Day 282 of 365

Jer 7:1–34

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

2 "Stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, 'Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah, who enter in at these gates to worship the Lord.

3 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.

4 Do not trust in lying words, saying, "The Lord's temple, The Lord's temple, The Lord's temple, are these."

5 For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if you thoroughly execute justice between a man and his neighbor;

6 if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your own hurt:

7 then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, from of old even forevermore.

8 Behold, you trust in lying words, that can't profit.

9 Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods that you have not known,

10 and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, "We are delivered"; that you may do all these abominations?

11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, says the Lord.

12 But go now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.

13 Now, because you have done all these works, says the Lord, and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear; and I called you, but you did not answer:

14 therefore will I do to the house which is called by my name, in which you trust, and to the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh.

15 I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brothers, even the whole seed of Ephraim.

16 Therefore do not pray for this people, neither lift up a cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me; for I will not hear you.

17 Do you not see what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the dough, to make cakes to the queen of the sky, and to pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

19 Do they provoke me to anger?" says the Lord. "Do they not provoke themselves, to the confusion of their own faces?"

20 Therefore thus says the Lord God: "Behold, my anger and my wrath shall be poured out on this place, on man, and on animal, and on the trees of the field, and on the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched."

21 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: "Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat meat.

22 For I did not speak to your fathers, nor command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

23 but this thing I commanded them, saying, 'Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.'

24 But they did not listen nor turn their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

25 Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:

26 yet they did not listen to me, nor inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff: they did worse than their fathers."

27 "You shall speak all these words to them; but they will not listen to you: you shall also call to them; but they will not answer you.

28 You shall tell them, 'This is the nation that has not listened to the voice of the Lord their God, nor received instruction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.

29 Cut off your hair, and throw it away, and take up a lamentation on the bare heights; for the Lord has rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.'"

30 "For the children of Judah have done that which is evil in my sight," says the Lord: "they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it.

31 They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind.

32 Therefore behold, the days come," says the Lord, "that it shall no more be called Topheth, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of Slaughter: for they shall bury in Topheth, until there is no place to bury.

33 The dead bodies of this people shall be food for the birds of the sky, and for the animals of the earth; and none shall frighten them away.

34 Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land shall become a waste."

2 Cor 8:1–13

1 Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia;

2 how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality.

3 For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,

4 begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.

5 This was not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God.

6 So we urged Titus, that as he made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace.

7 But as you abound in everything, in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in our love toward you, see that you also abound in this grace.

8 I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

10 I give a judgment in this: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to start a year ago, not only to do, but also to be willing.

11 But now complete the doing also, that as there was the readiness to be willing, so there may be the completion also out of your ability.

12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you do not have.

13 For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed,

Ps 119:41–80

41 Let your loving kindness also come to me, Lord, your salvation, according to your word.

42 So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in your word.

43 Do not snatch the word of truth out of my mouth, for I put my hope in your ordinances.

44 So I will obey your Law continually, forever and ever.

45 I will walk in liberty, for I have sought your precepts.

46 I will also speak of your statutes before kings, and will not be disappointed.

47 I will delight myself in your commandments, because I love them.

48 I reach out my hands for your commandments, which I love. I will meditate on your statutes.

49 Remember your word to your servant, because you gave me hope.

50 This is my comfort in my affliction, for your word has revived me.

51 The arrogant mock me excessively, but I do not swerve from your Law.

52 I remember your ordinances of old, Lord, and have comforted myself.

53 Indignation has taken hold on me, because of the wicked who forsake your Law.

54 Your statutes have been my songs, in the house where I live.

55 I have remembered your name, Lord, in the night, and I obey your Law.

56 This is my way, that I keep your precepts.

57 The Lord is my portion. I promised to obey your words.

58 I sought your favor with my whole heart. Be merciful to me according to your word.

59 I considered my ways, and turned my steps to your statutes.

60 I will hurry, and not delay, to obey your commandments.

61 The ropes of the wicked bind me, but I won't forget your Law.

62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to you, because of your righteous ordinances.

63 I am a friend of all those who fear you, of those who observe your precepts.

64 The earth is full of your loving kindness, Lord. Teach me your statutes.

65 Do good to your servant, according to your word, Lord.

66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.

67 Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I observe your word.

68 You are good, and do good. Teach me your statutes.

69 The proud have smeared a lie upon me. With my whole heart, I will keep your precepts.

70 Their heart is as callous as the fat, but I delight in your Law.

71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes.

72 The Law you have spoken is better to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

73 Your hands have made me and formed me. Give me understanding, that I may learn your commandments.

74 Those who fear you will see me and be glad, because I have put my hope in your word.

75 Lord, I know that your judgments are righteous, that in faithfulness you have humbled me.

76 Please let your loving kindness be for my comfort, according to your word to your servant.

77 Let your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; for your Law is my delight.

78 Let the proud be disappointed, for they have overthrown me wrongfully. I will meditate on your precepts.

79 Let those who fear you turn to me. They will know your statutes.

80 Let my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be disappointed.