Day 597 of 730

¹For the Law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.

²Or else would not they have ceased to be offered, because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins?

³But in those sacrifices there is yearly reminder of sins.

⁴For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.

⁵Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but you prepared a body for me;

⁶You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.

⁷Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.'"

⁸Previously saying, "Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you did not desire, neither had pleasure in them" (those which are offered according to the Law),

⁹then he has said, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He takes away the first, that he may establish the second,

¹⁰by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

¹¹Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,

¹²but this one, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;

¹³from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet.

¹⁴For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

¹⁵The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,

¹⁶"This is the covenant that I will make with them: 'After those days,' says the Lord, 'I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;'" then he says,

¹⁷"I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more."

¹⁸Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

¹⁹Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

²⁰by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

²¹and having a great priest over the house of God,

²²let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,

²³let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.

²⁴Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,

²⁵not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.

²⁶For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins,

²⁷but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.

²⁸A man who disregards the Law of Moses dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.

²⁹How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

³⁰For we know him who said, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay." Again, "The Lord will judge his people."

³¹It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

³²But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings;

³³partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions; and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so.

³⁴For you both had compassion on them that were in chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one.

³⁵Therefore do not throw away your boldness, which has a great reward.

³⁶For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

³⁷"In a very little while, he who comes will come, and will not wait.

³⁸But my righteous one will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."

³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.

¹Praise Yah, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.

²The Lord builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

³He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.

⁴He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.

⁵Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.

⁶The Lord upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.

⁷Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God,

⁸who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains.

⁹He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call.

¹⁰He doesn't delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

¹¹The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.

¹²Praise the Lord, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!

¹³For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.

¹⁴He makes peace in your borders. He fills you with the finest of the wheat.

¹⁵He sends out his commandment to the earth. His word runs very swiftly.

¹⁶He gives snow like wool, and scatters frost like ashes.

¹⁷He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold?

¹⁸He sends out his word, and melts them. He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

¹⁹He shows his word to Jacob; his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.

²⁰He has not done this for just any nation. They do not know his ordinances. Praise Yah!

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."