Day 281 of 365

Jer 5:1–6:30

5:1 "Run back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places of it, if you can find a man, if there are any who does justly, who seeks truth; and I will pardon her.

5:2 Though they say, 'As the Lord lives;' surely they swear falsely."

5:3 O Lord, do your eyes not look on truth? You have stricken them, but they were not grieved. You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than a rock. They have refused to return.

5:4 Then I said, "Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they do not know the way of the Lord, nor the law of their God.

5:5 I will go to the great men, and will speak to them; for they know the way of the Lord, and the law of their God." But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

5:6 Therefore a lion out of the forest shall kill them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; everyone who goes out there shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, and their backsliding is increased.

5:7 "How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me, and sworn by what are no gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the prostitutes' houses.

5:8 They were as fed horses roaming at large: everyone neighed after his neighbor's wife.

5:9 Shouldn't I punish them for these things?" says the Lord; "and shouldn't my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

5:10 "Go up on her walls, and destroy; but do not make a full end. Take away her branches; for they are not the Lord's.

5:11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me," says the Lord.

5:12 They have denied the Lord, and said, "It is not he; neither shall evil come on us; neither shall we see sword nor famine.

5:13 The prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them."

5:14 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Hosts, "Because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

5:15 Behold, I will bring a nation on you from far, house of Israel," says the Lord. "It is a mighty nation. It is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, neither understand what they say.

5:16 Their quiver is an open tomb, they are all mighty men.

5:17 They shall eat up your harvest, and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and your herds. They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees. They shall beat down your fortified cities, in which you trust, with the sword.

5:18 "But even in those days," says the Lord, "I will not make a full end with you.

5:19 It will happen, when you say, 'Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?' Then you shall say to them, 'Just like you have forsaken me, and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve strangers in a land that is not yours.'

5:20 "Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,

5:21 'Hear now this, foolish people, and without understanding; who have eyes, and do not see; who have ears, and do not hear:

5:22 Do you not fear me?' says the Lord 'Won't you tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it can't pass it? And though its waves toss themselves, yet they can't prevail; though they roar, yet they can't pass over it.'

5:23 "But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart; they have revolted and gone.

5:24 Neither do they say in their heart, 'Let us now fear the Lord our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season; who preserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest.'

5:25 "Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withheld good from you.

5:26 For among my people are found wicked men. They watch, as fowlers lie in wait. They set a trap. They catch men.

5:27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. Therefore they have become great, and grew rich.

5:28 They have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They do not plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they do not judge the right of the needy.

5:29 "Shall I not punish for these things?" says the Lord. "Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

5:30 "An astonishing and horrible thing has happened in the land.

5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority; and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it?

6:1 "Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem; for evil looks forth from the north, and a great destruction.

6:2 The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, will I cut off.

6:3 Shepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch their tents against her all around; they shall feed everyone in his place."

6:4 "Prepare war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

6:5 Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces."

6:6 For the Lord of hosts said, "Cut down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.

6:7 As a well casts forth its waters, so she casts forth her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds.

6:8 Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you; lest I make you a desolation, a land not inhabited."

6:9 Thus says the Lord of hosts, "They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like a vine. Turn again your hand as a grape gatherer into the baskets."

6:10 To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can't listen. Behold, the word of the Lord has become a reproach to them. They have no delight in it.

6:11 Therefore I am full of the wrath of the Lord. I am weary with holding in. "Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.

6:12 Their houses shall be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land," says the Lord.

6:13 "For from their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.

6:14 They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace.

6:15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I visit them, they shall be cast down," says the Lord.

6:16 Thus says the Lord, "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, 'Where is the good way?' and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls." But they said, "We will not walk in it."

6:17 "I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!'" But they said, "We will not listen!"

6:18 "Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them.

6:19 Hear, earth! 'Behold, I will bring disaster on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.

6:20 To what purpose comes there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.'

6:21 Therefore thus says the Lord, 'Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish.'

6:22 "Thus says the Lord, 'Behold, a people comes from the north country. A great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

6:23 They take hold of bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Zion.'"

6:24 "We have heard its report; our hands become feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, and pains as of a woman in labor.

6:25 Do not go forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and terror, are on every side."

6:26 "Daughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes! Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come on us."

6:27 "I have made you a tester of metals and a fortress among my people; that you may know and try their way."

6:28 "They are all grievous rebels, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.

6:29 The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away.

6:30 Men will call them 'rejected silver,' because the Lord has rejected them."

2 Cor 6:1–7:16

6:1 Working together, we entreat also that you not receive the grace of God in vain,

6:2 for he says, "At an acceptable time I listened to you, in a day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.

6:3 We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,

6:4 but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,

6:5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;

6:6 in pureness, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love,

6:7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

6:8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

6:9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed;

6:10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

6:11 Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged.

6:12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.

6:13 Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also be open wide.

6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

6:15 What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever?

6:16 What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For we are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

6:17 Therefore, "'Come out from among them, and be separate,' says the Lord. 'Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you.

6:18 I will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters,' says the Lord Almighty."

7:1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

7:2 Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one.

7:3 I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before, that you are in our hearts to die together and live together.

7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction.

7:5 For even when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side. Fightings were outside. Fear was inside.

7:6 Nevertheless, he who comforts the lowly, God, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

7:7 and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, while he told us of your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced still more.

7:8 For though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you sorry, though just for a while.

7:9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly way, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing.

7:10 For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world works death.

7:11 For behold, this same thing, that you were made sorry in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defense, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vengeance! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter.

7:12 So although I wrote to you, I wrote not for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that your earnest care for us might be revealed in you in the sight of God.

7:13 Therefore we have been comforted. In our comfort we rejoiced the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.

7:14 For if in anything I have boasted to him on your behalf, I was not disappointed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, so our glorying also which I made before Titus was found to be truth.

7:15 His affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembers all of your obedience, how with fear and trembling you received him.

7:16 I rejoice that in everything I am of good courage concerning you.

Job 20:9–21

9 The eye which saw him shall see him no more, neither shall his place any more see him.

10 His children shall seek the favor of the poor. His hands shall give back his wealth.

11 His bones are full of his youth, but youth shall lie down with him in the dust.

12 "Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,

13 though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth;

14 yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.

15 He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.

16 He shall suck cobra venom. The viper's tongue shall kill him.

17 He shall not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.

18 That for which he labored he shall restore, and shall not swallow it down. According to the substance that he has gotten, he shall not rejoice.

19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

20 "Because he knew no quietness within him, he shall not save anything of that in which he delights.

21 There was nothing left that he did not devour, therefore his prosperity shall not endure.