Word of The Day

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Word of The Day ~

Word of The Day

Shalom & Greetings in The Name of The Most High God

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Shalom & Greetings in The Name of The Most High God 🕊️ New Video Coming soon 🕊️

Greetings in The Might Name of The Most High God!

We are now out of The Feast of Weeks!

Isaiah 25

1 Lord, you are my God.
    I honor you and praise your name,
because you did amazing things.
    The words you said long ago are completely true;
    everything happened exactly as you said it would.
2 And you destroyed the city that was protected by strong walls.
    Now it is only a pile of rocks.
The foreign palace has been destroyed.
    It will never be rebuilt.
3 That is why powerful nations will honor you.
    Powerful people from strong cities will fear you.
4 You have been a safe place for poor people in trouble.
    You are like a shelter from floods and shade from the heat
    when powerful men attack.
They are like rain streaming down the walls
    that protect us from the storm.
5 Like the heat of summer in a dry land,
    the angry shouts of those foreigners brought us to our knees.
But like a thick cloud that blocks the summer heat,
    you answered their challenge.
**God’s Banquet for His Servants**
6 The Lord All-Powerful will give a feast for all the people on this mountain. At the feast, there will be the best foods and wines. The meat will be good and tender, the wine pure and clear.
7 But now there is a veil covering all nations and people. This veil is called “death.” 8 But death will be destroyed forever. And the Lord God will wipe away every tear from every face. In the past, all of his people were sad, but God will take away that sadness from the earth. All of this will happen because the Lord said it would.
9 At that time people will say,
    “Here is our God!
He is the one we have been waiting for.
    He has come to save us.
We have been waiting for our Lord.
    So we will rejoice and be happy when he saves us.”
10 The Lord’s power is on this mountain,
    and Moab will be defeated.
The Lord will trample the enemy
    like someone walking on straw in a pile of waste.
11 They will reach out their arms to escape
    like someone trying to swim.
But their pride will sink
    with each stroke they take.
12 He will destroy their high walls and safe places.
    He will throw them down into the dust on the ground.
**ERV**

Sirach 36

**Vs 1-17**
1 O Lord God of the universe, look upon us and have mercy. 2 Make every nation stand in fear of you. 3 Take action against the foreign nations, and let them witness your power! 4 You have used us to show them how holy you are; now use them to show us how great you are. 5 Let them learn, as we have learned, that there is no God, O Lord, but you. 6 Give new signs, perform new miracles; show us your glorious strength! **7-9** Bring on that appointed time when everyone can talk about the great things you do. Pour out your furious, flaming anger, and let none of our enemies survive. Destroy those who have oppressed your people. 10 Crush all those enemy rulers who think they are the only people in the world who matter! 11 Gather the tribes of Israel together again, and give them back their land as you gave it to them long ago. 12 Lord, have mercy on Israel, the people who are known by your name, whom you called your first-born son. 13 Take pity on Jerusalem, your holy city, where you chose to stay. 14 Fill your Temple on Mount Zion with your glory and with hymns of praise. 15 Testify for your people, whom you created in the beginning; fulfill the prophecies that have been spoken in your name. 16 Reward those who have put their faith in you, and vindicate your prophets. 17 You have always been gracious to your people; listen to your servants as we pray. Then everyone on earth will recognize that you are the Lord, the God of the ages.
**GNT**

