Day 394 of 730

¹And it happened that when Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and proclaim in their cities.

²Now when John heard in the prison the works of the Messiah, he sent his disciples

³and said to him, "Are you the One who is to come, or should we look for another?"

⁴And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:

⁵the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

⁶And blessed is he who is not offended by me."

⁷And as these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

⁸But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

⁹But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

¹⁰This is the one of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'

¹¹Truly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

¹²And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

¹³For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

¹⁴And if you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.

¹⁵He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁶"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions

¹⁷and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'

¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'

¹⁹The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her actions."

²⁰Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

²¹"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

²²But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

²³And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to hell. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until this day.

²⁴But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, on the day of judgment, than for you."

²⁵At that time, Jesus answered, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.

²⁶Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.

²⁷All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

²⁸"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.

²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.

³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

¹Lord, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth.

²Rise up, you judge of the earth. Pay back the proud what they deserve.

³Lord, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?

⁴They pour out arrogant words. All the evildoers boast.

⁵They break your people in pieces, Lord, and afflict your heritage.

⁶They kill the widow and the alien, and murder the fatherless.

⁷They say, "Yah will not see, neither will Jacob's God consider."

⁸Consider, you senseless among the people; you fools, when will you be wise?

⁹He who implanted the ear, won't he hear? He who formed the eye, won't he see?

¹⁰He who disciplines the nations, won't he punish? He who teaches man knows.

¹¹The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.

¹²Blessed is the man whom you discipline, Yah, and teach out of your Law;

¹³that you may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked.

¹⁴For the Lord won't reject his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

¹⁵For judgment will return to righteousness. All the upright in heart shall follow it.

¹⁶Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will stand up for me against the evildoers?

¹⁷Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence.

¹⁸When I said, "My foot is slipping!" Your loving kindness, Lord, held me up.

¹⁹In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul.

²⁰Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute?

²¹They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

²²But the Lord has been my high tower, my God, the rock of my refuge.

²³He has brought on them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own wickedness. The Lord, our God, will cut them off.

¹A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.

²The rich and the poor have this in common: The Lord is the maker of them all.

³A prudent man sees danger, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

⁴The result of humility and the fear of the Lord is wealth, honor, and life.

⁵Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked: whoever guards his soul stays from them.

⁶Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

⁷The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender.

⁸He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

⁹He who has a generous eye will be blessed; for he shares his food with the poor.

¹⁰Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.

¹¹He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king's friend.

¹²The eyes of the Lord watch over knowledge; but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

¹³The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!"

¹⁴The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit: he who is under the Lord's wrath will fall into it.

¹⁵Folly is bound up in the heart of a child: the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

¹⁶Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.

¹⁷Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching.

¹⁸For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.

¹⁹That your trust may be in the Lord, I teach you today, even you.

²⁰Haven't I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,

²¹To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?

²²Do not exploit the poor, because he is poor; and do not crush the needy in court;

²³for the Lord will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.

²⁴Do not befriend a hot-tempered man, and do not associate with one who harbors anger:

²⁵lest you learn his ways, and ensnare your soul.

²⁶Do not be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.

²⁷If you do not have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?

²⁸Do not move the ancient boundary stone, which your fathers have set up.

²⁹Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won't serve obscure men.