Day 65 of 365

¹This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer, he desires a good work.

²The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;

³not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;

⁴one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;

⁵(but if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

⁶not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

⁷Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.

⁸Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money;

⁹holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

¹⁰Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.

¹¹Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

¹²Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

¹³For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

¹⁵but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

¹⁶Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: He was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

¹But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,

²through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron;

³forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

⁴For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.

⁵For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

⁶If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which you have followed.

⁷But refuse profane and old wives' tales. Exercise yourself toward godliness.

⁸For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.

⁹This saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance.

¹⁰For to this end we both labor and strive, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

¹¹Command and teach these things.

¹²Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in faith, and in purity.

¹³Until I come, pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching.

¹⁴Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders.

¹⁵Be diligent in these things. Give yourself wholly to them, that your progress may be revealed to all.

¹⁶Pay attention to yourself, and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

¹Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brothers;

²the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, in all purity.

³Honor widows who are widows indeed.

⁴But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety towards their own family, and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God.

⁵Now she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, has her hope set on God, and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.

⁶But she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives.

⁷Also command these things, that they may be without reproach.

⁸But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹Let no one be enrolled as a widow under sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,

¹⁰being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.

¹¹But refuse younger widows, for when they have grown wanton against Christ, they desire to marry;

¹²having condemnation, because they have rejected their first pledge.

¹³Besides, they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.

¹⁴I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for reviling.

¹⁵For already some have turned aside after Satan.

¹⁶If any woman who believes has widows, let her assist them, and do not let the church be burdened; that it might help those widows who are truly in need.

¹⁷Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

¹⁸For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox when it treads out the grain." And, "The laborer is worthy of his wages."

¹⁹Do not receive an accusation against an elder, except at the word of two or three witnesses.

²⁰Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.

²¹I command you in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.

²²Lay hands hastily on no one, neither be a participant in other men's sins. Keep yourself pure.

²³Be no longer a drinker of water only, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities.

²⁴Some men's sins are evident, preceding them to judgment, and some also follow later.

²⁵In the same way also there are good works that are obvious, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.

¹Praise waits for you, God, in Zion. To you shall vows be performed.

²You who hear prayer, to you all men will come.

³Sins overwhelmed me, but you atoned for our transgressions.

⁴Blessed is one whom you choose, and cause to come near, that he may live in your courts. We will be filled with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.

⁵By awesome deeds of righteousness, you answer us, God of our salvation. You who are the hope of all the ends of the earth, of those who are far away on the sea;

⁶Who by his power forms the mountains, having armed yourself with strength;

⁷who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.

⁸They also who dwell in faraway places are afraid at your wonders. You call the morning's dawn and the evening with songs of joy.

⁹You visit the earth, and water it. You greatly enrich it. The river of God is full of water. You provide them grain, for so you have ordained it.

¹⁰You drench its furrows. You level its ridges. You soften it with showers. You bless it with a crop.

¹¹You crown the year with your bounty. Your carts overflow with abundance.

¹²The wilderness grasslands overflow. The hills are clothed with gladness.

¹³The pastures are covered with flocks. The valleys also are clothed with grain. They shout for joy! They also sing.

¹My son, do not forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments:

²for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.

³Do not let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

⁶In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

⁷Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

⁸It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.

⁹Honor the Lord with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:

¹⁰so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

¹¹My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, neither be weary of his reproof:

¹²for whom the Lord loves, he reproves; even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

¹³Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.

¹⁴For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.

¹⁵She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.

¹⁶Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.

¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.

¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

¹⁹By wisdom the Lord founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.

²⁰By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

²¹My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion:

²²so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.

²³Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won't stumble.

²⁴When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

²⁵Do not be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:

²⁶for the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.

²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

²⁸Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you," when you have it by you.

²⁹Do not devise evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwells securely by you.

³⁰Do not strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.

³¹Do not envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.

³²For the perverse is an abomination to the Lord, but his friendship is with the upright.

³³The Lord's curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.

³⁴Surely he is scornful to scoffers, but he gives grace to the humble.

³⁵The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.