Psalm 68

1 God, get up and scatter your enemies!
    May all your enemies run from you.
2 May your enemies be scattered
    like smoke blown away by the wind.
May your enemies be destroyed
    like wax melting in a fire.
3 But let good people be happy.
    Let them gather before God and enjoy themselves together.
4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!
    Prepare the way for the one who rides on the clouds.
His name is Yah.
    Worship before him with joy.
5 God, who lives in his holy palace, is a father to orphans,
    and he takes care of widows.
6 God provides homes for those who are lonely.
    He frees people from prison and makes them happy.
    But those who turn against him will live in the desert.
7 God, you led your people out of Egypt.
    You marched across the desert. *Selah*
8 The ground shook and rain poured from the sky
    when God, the God of Israel, came to Sinai.
9 God, you sent the rain
    to make a tired, old land strong again.
10 Your people came back to live there,
    and you provided good things for the poor.
11 My Lord gave the command,
    and many people went to tell the good news:
12 “The armies of powerful kings ran away!
    At home, the women divide the things brought from the battle.
13 Those who stayed home will share in the wealth—
    metal doves with wings covered in silver and feathers sparkling with gold.”
14 God All-Powerful scattered the kings
    like snow falling on Mount Zalmon.
15 Mount Bashan is a great mountain
    with many high peaks.
16 But, Bashan, why are you jealous of Mount Zion?
    That is where God has chosen to live.
    The Lord will live there forever.
17 With his millions of chariots,
    the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.
18 You went up to your high place,
    leading a parade of captives.
You received gifts from people,
    even those who turned against you.
    The Lord God went up there to live.
19 Praise the Lord!
    Every day he helps us with the loads we must carry.
    He is the God who saves us. *Selah*
20 He is our God, the God who saves us.
    My Lord God saves us from death.
21 God will smash the heads of his enemies.
    He will punish those who fight against him.
22 My Lord said, “If they run up to Bashan or down to the depths of the sea,
    I will bring them back.
23 So you will march through pools of their blood,
    and there will be plenty left for your dogs.”
24 God, everyone can see your victory parade—
    the victory march of my God and King into his holy place!
25 Singers come marching in front, followed by the musicians;
    they are surrounded by young girls playing tambourines.
26 Praise God in the meeting place.
    Praise the Lord, people of Israel!
27 There is the smallest tribe, Benjamin, leading them.
    And there comes a large group of leaders from Judah.
    Following them are the leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali.
28 God, show us your power!
    Show us the power you used for us in the past.
29 Kings will bring their wealth to you,
    to your Temple in Jerusalem.
30 Punish the people in Egypt.
    They are like cattle in the marshes, like bulls among the calves.
You humiliated them.
    You scattered them in war.
Now let them come crawling to you,
    bringing their pieces of silver.
31 Messengers from Egypt will come bearing gifts.
    Ethiopia will offer God their tribute.
32 Kings on earth, sing to God!
    Sing songs of praise to our Lord! *Selah*
33 Sing to him who rides his chariot through the ancient skies.
    Listen to his powerful voice!
34 Tell everyone how powerful he is!
    He rules over Israel.
    His power fills the skies.
35 God, you are awesome in your Temple!
    The God of Israel is the one who gives strength and power to his people.
Praise God!

Psalm 1

1 Great blessings belong to those
    who don’t listen to evil advice,
who don’t live like sinners,
    and who don’t join those who make fun of God.
2 Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings
    and think about them day and night.
3 So they grow strong,
    like a tree planted by a stream—
a tree that produces fruit when it should
    and has leaves that never fall.
Everything they do is successful.
4 But the wicked are not like that.
    They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5 When the time for judgment comes, the wicked will be found guilty.
    Sinners have no place among those who do what is right.
6 The Lord shows his people how to live,
    but the wicked have lost their way.
ERV

