Day 423 of 730

¹He began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the winepress, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went on a journey.

²When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard.

³They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty.

⁴Again, he sent another servant to them; and they wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.

⁵And he sent another; and they killed him; and many others, beating some, and killing some.

⁶He had one left, a beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'

⁷But those farmers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'

⁸They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

⁹What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.

¹⁰Haven't you even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner.

¹¹This was from the Lord, it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

¹²They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him, and went away.

¹³They sent some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words.

¹⁴When they had come, they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you are honest, and do not defer to anyone; for you are not partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

¹⁵Shall we give, or shall we not give?" But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it."

¹⁶They brought it. He said to them, "Whose is this image and inscription?" They said to him, "Caesar's."

¹⁷And Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." They marveled greatly at him.

¹⁸There came to him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection. They asked him, saying,

¹⁹"Teacher, Moses wrote to us, 'If a man's brother dies, and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves no children, that his brother should take the wife, and raise up offspring for his brother.'

²⁰There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring.

²¹The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise;

²²and the seven left no children. Last of all the woman also died.

²³In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife."

²⁴Jesus said to them, "Is not this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God?

²⁵For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

²⁶But about the dead, that they are raised; have not you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

²⁷He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken."

²⁸And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the greatest of all?"

²⁹Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one:

³⁰you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'

³¹The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

³²The scribe said to him, "Truly, Teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he,

³³and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." No one dared ask him any question after that.

³⁵Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David?

³⁶David himself said in the Holy Spirit, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet."'

³⁷David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?" The common people heard him gladly.

³⁸In his teaching he said to them, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces,

³⁹and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts:

⁴⁰those who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

⁴¹And he sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much.

⁴²A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins, which equal a quadrans coin.

⁴³He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury,

⁴⁴for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on."

¹To you I do lift up my eyes, you who sit in the heavens.

²Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look to the Lord, our God, until he has mercy on us.

³Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.

⁴Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.

¹Wine is a mocker, and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

²The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.

³It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be quarreling.

⁴The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

⁵Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

⁶Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?

⁷A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.

⁸A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.

⁹Who can say, "I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin?"

¹⁰Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

¹¹Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.

¹²The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, The Lord has made even both of them.

¹³Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴"It's no good, it's no good," says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.

¹⁵There is gold and abundance of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.

¹⁶Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.

¹⁷Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.

¹⁸Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!

¹⁹He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore do not keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

²⁰Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.

²¹An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning, won't be blessed in the end.

²²Do not say, "I will pay back evil." Wait for the Lord, and he will save you.

²³The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.

²⁴A man's steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way?

²⁵It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.

²⁶A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.

²⁷The spirit of man is the Lord's lamp, searching all his innermost parts.

²⁸Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.

²⁹The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.

³⁰Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.