Day 535 of 730

¹Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? We do not need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you, do we?

²You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men;

³being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.

⁴Such confidence we have through Christ toward God;

⁵not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;

⁶who also made us sufficient as servants of a New Covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

⁷But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which was passing away:

⁸won't service of the Spirit be with much more glory?

⁹For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

¹⁰For truly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.

¹¹For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

¹²Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

¹³and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Israel would not look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.

¹⁴But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.

¹⁵But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.

¹⁶But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

¹⁸But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.

¹Lord, you have been favorable to your land. You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.

²You have forgiven the iniquity of your people. You have covered all their sin. Selah.

³You have taken away all your wrath. You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.

⁴Turn us, God of our salvation, and cause your indignation toward us to cease.

⁵Will you be angry with us forever? Will you draw out your anger to all generations?

⁶Won't you revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?

⁷Show us your loving kindness, Lord. Grant us your salvation.

⁸I will hear what God, the Lord, will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, his holy ones; but let them not turn again to folly.

⁹Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.

¹⁰Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

¹¹Truth springs out of the earth. Righteousness has looked down from heaven.

¹²Yes, the Lord will give that which is good. Our land will yield its increase.

¹³Righteousness goes before him, And prepares the way for his steps.

¹Doesn't wisdom cry out? Doesn't understanding raise her voice?

²On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.

³Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:

⁴"To you men, I call! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

⁵You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.

⁶Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.

⁷For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

⁹They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.

¹⁰Receive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.

¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can't be compared to it.

¹²"I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.

¹³The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.

¹⁴Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.

¹⁵By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

¹⁶By me princes rule; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

¹⁷I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.

¹⁸With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.

¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.

²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;

²¹That I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

²²"The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.

²³I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.

²⁴When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

²⁵Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was brought forth;

²⁶while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

²⁷When he established the heavens, I was there; when he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

²⁸when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,

²⁹when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth;

³⁰then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,

³¹Rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.

³²"Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.

³³Hear instruction, and be wise. Do not refuse it.

³⁴Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.

³⁵For whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from the Lord.

³⁶But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death."