Day 135 of 365

Ruth 2:1–3:18

2:1 Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.

2:2 Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor." She said to her, "Go, my daughter."

2:3 She went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

2:4 Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, "The Lord be with you." They answered him, "The Lord bless you."

2:5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was set over the reapers, "Whose young lady is this?"

2:6 The servant who was set over the reapers answered, "It is the Moabite lady who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab.

2:7 She said, 'Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.' So she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, except that she stayed a little in the house."

2:8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Listen, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field, and do not go from here, but stay here close to my maidens.

2:9 Let your eyes be on the field that they reap, and go after them. Haven't I commanded the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink from that which the young men have drawn."

2:10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take knowledge of me, since I am a foreigner?"

2:11 Boaz answered her, "It has fully been shown to me, all that you have done to your mother-in-law since the death of your husband; and how you have left your father and your mother, and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that you didn't know before.

2:12 May the Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."

2:13 Then she said, "Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, because you have comforted me, and because you have spoken kindly to your handmaid, though I am not as one of your handmaidens."

2:14 At meal time Boaz said to her, "Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your morsel in the vinegar." She sat beside the reapers, and they reached her parched grain, and she ate, and was satisfied, and left some of it.

2:15 When she had risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her.

2:16 Also pull out some for her from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, and do not rebuke her."

2:17 So she gleaned in the field until evening; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.

2:18 She took it up, and went into the city; and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought out and gave to her that which she had left after she was sufficed.

2:19 Her mother-in-law said to her, "Where have you gleaned today? And where have you worked? Blessed be he who noticed you." She showed her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, "The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz."

2:20 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he of the Lord, who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead." Naomi said to her, "The man is a close relative to us, one of our near kinsmen."

2:21 Ruth the Moabitess said, "Yes, he said to me, 'You shall stay close to my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.'"

2:22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, "It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, and that they not meet you in any other field."

2:23 So she stayed close to the maidens of Boaz, to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she lived with her mother-in-law.

3:1 Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?

3:2 Now isn't Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he winnows barley tonight at the threshing floor.

3:3 Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, get dressed, and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.

3:4 It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies, and you shall go in, and uncover his feet, and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do."

3:5 She said to her, "All that you say I will do."

3:6 She went down to the threshing floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law told her.

3:7 When Boaz had eaten and drank, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. She came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

3:8 It happened at midnight, that the man was startled and turned over; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.

3:9 He said, "Who are you?" She answered, "I am Ruth your handmaid. Therefore spread the corner of your garment over your handmaid; for you are a redeeming kinsman."

3:10 He said, "Blessed are you by the Lord, my daughter. You have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as you didn't follow young men, whether poor or rich.

3:11 Now, my daughter, do not be afraid; I will do to you all that you say; for all the city of my people does know that you are a worthy woman.

3:12 Now it is true that I am a redeeming kinsman; however there is a redeemer closer than I am.

3:13 Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform for you the part of a redeemer, well; let him do the redeemer's part. But if he will not do the part of a redeemer for you, then I will do the part of a redeemer for you, as the Lord lives. Lie down until the morning."

3:14 She lay at his feet until the morning. She rose up before one could discern another. For he said, "Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor."

3:15 He said, "Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it." She held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; and he went into the city.

3:16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "How did it go, my daughter?" She told her all that the man had done to her.

3:17 She said, "He gave me these six measures of barley; for he said, 'Do not go empty to your mother-in-law.'"

3:18 Then she said, "Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest, until he has finished the thing this day."

John 5:1–14

1 After these things, there was a Jewish festival, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now in Jerusalem by the sheep gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew, "Bethesda," having five porches.

3 In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed [waiting for the moving of the water;

4 for an angel of the LORD went down at certain times into the pool, and stirred up the water. Whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made whole of whatever disease he had.]

5 A certain man was there, who had been sick for thirty-eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had been sick for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to be made well?"

7 The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I'm coming, another steps down before me."

8 Jesus said to him, "Arise, take up your mat, and walk."

9 Immediately, the man was made well, and took up his mat and walked. Now it was the Sabbath on that day.

10 So the Jewish leaders said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry the mat."

11 He answered them, "He who made me well, the same said to me, 'Take up your mat, and walk.'"

12 Then they asked him, "Who is the man who said to you to pick it up and walk?"

13 But he who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a crowd being in the place.

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "Behold, you are made well. Sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you."

Prov 30:18–33

18 "There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I do not understand:

19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent on a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maiden.

20 "So is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, 'I have done nothing wrong.'

21 "For three things the earth tremble, and under four, it can't bear up:

22 For a servant when he is king; a fool when he is filled with food;

23 for an unloved woman when she is married; and a handmaid who is heir to her mistress.

24 "There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

25 the ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.

26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.

27 The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.

28 You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.

29 "There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:

30 The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn't turn away for any;

31 the greyhound, the male goat also; and the king against whom there is no rising up.

32 "If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.

33 For as the churning of milk brings forth butter, and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood; so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife."