Day 305 of 365

Jer 51:1–32

1 Thus says the Lord: "Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against those who dwell in Lebkamai, a destroying wind.

2 I will send to Babylon foreigners who shall winnow her; and they shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her around.

3 Against him who bends let the archer bend his bow, and against him who lifts himself up in his coat of mail: and do not spare her young men; utterly destroy all her army.

4 They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets.

5 "For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, of his God, of the Lord of hosts; though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.

6 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man his life; do not be cut off in her iniquity: for it is the time of the Lord's vengeance; he will render to her a recompense.

7 Babylon has been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, who made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.

8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: wail for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.

9 'We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go everyone into his own country; for her judgment reaches to heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.'

10 'The Lord has brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God.'

11 Make sharp the arrows; hold firm the shields: the Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes; because his purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it: for it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple.

12 Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set the watchmen, prepare the ambushes; for the Lord has both purposed and done that which he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

13 You who dwell on many waters, abundant in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your covetousness.

14 The Lord of hosts has sworn by himself, saying, "Surely I will fill you with men, as with the canker worm; and they shall lift up a shout against you."

15 He has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens.

16 When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes lightning for the rain, and brings forth the wind out of his treasuries.

17 Every man has become brutish without knowledge. Every goldsmith is disappointed by his image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

18 They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

19 The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and is the tribe of his inheritance: the Lord of hosts is his name.

20 "You are my battle axe and weapons of war: and with you will I break in pieces the nations; and with you will I destroy kingdoms;

21 and with you will I break in pieces the horse and his rider;

22 and with you will I break in pieces the chariot and him who rides therein; and with you will I break in pieces man and woman; and with you will I break in pieces the old man and the youth; and with you will I break in pieces the young man and the virgin;

23 and with you will I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; and with you will I break in pieces the farmer and his yoke; and with you will I break in pieces governors and deputies.

24 I will render to Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight," says the Lord.

25 "Behold, I am against you, destroying mountain," says the Lord, "which destroys all the earth; and I will stretch out my hand on you, and roll you down from the rocks, and will make you a burnt mountain.

26 They shall not take of you a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but you shall be desolate for ever," says the Lord.

27 Set up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz: appoint a marshal against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough canker worm.

28 Prepare against her the nations, the kings of the Medes, its governors, and all its deputies, and all the land of their dominion.

29 The land trembles and is in pain; for the purposes of the Lord against Babylon do stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.

30 The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, they remain in their strongholds; their might has failed; they are become as women: her dwelling places are set on fire; her bars are broken.

31 One runner will run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every quarter:

32 and the passages are seized, and the reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are frightened.

Phil 4:1–23

1 Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

2 I exhort Euodia, and I exhort Syntyche, to think the same way in the Lord.

3 Yes, I beg you also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, Rejoice!

5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is near.

6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

9 The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

10 But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your thought for me; in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.

11 Not that I speak in respect to lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it.

12 I know how to be humbled, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

14 However you did well that you shared in my affliction.

15 You yourselves also know, you Philippians, that in the beginning of the Good News, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you only.

16 For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again to my need.

17 Not that I seek for the gift, but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account.

18 But I have all things, and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God.

19 My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

21 Greet every holy one in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you.

22 All the saints greet you, especially those who are of Caesar's household.

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Job 28:1–19

1 "Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.

2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.

3 Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.

4 He breaks open a shaft away from where people live. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.

5 As for the earth, out of it comes bread; Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

6 Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.

7 That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon's eye seen it.

8 The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.

9 He puts forth his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.

10 He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.

11 He binds the streams that they do not trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings forth to light.

12 "But where shall wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?

13 Man doesn't know its price; Neither is it found in the land of the living.

14 The deep says, 'It isn't in me.' The sea says, 'It isn't with me.'

15 It can't be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for its price.

16 It can't be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

17 Gold and glass can't equal it, neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.