name to you? Then he gave him a blessing. And Jacob gave that place the name of Peniel, saying, I have seen God face to face, and still I am living.
Then David the king went in and took his seat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have been my guide till now? And this was only a small thing to you, O Lord God; but your words have even been about the far-off future of your servant's family, O Lord God! What more may David say to you? for you have knowledge of your servant, O Lord God. read more.
Because of your word and from your heart, you have done all this great work, and let your servant see it. Truly you are great, O Lord God: there is no one like you and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears. And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, and to make a name for himself, and to do great and strange things for them, driving out a nation and its gods from before his people? But you took and made strong for yourself your people Israel, to be your people for ever; and you, Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, may the word which you have said about your servant and about his family, be made certain for ever, and may you do as you have said! And let your name be made great for ever, and let men say, The Lord of armies is God over Israel: and let the family of David your servant be made strong before you! For you, O Lord of armies, the God of Israel, have clearly said to your servant, I will make you the head of a family of kings: and so it has come into your servant's heart to make this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true and you have said you will give your servant this good thing; So may it be your pleasure to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you: (for you, O Lord God, have said it,) and may your blessing be on your servant's family line for ever!
Because of your word and from your heart, you have done all this great work, and let your servant see it. Truly you are great, O Lord God: there is no one like you and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears. And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, and to make a name for himself, and to do great and strange things for them, driving out a nation and its gods from before his people? But you took and made strong for yourself your people Israel, to be your people for ever; and you, Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, may the word which you have said about your servant and about his family, be made certain for ever, and may you do as you have said! And let your name be made great for ever, and let men say, The Lord of armies is God over Israel: and let the family of David your servant be made strong before you! For you, O Lord of armies, the God of Israel, have clearly said to your servant, I will make you the head of a family of kings: and so it has come into your servant's heart to make this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true and you have said you will give your servant this good thing; So may it be your pleasure to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you: (for you, O Lord God, have said it,) and may your blessing be on your servant's family line for ever!
Then Solomon took his place before the altar of the Lord, all the men of Israel being present, and stretching out his hands to heaven, Said, O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on the earth; keeping faith and mercy unchanging for your servants, while they go in your ways with all their hearts. And you have kept the word which you gave to your servant David, my father; with your mouth you said it and with your hand you have made it come true this day. read more.
So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done. So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father. But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made! Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day; That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place. Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy. If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house: Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong. When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house: Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers. When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them: Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage. If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be: Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men: So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers. And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name: (For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm;) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name. If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name: Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them. If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin,) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near; And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil; And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name: Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them; Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them; For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace; Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you. For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God. Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven; And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice, Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true. Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up; Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers. And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need. So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other. Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.
So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done. So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father. But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made! Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day; That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place. Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy. If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house: Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong. When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house: Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers. When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them: Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage. If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be: Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men: So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers. And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name: (For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm;) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house: Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name. If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name: Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them. If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin,) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near; And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil; And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name: Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them; Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them; For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace; Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you. For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God. Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven; And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice, Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true. Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up; Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers. And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need. So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other. Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.
And it came about that he was in prayer in a certain place, and when he came to an end, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, will you give us teaching about prayer, as John did to his disciples? And he said to them, When you say your prayers, say, Father, may your name be kept holy and your kingdom come. Give us every day bread for our needs. read more.
May we have forgiveness for our sins, as we make free all those who are in debt to us. And let us not be put to the test. And he said to them, Which of you, having a friend, would go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, Friend, let me have three cakes of bread; Because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to put before him; And he, from inside the house, would say in answer, Do not be a trouble to me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; it is not possible for me to get up and give to you? I say to you, Though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of. And I say to you, Make requests, and they will be answered; what you are searching for, you will get; when you give the sign, the door will be open to you. For to everyone who makes a request, it will be given; and he who is searching will get his desire; and to him who gives the sign, the door will be open. And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake? Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?
May we have forgiveness for our sins, as we make free all those who are in debt to us. And let us not be put to the test. And he said to them, Which of you, having a friend, would go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, Friend, let me have three cakes of bread; Because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to put before him; And he, from inside the house, would say in answer, Do not be a trouble to me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; it is not possible for me to get up and give to you? I say to you, Though he will not get up and give to him, because he is his friend, still, if he keeps on making his request, he will get up and give him as much as he has need of. And I say to you, Make requests, and they will be answered; what you are searching for, you will get; when you give the sign, the door will be open to you. For to everyone who makes a request, it will be given; and he who is searching will get his desire; and to him who gives the sign, the door will be open. And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake? Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?
And he made a story for them, the point of which was that men were to go on making prayer and not get tired; Saying, There was a judge in a certain town, who had no fear of God or respect for man: And there was a widow in that town, and she kept on coming to him and saying, Give me my right against the man who has done me wrong. read more.
