Day 565 of 730

¹Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

²Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving;

³praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;

⁴that I may reveal it as I ought to speak.

⁵Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.

⁶Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

⁷All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord.

⁸I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts,

⁹together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you everything that is going on here.

¹⁰Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received commandments, "if he comes to you, receive him"),

¹¹and Jesus who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These are my only fellow workers for the Kingdom of God, men who have been a comfort to me.

¹²Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.

¹³For I testify about him, that he has worked hard for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.

¹⁴Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you.

¹⁵Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that is in her house.

¹⁶When this letter has been read among you, cause it to be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

¹⁷Tell Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it."

¹⁸The salutation of me, Paul, with my own hand: remember my bonds. Grace be with you.

¹Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your loving kindness, and for your truth's sake.

²Why should the nations say, "Where is their God, now?"

³But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases.

⁴Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

⁵They have mouths, but they do not speak. They have eyes, but they do not see.

⁶They have ears, but they do not hear. They have noses, but they do not smell.

⁷They have hands, but they do not feel. They have feet, but they do not walk, neither do they speak through their throat.

⁸Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them.

⁹Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.

¹⁰House of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.

¹¹You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.

¹²The Lord remembers us. He will bless us. He will bless the house of Israel. He will bless the house of Aaron.

¹³He will bless those who fear the Lord, both small and great.

¹⁴May the Lord increase you more and more, you and your children.

¹⁵Blessed are you by the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

¹⁶The heavens are the heavens of the Lord; but the earth has he given to the children of men.

¹⁷The dead do not praise Yah, neither any who go down into silence;

¹⁸But we will bless Yah, from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!

¹My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.

²Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.

³Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴Tell wisdom, "You are my sister." Call understanding your relative,

⁵that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.

⁶For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.

⁷I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,

⁸passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,

⁹in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.

¹⁰Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.

¹¹She is loud and defiant. Her feet do not stay in her house.

¹²Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.

¹³So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:

¹⁴"Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows.

¹⁵Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.

¹⁶I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.

¹⁷I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

¹⁸Come, let's take our fill of loving until the morning. Let's solace ourselves with loving.

¹⁹For my husband isn't at home. He has gone on a long journey.

²⁰He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon."

²¹With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.

²²He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.

²³Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn't know that it will cost his life.

²⁴Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.

²⁵Do not let your heart turn to her ways. Do not go astray in her paths,

²⁶for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.

²⁷Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.