Lamentations 1:8-22

8 Jerusalem sinned very badly.
    Because Jerusalem sinned,
    she became a ruined city that people shake their heads about.
In the past people respected her.
    But now they hate her,
    because they abused her.
Jerusalem groaned
    and turned away.
9 Jerusalem’s skirts were dirty.
    She gave no thought to what would become of her.
Her fall was amazing.
    She had no one to comfort her.
She says, “Lord, see how I am hurt!
    See how my enemy thinks he is so great!”
10 The enemy stretched out his hand.
    He took all her nice things.
In fact, she saw the foreign nations go inside her Temple.
    And you said those people could not join in our assembly!
11 All the people of Jerusalem are groaning.
    All of her people are looking for food.
    They are giving away all their nice things for food to stay alive.
Jerusalem says, “Look, Lord. Look at me!
    See how people hate me.
12 All you who pass by on the road, you don’t seem to care.
    But look at me and see.
Is there any pain like my pain?
    Is there any pain like the pain that has come to me?
Is there any pain like the pain that the Lord has punished me with?
    He has punished me on the day of his great anger.
13 The Lord sent fire from above
    that went down into my bones.
He stretched out a net for my feet.
    He turned me all the way around.
He made me into a wasteland.
    I am sick all day.
14 “My sins were tied up like a yoke.
    My sins were tied up in the Lord’s hands.
His yoke is on my neck.
    He has made me weak.
He has given me to those
    who I cannot stand up against.
15 “The Lord rejected all my powerful men
    who were inside the city.
Then he brought a group of people against me.
    He brought them to kill my young soldiers.
The Lord has trampled his dearest city
    like grapes in a winepress.
16 “I cry about all these things.
    Tears are flowing down my cheeks.
There is no one near to comfort me.
    There is no one who can make me feel better.
My children are like a wasteland,
    because the enemy won.”
17 Zion spread out her hands.
    There was no one to comfort her.
The Lord had given orders to Jacob’s enemies.
    He ordered them to surround the city.
Jerusalem has become a dirty rag
    that her enemies threw away.
18 Now Jerusalem says, “I refused to listen to the Lord,
    so he is right for doing these things.
So listen, all you people!
    Look at my pain!
My young women and men
    have gone into captivity.
19 I called out to my lovers,
    but they tricked me.
My priests and my elders
    have died in the city.
They were looking for food for themselves.
    They wanted to keep themselves alive.
20 “Look at me, Lord. I am in distress!
    I am upset, as if my heart turned upside down inside of me.
I feel this way because
    I have been so stubborn.
Out in the streets,
    I lost my children to the swords.
Inside, it is like death.
21 “Listen to me, I am groaning.
    I have no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble.
    They are happy that you did this to me.
You said there would be a time of punishment.
    You said you would punish my enemies.
Now do what you said.
    Let my enemies be like I am now.
22 “Look how evil my enemies are!
    Then you can treat them the same way you treated me
    because of all my sins.
Do this because I am groaning again and again.
    Do this because my heart is sick.”
**ERV**

Book of Wisdom 1

1 You rulers of this earth
should love justice;
you should do what is right
and keep the Lord in mind.
2The Lord will answer your prayers,
if you trust and don't doubt.
3Our deceitful thoughts
separate us from God,
and by putting God to the test,
we make fools of ourselves,
4because Wisdom won't live
with deceitful slaves of sin.
5A pure mind and self-control
won't let you be deceitful;
you will reject foolish thoughts
and hate injustice.
**Our Words and Thoughts Are Known to God**
6Although Wisdom is friendly,
she will still hold you guilty
if you speak evil of God.
Even words spoken in secret
and our most private thoughts
are known to God,
7because the Spirit of the Lord
is everywhere in this world.
His Spirit holds it all together
and hears every word.
8And so liars will be judged
and then punished—
9their evil plans and deeds
will be discovered,
then reported to the Lord,
and they will be sentenced.
10Nothing can escape being heard,
not even a faint grumble.
11So stop all useless complaining
and fault-finding.
Even a faint whisper
can cause a problem,
and lies are deadly.
**God Created Us To Live**
12Don't invite death
and destruction
by living like a fool.
13 God did not create us for death,
and when we die,
it doesn't make him glad.
14God created all creatures
with life that continues.
All living beings
should keep on living
untouched by deadly poison,
because the Kingdom of Death
doesn't rule this world,
15and justice lives forever.
**Evil Thoughts of Evil People**
16 The words and deeds
of evil people
are an invitation to death.
They think of death
as friendly and desirable—
they are partners with death,
just as they deserve.
**CEVDCI**

Psalm 91 cover us all!

