Day 445 of 730

¹He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,

²saying, "There was a judge in a certain city who did not fear God, and did not respect man.

³A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, 'Defend me from my adversary!'

⁴He would not for a while, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God, nor respect man,

⁵yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.'"

⁶The Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says.

⁷Won't God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?

⁸I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

⁹He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.

¹⁰"Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.

¹¹The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

¹²I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.'

¹³But the tax collector, standing far away, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'

¹⁴I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

¹⁵Now they were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

¹⁶Jesus summoned them, saying, "Allow the little children to come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

¹⁷Truly, I tell you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, he will in no way enter into it."

¹⁸A certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

¹⁹Jesus asked him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one-God.

²⁰You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not give false testimony,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"

²¹He said, "I have observed all these things from my youth up."

²²When Jesus heard it, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me."

²³But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.

²⁴Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!

²⁵For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God."

²⁶Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?"

²⁷But he said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

²⁸Peter said, "Look, we have left our homes and followed you."

²⁹He said to them, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for the Kingdom of God's sake,

³⁰who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life."

³¹He took the twelve aside, and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.

³²For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.

³³They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again."

³⁴They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not understand the things that were said.

³⁵It happened, as he came near Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road, begging.

³⁶Hearing a multitude going by, he asked what this meant.

³⁷They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

³⁸He called out, "Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!"

³⁹Those who led the way rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he shouted all the more, "You son of David, have mercy on me!"

⁴⁰Standing still, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked him,

⁴¹"What do you want me to do?" He said, "Lord, that I may see again."

⁴²Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you."

⁴³And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised God.

¹ALEPH I will exalt you, my God, the King. I will praise your name forever and ever.

²Every day I will praise you. I will extol your name forever and ever.

³Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised! His greatness is unsearchable.

⁴One generation will commend your works to another, and will declare your mighty acts.

⁵Of the glorious majesty of your honor, of your wondrous works, I will meditate.

⁶Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts. I will declare your greatness.

⁷They will utter the memory of your great goodness, and will sing of your righteousness.

⁸The Lord is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.

⁹The Lord is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works.

¹⁰All your works will give thanks to you, Lord. Your holy ones will extol you.

¹¹They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, and talk about your power;

¹²to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.

¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations. the Lord is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds.

¹⁴The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all those who are bowed down.

¹⁵The eyes of all wait for you. You give them their food in due season.

¹⁶You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and gracious in all his works.

¹⁸The Lord is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

¹⁹He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them.

²⁰The Lord preserves all those who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord. Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

¹A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but accurate weights are his delight.

²When pride comes, then comes shame, but with humility comes wisdom.

³The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

⁴Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

⁵The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way, but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

⁶The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them, but the unfaithful will be trapped by evil desires.

⁷When a wicked man dies, hope perishes, and expectation of power comes to nothing.

⁸A righteous person is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked takes his place.

⁹With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, but the righteous will be delivered through knowledge.

¹⁰When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. When the wicked perish, there is shouting.

¹¹By the blessing of the upright, the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

¹²One who despises his neighbor is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding holds his peace.

¹³One who brings gossip betrays a confidence, but one who is of a trustworthy spirit is one who keeps a secret.

¹⁴Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory.

¹⁵He who is collateral for a stranger will suffer for it, but he who refuses pledges of collateral is secure.

¹⁶A gracious woman obtains honor, but violent men obtain riches.

¹⁷The merciful man does good to his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.

¹⁸Wicked people earn deceitful wages, but one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

¹⁹He who is truly righteous gets life. He who pursues evil gets death.

²⁰Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those whose ways are blameless are his delight.

²¹Most certainly, the evil man will not be unpunished, but the seed of the righteous will be delivered.

²²Like a gold ring in a pig's snout, is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

²³The desire of the righteous is only good. The expectation of the wicked is wrath.

²⁴There is one who scatters, and increases yet more. There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty.

²⁵The liberal soul shall be made fat. He who waters shall be watered also himself.

²⁶People curse someone who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

²⁷He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but he who searches after evil, it shall come to him.

²⁸He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.

²⁹He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind. The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

³⁰The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. He who is wise wins souls.

³¹Behold, the righteous shall be repaid in the earth; how much more the wicked and the sinner!