Day 572 of 730

¹Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him, we ask you

²not to be quickly shaken in your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as from us, saying that the day of the Lord had come.

³Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the departure comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

⁴he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.

⁵Do you not remember that, when I was still with you, I told you these things?

⁶Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.

⁷For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.

⁸Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming;

⁹even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

¹⁰and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

¹¹Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie;

¹²that they all might be judged who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

¹³But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth;

¹⁴to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁵So then, brothers, stand firm, and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word, or by letter.

¹⁶Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

¹⁷comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.

¹I was glad when they said to me, "Let's go to the Lord's house!"

²Our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem;

³Jerusalem, that is built as a city that is compact together;

⁴where the tribes go up, even the tribes of Yah, according to an ordinance for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

⁵For there are set thrones for judgment, the thrones of David's house.

⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Those who love you will prosper.

⁷Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.

⁸For my brothers' and companions' sakes, I will now say, "Peace be within you."

⁹For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

¹Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

²He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.

³The fool's talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.

⁴Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

⁵A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies.

⁶A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn't find it, but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.

⁷Stay away from a foolish man, for you won't find knowledge on his lips.

⁸The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.

⁹Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but among the upright there is good will.

¹⁰The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger.

¹¹The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.

¹²There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

¹³Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may end in heaviness.

¹⁴The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.

¹⁵A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways.

¹⁶A wise man fears, and shuns evil, but the fool is hotheaded and reckless.

¹⁷He who is quick to become angry will commit folly, and a crafty man is hated.

¹⁸The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

¹⁹The evil bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

²⁰The poor person is shunned even by his own neighbor, but the rich person has many friends.

²¹He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who has pity on the poor.

²²Do they not go astray who plot evil? But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.

²³In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

²⁴The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools crowns them with folly.

²⁵A truthful witness saves souls, but a false witness is deceitful.

²⁶In the fear of the Lord is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.

²⁷The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning people from the snares of death.

²⁸In the multitude of people is the king's glory, but in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.

²⁹He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper displays folly.

³⁰The life of the body is a heart at peace, but envy rots the bones.

³¹He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.

³²The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.

³³Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, and is even made known in the inward part of fools.

³⁴Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

³⁵The king's favor is toward a servant who deals wisely, but his wrath is toward one who causes shame.