**Plagues are on the way. Psalm 91 cover us all.**
**Amin!**

Golden Text - Sirach 21:1

**Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus)**
1 My child, have you sinned? Don't do it again, and pray for forgiveness for what you have already done.
**GNT**
1 My child, if you have sinned,
don’t do it any longer,
and pray concerning your previous sins.
**CEB**

1 My child, if you have sinned, do so no more,
and for your past sins pray to be forgiven.
**NABRE**

Shalom and Greetings in

The Might Name of The Most High.

Our Leader has taught us that we aught to find someone to show an act of kindness to in such a wicked world.

2 Samuel 9

**David Is Kind to Saul’s Family**
1 David asked, “Is there anyone still left in Saul’s family? I want to show kindness to this person. I want to do it for Jonathan.”
2 There was a servant named Ziba from Saul’s family. David’s servants called Ziba to David. King David said to Ziba, “Are you Ziba?”
Ziba said, “Yes, I am your servant Ziba.”
3 The king said, “Is there anyone left in Saul’s family? I want to show God’s kindness to this person.”
Ziba said to King David, “Jonathan has a son still living. He is crippled in both feet.”
4 The king said to Ziba, “Where is this son?”
Ziba said to the king, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”
5 Then King David sent some of his officers to Lo Debar to bring Jonathan’s son from the house of Makir son of Ammiel. 6 Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth came to David and bowed with his face low to the floor.
David said, “Mephibosheth?”
Mephibosheth said, “Yes sir, it is I, your servant Mephibosheth.”
7 David said to Mephibosheth, “Don’t be afraid. I will be kind to you because of your father Jonathan. I will give back to you all the land of your grandfather Saul. And you will always be able to eat at my table.”
8 Mephibosheth bowed to David again and he said, “I am no better than a dead dog, but you are being very kind to me.”
9 Then King David called Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given Saul’s family and everything he owns to your master’s grandson, Mephibosheth. 10 You will farm the land for Mephibosheth. Your sons and servants will do this for him. You will harvest the crops. Then your master’s grandson will have plenty of food to eat, but Mephibosheth will always be allowed to eat at my table.”
Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants. 11 He said to King David, “I am your servant. I will do everything that my lord the king commands.”
So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All the people in Ziba’s family became Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem. He was crippled in both feet, and every day he ate at the king’s table.
**ERV**

Why aren’t they Reading This!

Isaiah 66:22-24

Psalm 91

**1-13** You who sit down in the High God’s presence,
    spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow,
Say this: “God, you’re my refuge.
    I trust in you and I’m safe!”
That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps,
    shields you from deadly hazards.
His huge outstretched arms protect you—
    under them you’re perfectly safe;
    his arms fend off all harm.
Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night,
    not flying arrows in the day,
Not disease that prowls through the darkness,
    not disaster that erupts at high noon.
Even though others succumb all around,
    drop like flies right and left,
    no harm will even graze you.
You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance,
    watch the wicked turn into corpses.
Yes, because God’s your refuge,
    the High God your very own home,
Evil can’t get close to you,
    harm can’t get through the door.
He ordered his angels
    to guard you wherever you go.
If you stumble, they’ll catch you;
    their job is to keep you from falling.
You’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes,
    and kick young lions and serpents from the path.
**14-16** “If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God,
    “I’ll get you out of any trouble.
I’ll give you the best of care
    if you’ll only get to know and trust me.
Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times;
    I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party.
I’ll give you a long life,
    give you a long drink of salvation!”
**MSG**

