Day 617 of 730

¹Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

²By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

³and every spirit who does not confess Jesus is not of God, and this is the spirit of the Anti-Christ, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already.

⁴You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.

⁵They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them.

⁶We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

⁷Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God, and knows God.

⁸He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

⁹By this God's love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

¹⁰In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

¹¹Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.

¹²No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

¹³By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

¹⁴We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world.

¹⁵Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God.

¹⁶We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

¹⁷In this love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so are we in this world.

¹⁸There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹We love, because he first loved us.

²⁰If a man says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

²¹This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.

¹Hear, Lord, my righteous plea; Give ear to my prayer, that doesn't go out of deceitful lips.

²Let my sentence come forth from your presence. Let your eyes look on equity.

³You have proved my heart. You have visited me in the night. You have tried me, and found nothing. I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey.

⁴As for the works of men, by the word of your lips, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.

⁵My steps have held fast to your paths. My feet have not slipped.

⁶I have called on you, for you will answer me, God. Turn your ear to me. Hear my speech.

⁷Show your marvelous loving kindness, you who save those who take refuge by your right hand from their enemies.

⁸Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings,

⁹from the wicked who oppress me, my deadly enemies, who surround me.

¹⁰They close up their callous hearts. With their mouth they speak proudly.

¹¹They have now surrounded us in our steps. They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth.

¹²He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey, as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

¹³Arise, Lord, confront him. Cast him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword;

¹⁴from men by your hand, Lord, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.

¹⁵As for me, I shall see your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing your form.

¹The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

²In rebellion, a land has many rulers, but order is maintained by a man of understanding and knowledge.

³A needy man who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain which leaves no crops.

⁴Those who forsake the Law praise the wicked; but those who keep the Law contend with them.

⁵Evil men do not understand justice; but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

⁶Better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than he who is perverse in his ways, and he is rich.

⁷Whoever keeps the Law is a wise son; but he who is a companion of gluttons shames his father.

⁸He who increases his wealth by excessive interest gathers it for one who has pity on the poor.

⁹He who turns away his ear from hearing the Law, even his prayer is an abomination.

¹⁰Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, he will fall into his own trap; but the blameless will inherit good.

¹¹The rich man is wise in his own eyes; but the poor who has understanding sees through him.

¹²When the righteous triumph, there is great glory; but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.

¹³He who conceals his sins doesn't prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

¹⁴Blessed is the man who always fears; but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

¹⁵As a roaring lion or a charging bear, so is a wicked ruler over helpless people.

¹⁶A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment. One who hates ill-gotten gain will have long days.

¹⁷A man who is tormented by life blood will be a fugitive until death; no one will support him.

¹⁸Whoever walks blamelessly is kept safe; but one with perverse ways will fall suddenly.

¹⁹One who works his land will have an abundance of food; but one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

²⁰A faithful man is rich with blessings; but one who is eager to be rich will not go unpunished.

²¹To show partiality is not good; yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

²²A stingy man hurries after riches, and doesn't know that poverty waits for him.

²³One who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than one who flatters with the tongue.

²⁴Whoever robs his father or his mother, and says, "It's not wrong." He is a partner with a destroyer.

²⁵One who is greedy stirs up strife; but one who trusts in the Lord will prosper.

²⁶One who trusts in himself is a fool; but one who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

²⁷One who gives to the poor has no lack; but one who closes his eyes will have many curses.

²⁸When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous thrive.