Day 69 of 365

¹God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

²has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.

³His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made, through himself, purification for sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

⁴having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have.

⁵For to which of the angels did he say at any time, "You are my Son. Today have I become your father?" and again, "I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?"

⁶Again, when he brings in the firstborn into the world he says, "Let all the angels of God worship him."

⁷Of the angels he says, "Who makes his angels winds, and his servants a flame of fire."

⁸But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom.

⁹You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows."

¹⁰And, "You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands.

¹¹They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does.

¹²As a mantle, you will roll them up, and like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will have no end."

¹³But which of the angels has he told at any time, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?"

¹⁴Are not they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

¹Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, so that we will not drift away.

²For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense;

³how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation-which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard;

⁴God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will?

⁵For he did not subject the world to come, of which we speak, to angels.

⁶But one has somewhere testified, saying, "What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him?

⁷You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor.

⁸[You have put all things in subjection under his feet.]" For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not see all things subjected to him, yet.

⁹But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.

¹⁰For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many children to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

¹¹For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,

¹²saying, "I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise."

¹³Again, "I will put my trust in him." Again, "Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me."

¹⁴Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

¹⁵and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

¹⁶For, truly, he did not come to help the angels, but to help the seed of Abraham.

¹⁷Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

¹⁸For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

¹Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus;

²who was faithful to him who appointed him, as also was Moses in all his house.

³For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who built the house has more honor than the house.

⁴For every house is built by someone; but he who built all things is God.

⁵Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken,

⁶but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house; whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end.

⁷Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you will hear his voice,

⁸do not harden your hearts, as in the provocation, like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness,

⁹where your fathers tested me and challenged me, and saw my works for forty years.

¹⁰Therefore I was displeased with this generation, and said, 'They always err in their heart, but they did not know my ways;'

¹¹as I swore in my wrath, 'They will not enter into my rest.'"

¹²Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God;

¹³but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called "today;" lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

¹⁴For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the end:

¹⁵while it is said, "Today if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion."

¹⁶For who, when they heard, rebelled? No, did not all those who came out of Egypt by Moses?

¹⁷With whom was he displeased forty years? Was not it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

¹⁸To whom did he swear that they would not enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient?

¹⁹We see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.

¹Save me, God, for the waters have come up to my neck!

²I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

³I am weary with my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail, looking for my God.

⁴Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head. Those who want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty. I have to restore what I did not take away.

⁵God, you know my foolishness. My sins aren't hidden from you.

⁶Do not let those who wait for you be shamed through me, Lord God of Hosts. Do not let those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, God of Israel.

⁷Because for your sake, I have borne reproach. Shame has covered my face.

⁸I have become a stranger to my brothers, a foreigner to my mother's children.

⁹For the zeal of your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

¹⁰When I wept and I fasted, that was to my reproach.

¹¹When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.

¹²Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of the drunkards.

¹³But as for me, my prayer is to you, Lord, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of your loving kindness, answer me in the truth of your salvation.

¹⁴Deliver me out of the mire, and do not let me sink. Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.

¹⁵Do not let the flood waters overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up. Do not let the pit shut its mouth on me.

¹⁶Answer me, Lord, for your loving kindness is good. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.

¹⁷Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me speedily!

¹⁸Draw near to my soul, and redeem it. Ransom me because of my enemies.

¹⁹You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor. My adversaries are all before you.

²⁰Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; for comforters, but I found none.

²¹They also gave me gall for my food. In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.

²²Let their table before them become a snare. May it become a retribution and a trap.

²³Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can't see. Let their backs be continually bent.

²⁴Pour out your indignation on them. Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.

²⁵Let their habitation be desolate. Let no one dwell in their tents.

²⁶For they persecute him whom you have wounded. They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.

²⁷Charge them with crime upon crime. Do not let them come into your righteousness.

²⁸Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.

²⁹But I am in pain and distress. Let your salvation, God, protect me.

³⁰I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

³¹It will please the Lord better than an ox, or a bull that has horns and hoofs.

³²The humble have seen it, and are glad. You who seek after God, let your heart live.

³³For the Lord hears the needy, and doesn't despise his captive people.

³⁴Let heaven and earth praise him; the seas, and everything that moves therein!

³⁵For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah. They shall settle there, and own it.

³⁶The children also of his servants shall inherit it. Those who love his name shall dwell therein.

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.