Day 318 of 365

Ezek 20:1–49

1 It happened in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me.

2 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

3 "Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you."'

4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers;

5 and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord God: "In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, 'I am the Lord your God';

6 in that day I swore to them, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.

7 I said to them, 'Cast away every man the abominations of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.'

8 But they rebelled against me, and would not listen to me; they each didn't throw away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

10 "'"So I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.

11 I gave them my statutes, and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them.

12 Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they didn't walk in my statutes, and they rejected my ordinances, which if a man keep, he shall live in them; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them.

14 But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.

15 "'"Moreover also I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;

16 because they rejected my ordinances, and didn't walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

17 Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn't destroy them, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.

18 "'"I said to their children in the wilderness, 'Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.

19 I am the Lord your God: walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them;

20 and make my Sabbaths holy; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.'

21 But the children rebelled against me; they didn't walk in my statutes, neither kept my ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them; they profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

22 Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them forth.

23 Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries;

24 because they had not executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

25 Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they should not live;

26 and I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that opens the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord."'

27 "Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord God: "In this moreover have your fathers blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

28 For when I had brought them into the land, which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there also they made their pleasant aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings.

29 Then I said to them, 'What does the high place where you go mean?' So its name is called Bamah to this day."'

30 "Therefore tell the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Do you pollute yourselves in the way of your fathers? And do you play the prostitute after their abominations?

31 And when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? And shall I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you;

32 and that which comes into your mind shall not be at all, in that you say, 'We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.'

33 As I live," says the Lord God, "surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, will I be king over you:

34 and I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out;

35 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face.

36 Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you," says the Lord God.

37 "I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;

38 and I will purge out from among you the rebels, and those who disobey against me; I will bring them forth out of the land where they live, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and you shall know that I am the Lord."

39 "'As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord God: "Go, serve everyone his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts, and with your idols.

40 For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel," says the Lord God, "there shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve me in the land: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your offerings, with all your holy things.

41 As a pleasant aroma will I accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.

42 You shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers.

43 There you shall remember your ways, and all your doings, in which you have polluted yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed.

44 You shall know that I am the Lord, when I have dealt with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel," says the Lord God.'"

45 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

46 "Son of man, set your face toward the south, and drop your word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South;

47 and tell the forest of the South, 'Hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burnt thereby.

48 All flesh shall see that I, the Lord, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched."'"

49 Then I said, "Ah Lord God! They say of me, 'Isn't he a speaker of parables?'"

1 Tim 3:1–4:16

3:1 This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer, he desires a good work.

3:2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;

3:3 not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;

3:4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

3:5 (but if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

3:6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

3:7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.

3:8 Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money;

3:9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

3:10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.

3:11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

3:12 Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

3:13 For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

3:14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

3:15 but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

3:16 Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: He was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

4:1 But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,

4:2 through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron;

4:3 forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.

4:5 For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

4:6 If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which you have followed.

4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' tales. Exercise yourself toward godliness.

4:8 For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.

4:9 This saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance.

4:10 For to this end we both labor and strive, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

4:11 Command and teach these things.

4:12 Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in faith, and in purity.

4:13 Until I come, pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching.

4:14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders.

4:15 Be diligent in these things. Give yourself wholly to them, that your progress may be revealed to all.

4:16 Pay attention to yourself, and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

Ps 132:1–18

1 Lord, remember David and all his affliction,

2 how he swore to the Lord, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

3 "Surely I will not come into the structure of my house, nor go up into my bed;

4 I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids;

5 until I find out a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah. We found it in the field of Jaar:

7 "We will go into his dwelling place. We will worship at his footstool.

8 Arise, Lord, into your resting place; you, and the ark of your strength.

9 Let your priest be clothed with righteousness. Let your holy ones shout for joy!"

10 For your servant David's sake, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

11 The Lord has sworn to David in truth. He will not turn from it: "I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.

12 If your children will keep my covenant, my testimony that I will teach them, their children also will sit on your throne forevermore."

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his habitation.

14 "This is my resting place forever. Here I will live, for I have desired it.

15 I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread.

16 Her priests I will also clothe with salvation. Her holy ones will shout aloud for joy.

17 There I will make the horn of David to bud. I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.

18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but on himself, his crown will be resplendent."