And for a time he would not: but later, he said to himself, Though I have no fear of God or respect for man, Because this widow is a trouble to me, I will give her her right; for if not, I will be completely tired out by her frequent coming. And the Lord said, Give ear to the words of the evil judge. And will not God do right in the cause of his saints, whose cries come day and night to his ears, though he is long in doing it? I say to you that he will quickly do right in their cause. But when the Son of man comes, will there be any faith on earth?
And for a time he would not: but later, he said to himself, Though I have no fear of God or respect for man, Because this widow is a trouble to me, I will give her her right; for if not, I will be completely tired out by her frequent coming. And the Lord said, Give ear to the words of the evil judge. And will not God do right in the cause of his saints, whose cries come day and night to his ears, though he is long in doing it? I say to you that he will quickly do right in their cause. But when the Son of man comes, will there be any faith on earth?
Wealth » Accumulation of » Select readings
And he said to them, in a story, The land of a certain man of great wealth was very fertile: And he said to himself, What is to be done? for I have no place in which to put all my fruit. And he said, This I will do: I will take down my store-houses and make greater ones, and there I will put all my grain and my goods. read more.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have a great amount of goods in store, enough for a number of years; be at rest, take food and wine and be happy. But God said to him, You foolish one, tonight I will take your soul from you, and who then will be the owner of all the things which you have got together? So that is what comes to the man who gets wealth for himself, and has not wealth in the eyes of God.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have a great amount of goods in store, enough for a number of years; be at rest, take food and wine and be happy. But God said to him, You foolish one, tonight I will take your soul from you, and who then will be the owner of all the things which you have got together? So that is what comes to the man who gets wealth for himself, and has not wealth in the eyes of God.
Now there was a certain man of great wealth, who was dressed in fair clothing of purple and delicate linen, and was shining and glad every day. And a certain poor man, named Lazarus, was stretched out at his door, full of wounds, Desiring the broken bits of food which came from the table of the man of wealth; and even the dogs came and put their tongues on his wounds. read more.
And in time the poor man came to his end, and angels took him to Abraham's breast. And the man of wealth came to his end, and was put in the earth. And in hell, being in great pain, lifting up his eyes he saw Abraham, far away, and Lazarus on his breast. And he gave a cry and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, so that he may put the end of his finger in water and put it on my tongue, for I am cruelly burning in this flame. But Abraham said, Keep in mind, my son, that when you were living, you had your good things, while Lazarus had evil things: but now, he is comforted and you are in pain. And in addition, there is a deep division fixed between us and you, so that those who might go from here to you are not able to do so, and no one may come from you to us. And he said, Father, it is my request that you will send him to my father's house; For I have five brothers; and let him give them an account of these things, so that they may not come to this place of pain. But Abraham said, They have Moses and the prophets; let them give ear to what they say. And he said, No, father Abraham, but if someone went to them from the dead, their hearts would be changed. And he said to him, If they will not give attention to Moses and the prophets, they will not be moved even if someone comes back from the dead.
And in time the poor man came to his end, and angels took him to Abraham's breast. And the man of wealth came to his end, and was put in the earth. And in hell, being in great pain, lifting up his eyes he saw Abraham, far away, and Lazarus on his breast. And he gave a cry and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, so that he may put the end of his finger in water and put it on my tongue, for I am cruelly burning in this flame. But Abraham said, Keep in mind, my son, that when you were living, you had your good things, while Lazarus had evil things: but now, he is comforted and you are in pain. And in addition, there is a deep division fixed between us and you, so that those who might go from here to you are not able to do so, and no one may come from you to us. And he said, Father, it is my request that you will send him to my father's house; For I have five brothers; and let him give them an account of these things, so that they may not come to this place of pain. But Abraham said, They have Moses and the prophets; let them give ear to what they say. And he said, No, father Abraham, but if someone went to them from the dead, their hearts would be changed. And he said to him, If they will not give attention to Moses and the prophets, they will not be moved even if someone comes back from the dead.
Wisdom » Select readings
But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge? Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living. The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me. read more.
Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it. It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire. Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold. There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls. The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold. From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge? For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air. Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears. God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place; For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven. When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters; When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames; Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely. And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it. It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire. Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold. There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls. The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold. From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge? For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air. Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears. God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place; For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven. When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters; When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames; Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely. And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
Happy is the man who makes discovery of wisdom, and he who gets knowledge. For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold. She is of more value than jewels, and nothing for which you may have a desire is fair in comparison with her. read more.
Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour. Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace. She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her. The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place. By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies. My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes. So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck. Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping. When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour. Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace. She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her. The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place. By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies. My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes. So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck. Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping. When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge: For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me. For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother. read more.
And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life: Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth. Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe. The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge. Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love. She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory. Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours. I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way. When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall. Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.
And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life: Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth. Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe. The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge. Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love. She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory. Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours. I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way. When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall. Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.