Isaiah 29

**1-4** Doom, Ariel, Ariel,
    the city where David set camp!
Let the years add up,
    let the festivals run their cycles,
But I’m not letting up on Jerusalem.
    The moaning and groaning will continue.
    Jerusalem to me is an Ariel.
Like David, I’ll set up camp against you.
    I’ll set siege, build towers,
    bring in siege engines, build siege ramps.
Driven into the ground, you’ll speak,
    you’ll mumble words from the dirt—
Your voice from the ground, like the muttering of a ghost.
    Your speech will whisper from the dust.
**5-8** But it will be your enemies who are beaten to dust,
    the mob of tyrants who will be blown away like chaff.
Because, surprise, as if out of nowhere,
    a visit from God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
With thunderclaps, earthquakes, and earsplitting noise,
    backed up by hurricanes, tornadoes, and lightning strikes,
And the mob of enemies at war with Ariel,
    all who trouble and hassle and torment her,
    will turn out to be a bad dream, a nightmare.
Like a hungry man dreaming he’s eating steak
    and wakes up hungry as ever,
Like a thirsty woman dreaming she’s drinking iced tea
    and wakes up thirsty as ever,
So that mob of nations at war against Mount Zion
    will wake up and find they haven’t shot an arrow,
    haven’t killed a single soul.
**9-10** Drug yourselves so you feel nothing.
    Blind yourselves so you see nothing.
Get drunk, but not on wine.
    Black out, but not from whiskey.
For God has rocked you into a deep, deep sleep,
    put the discerning prophets to sleep,
    put the farsighted seers to sleep.
**You Have Everything Backward**
11-12 What you’ve been shown here is somewhat like a letter in a sealed envelope. If you give it to someone who can read and tell her, “Read this,” she’ll say, “I can’t. The envelope is sealed.” And if you give it to someone who can’t read and tell him, “Read this,” he’ll say, “I can’t read.”
* * *
**13-14** The Master said:
“These people make a big show of saying the right thing,
    but their hearts aren’t in it.
Because they act like they’re worshiping me
    but don’t mean it,
I’m going to step in and shock them awake,
    astonish them, stand them on their ears.
The wise ones who had it all figured out
    will be exposed as fools.
The smart people who thought they knew everything
    will turn out to know nothing.”
**15-16** Doom to you! You pretend to have the inside track.
    You shut God out and work behind the scenes,
Plotting the future as if you knew everything,
    acting mysterious, never showing your hand.
You have everything backward!
    You treat the potter as a lump of clay.
Does a book say to its author,
    “He didn’t write a word of me”?
Does a meal say to the woman who cooked it,
    “She had nothing to do with this”?
**17-21** And then before you know it,
    and without you having anything to do with it,
Wasted Lebanon will be transformed into lush gardens,
    and Mount Carmel reforested.
At that time the deaf will hear
    word-for-word what’s been written.
After a lifetime in the dark,
    the blind will see.
The castoffs of society will be laughing and dancing in God,
    the down-and-outs shouting praise to The Holy of Israel.
For there’ll be no more gangs on the street.
    Cynical scoffers will be an extinct species.
Those who never missed a chance to hurt or demean
    will never be heard of again:
Gone the people who corrupted the courts,
    gone the people who cheated the poor,
    gone the people who victimized the innocent.
22-24 And finally this, God’s Message for the family of Jacob,
    the same God who redeemed Abraham:
“No longer will Jacob hang his head in shame,
    no longer grow gaunt and pale with waiting.
For he’s going to see his children,
    my personal gift to him—lots of children.
And these children will honor me
    by living holy lives.
In holy worship they’ll honor the Holy One of Jacob
    and stand in holy awe of the God of Israel.
Those who got off-track will get back on-track,
    and complainers and whiners will learn gratitude.”
**MSG**

Word of The Day!

**(Isaiah 9:6-end)**
6 This will happen when the special child is born. God will give us a son who will be responsible for leading the people. His name will be “Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.” 7 His power will continue to grow, and there will be peace without end. This will establish him as the king sitting on David’s throne and ruling his kingdom. He will rule with goodness and justice forever and ever. The strong love that the Lord All-Powerful has for his people will make this happen!

God Will Punish Israel

8 The Lord gave a command against Jacob and someone in Israel fell. 9 So all the people in Ephraim, including the ruler in Samaria, learned their lesson.

Those people are very proud and boastful now. They say, 10 “Yes, those bricks fell, but we will rebuild with strong stone. Yes, those little trees were chopped down, but we will plant new trees. And they will be large, strong trees.”

