Day 550 of 730

¹Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

²Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.

³Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

⁴You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.

⁵For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.

⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

⁷You were running well! Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth?

⁸This persuasion is not from him who calls you.

⁹A little yeast grows through the whole lump.

¹⁰I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

¹¹But I, brothers, if I still proclaim circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.

¹²I wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off.

¹³For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only do not use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.

¹⁴For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

¹⁵But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you do not consume one another.

¹⁶But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.

¹⁷For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.

¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,

²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,

²¹envyings, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

²³gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

²⁴Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

²⁶Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

¹Shout for joy to the Lord, all you lands!

²Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before his presence with singing.

³Know that the Lord, he is God. It is he who has made us, and we are his. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, and bless his name.

⁵For the Lord is good. His loving kindness endures forever, his faithfulness to all generations.

¹When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;

²put a knife to your throat, if you are a man given to appetite.

³Do not be desirous of his dainties, seeing they are deceitful food.

⁴Do not weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.

⁵Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.

⁶Do not eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and do not crave his delicacies:

⁷for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

⁸The morsel which you have eaten you shall vomit up, and lose your good words.

⁹Do not speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

¹⁰Do not move the ancient boundary stone. Do not encroach on the fields of the fatherless:

¹¹for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.

¹²Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.

¹³Do not withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.

¹⁴Punish him with the rod, and save his soul from Sheol.

¹⁵My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine:

¹⁶yes, my heart will rejoice, when your lips speak what is right.

¹⁷Do not let your heart envy sinners; but rather fear the Lord all the day long.

¹⁸Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁹Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!

²⁰Do not be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat:

²¹for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

²²Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

²³Buy the truth, and do not sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.

²⁴The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.

²⁵Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!

²⁶My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.

²⁷For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

²⁸Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.

²⁹Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

³⁰Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.

³¹Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.

³²In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.

³³Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.

³⁴Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he who lies on top of the rigging:

³⁵"They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I do not feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I can find another."