11 The Lord found people to go up and fight against Rezin. He stirred up Rezin’s enemies. 12 As for Israel, the Arameans are in front of him and the Philistines are behind him. And they are both eating away at him. But the Lord is not finished yet. He is still angry, and his arm is raised to continue punishing Israel.

13 The people did not stop sinning. They did not come to the Lord All-Powerful for help. 14 So the Lord cut off Israel’s head and tail. He took away the branch and the stalk in one day. 15 (The head means the elders and important leaders. The tail means the prophets who told lies.)

16 Their guides are leading them the wrong way, so those who follow them will be destroyed. 17 All of them are evil. So the Lord is not happy with the young men, and he will not show mercy to their widows and orphans. That is because they are evil hypocrites. They tell lies.

The Lord has punished them, but he is not finished yet. He is still angry, and his arm is raised to continue punishing his people.

18 That evil was like a small fire that started among the weeds and thorns and then spread to the larger bushes in the forest. Finally, it became a giant fire, and everything went up in smoke.

19 The Lord All-Powerful was angry, so the land was burned. The people were fuel for the fire. No one showed any compassion to anyone else. 20 People looked to the right and grabbed whatever they could, but they were still hungry. They grabbed whatever was on their left, but still they were not satisfied. So they turned on themselves and began to eat the bodies of their own children. 21 Manasseh fought against Ephraim, and Ephraim fought against Manasseh. Then both of them turned on Judah.

But the Lord is not finished punishing his people. He is still angry, and his arm is raised to continue punishing them.

**(Isaiah 63:7-end)**
The Lord Has Been Kind to His People

7 I will remember the kind things the Lord has done,
    and I will remember to praise him.
The Lord has given many good things
    to the family of Israel.
He has been very kind to us.
    He has shown us mercy.
8 He said, “These are my people.
    These are my real children.”
    So he saved them.
9 The people had many troubles,
    but he was not against them.
He loved them and felt sorry for them,
    so he saved them.
He sent his special angel to save them.
    He picked them up and carried them, just as he did long ago.
10 But they turned against him
    and made his Holy Spirit very sad.
So the Lord became their enemy
    and fought against them.
11 Then they remembered what happened long ago.
    They remembered Moses and those with him.
So where is the one who brought them through the sea
    along with the shepherds who led his flock?
Where is the one
    who sent his Holy Spirit to live among them?
12 He was by Moses’ side and led him with his wonderful hand.
He divided the water,
    so that the people could walk through the sea.
He made his name famous
    by doing those great things.
13 He led the people through the deep sea.
    Like a horse running through the desert,
    they walked without falling.
14 Like cattle going down to the valley,
    The Spirit of the Lord led them.
This is how you led your people
    and made your name wonderful.
A Prayer for God to Help His People

15 Please, look down from the heavens.
    See what is happening now.
Look down at us from your great and holy home in heaven.
    Where is your strong love for us?
Where is your compassion?
    Why are you hiding your kind love from me?
16 Look, you are our father!
    Abraham does not know us.
    Israel does not recognize us.
Lord, you are our father!
    You are the one who has always saved us!
17 Lord, why are you pushing us away from you?
    Why are you making it hard for us to follow you?
Come back to us!
    We are your servants.
Come to us and help us!
    Our tribes belong to you.
18 Your holy people had their land only a short time.
    Then our enemies trampled down your holy Temple.
19 Some people don’t follow you.
    They don’t wear your name.
And we have been like them
    for a very long time.

**(1 Peter 1:4-end)**
4 Now we wait to receive the blessings God has for his children. These blessings are kept for you in heaven. They cannot be ruined or be destroyed or lose their beauty.

5 God’s power protects you through your faith, and it keeps you safe until your salvation comes. That salvation is ready to be given to you at the end of time. 6 I know the thought of that is exciting, even if you must suffer through different kinds of troubles for a short time now. 7 These troubles test your faith and prove that it is pure. And such faith is worth more than gold. Gold can be proved to be pure by fire, but gold will ruin. When your faith is proven to be pure, the result will be praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ comes.

8 You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. You can’t see him now, but you believe in him. You are filled with a wonderful and heavenly joy that cannot be explained. 9 Your faith has a goal, and you are reaching that goal—your salvation.

10 The prophets studied carefully and tried to learn about this salvation. They spoke about the grace that was coming to you. 11 The Spirit of Christ was in those prophets. And the Spirit was telling about the sufferings that would happen to Christ and about the glory that would come after those sufferings. The prophets tried to learn about what the Spirit was showing them—when it would happen and what the world would be like at that time.

12 It was made clear to them that their service was not for themselves. They were serving you when they told about the things you have now heard. You heard them from those who told you the Good News with the help of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even the angels would like very much to know more about these things you were told.

A Call to Holy Living

13 So prepare your minds for service. With complete self-control put all your hope in the grace that will be yours when Jesus Christ comes. 14 In the past you did not have the understanding you have now, so you did the evil things you wanted to do. But now you are children of God, so you should obey him and not live the way you did before. 15 Be holy in everything you do, just as God is holy. He is the one who chose you. 16 In the Scriptures God says, “Be holy, because I am holy.”

17 You pray to God and call him Father, but he will judge everyone the same way—by what they do. So while you are visiting here on earth, you should live with respect for God. 18 You know that in the past the way you were living was useless. It was a way of life you learned from those who lived before you. But you were saved from that way of living. You were bought, but not with things that ruin like gold or silver. 19 You were bought with the precious blood of Christ’s death. He was a pure and perfect sacrificial Lamb. 20 Christ was chosen before the world was made, but he was shown to the world in these last times for you. 21 You believe in God through Christ. God is the one who raised him from death and gave honor to him. So your faith and your hope are in God.

22 You have made yourselves pure by obeying the truth. Now you can have true love for your brothers and sisters. So love each other deeply—with all your heart. 23 You have been born again. This new life did not come from something that dies. It came from something that cannot die. You were born again through God’s life-giving message that lasts forever. 24 The Scriptures say,

“Our lives are like the grass of spring,
    and any glory we enjoy is like the beauty of a wildflower.
The grass dries up and dies,
    and the flower falls to the ground.
25 But the word of the Lord lasts forever.”
And that word is the Good News that was told to you.

Amin.
-FIN-

Jeremiah 29

**Plans to Give You the Future You Hope For**
**1-2** This is the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to what was left of the elders among the exiles, to the priests and prophets and all the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken to Babylon from Jerusalem, including King Jehoiachin, the queen mother, the government leaders, and all the skilled laborers and craftsmen.
3 The letter was carried by Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah had sent to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The letter said:
4 This is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God, to all the exiles I’ve taken from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5 “Build houses and make yourselves at home.
“Put in gardens and eat what grows in that country.
6 “Marry and have children. Encourage your children to marry and have children so that you’ll thrive in that country and not waste away.
7 “Make yourselves at home there and work for the country’s welfare.
“Pray for Babylon’s well-being. If things go well for Babylon, things will go well for you.”
**8-9** Yes. Believe it or not, this is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God: “Don’t let all those so-called preachers and know-it-alls who are all over the place there take you in with their lies. Don’t pay any attention to the fantasies they keep coming up with to please you. They’re a bunch of liars preaching lies—and claiming I sent them! I never sent them, believe me.” God’s Decree!
**10-11 This is God’s Word on the subject:** “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
**12 “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen.**
**13-14 “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me.**
**“Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree.**
“I’ll turn things around for you. I’ll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you”—God’s Decree—“bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.
**15-19** “But for right now, because you’ve taken up with these new-fangled prophets who set themselves up as ‘Babylonian specialists,’ spreading the word ‘God sent them just for us!’ God is setting the record straight: As for the king still sitting on David’s throne and all the people left in Jerusalem who didn’t go into exile with you, they’re facing bad times. God-of-the-Angel-Armies says, ‘Watch this! Catastrophe is on the way: war, hunger, disease! They’re a barrel of rotten apples. I’ll rid the country of them through war and hunger and disease. The whole world is going to hold its nose at the smell, shut its eyes at the horrible sight. They’ll end up in slum ghettos because they wouldn’t listen to a thing I said when I sent my servant-prophets preaching tirelessly and urgently. No, they wouldn’t listen to a word I said.’” God’s Decree.
**20-23** “And you—you exiles whom I sent out of Jerusalem to Babylon—listen to God’s Message to you. As far as Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah are concerned, the ‘Babylonian specialists’ who are preaching lies in my name, I will turn them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will kill them while you watch. The exiles from Judah will take what they see at the execution and use it as a curse: ‘God fry you to a crisp like the king of Babylon fried Zedekiah and Ahab in the fire!’ Those two men, sex predators and prophet-impostors, got what they deserved. They pulled every woman they got their hands on into bed—their neighbors’ wives, no less—and preached lies claiming it was my Message. I never sent those men. I’ve never had anything to do with them.” God’s Decree.
“They won’t get away with a thing. I’ve witnessed it all.”
**24-26** And this is the Message for Shemaiah the Nehelamite: “God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel, says: You took it on yourself to send letters to all the people in Jerusalem and to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah and the company of priests. In your letter you told Zephaniah that God set you up as priest replacing priest Jehoiadah. He’s put you in charge of God’s Temple and made you responsible for locking up any crazy fellow off the street who takes it into his head to be a prophet.
**27-28** “So why haven’t you done anything about muzzling Jeremiah of Anathoth, who’s going around posing as a prophet? He’s gone so far as to write to us in Babylon, ‘It’s going to be a long exile, so build houses and make yourselves at home. Plant gardens and prepare Babylonian recipes.’”
29 The priest Zephaniah read that letter to the prophet Jeremiah.
* * *
30-32 Then God told Jeremiah, “Send this Message to the exiles. Tell them what God says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Shemaiah is preaching lies to you. I didn’t send him. He is seducing you into believing lies. So this is God’s verdict: I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his whole family. He’s going to end up with nothing and no one. No one from his family will be around to see any of the good that I am going to do for my people because he has preached rebellion against me.” God’s Decree.
**MSG**

Isaiah 62

**Look, Your Savior Comes!**
**1-5** Regarding Zion, I can’t keep my mouth shut,
    regarding Jerusalem, I can’t hold my tongue,
Until her righteousness blazes down like the sun
    and her salvation flames up like a torch.
Foreign countries will see your righteousness,
    and world leaders your glory.
You’ll get a brand-new name
    straight from the mouth of God.
You’ll be a stunning crown in the palm of God’s hand,
    a jeweled gold cup held high in the hand of your God.
No more will anyone call you Rejected,
    and your country will no more be called Ruined.
You’ll be called Hephzibah (My Delight),
    and your land Beulah (Married),
Because God delights in you
    and your land will be like a wedding celebration.
For as a young man marries his virgin bride,
    so your builder marries you,
And as a bridegroom is happy in his bride,
    so your God is happy with you.
**6-7** I’ve posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem.
    Day and night they keep at it, praying, calling out,
    reminding God to remember.
They are to give him no peace until he does what he said,
    until he makes Jerusalem famous as the City of Praise.
**8-9** God has taken a solemn oath,
    an oath he means to keep:
“Never again will I open your grain-filled barns
    to your enemies to loot and eat.
Never again will foreigners drink the wine
    that you worked so hard to produce.
No. The farmers who grow the food will eat the food
    and praise God for it.
And those who make the wine will drink the wine
    in my holy courtyards.”
**10-12** Walk out of the gates. Get going!
    Get the road ready for the people.
Build the highway. Get at it!
    Clear the debris,
    hoist high a flag, a signal to all peoples!
Yes! God has broadcast to all the world:
    “Tell daughter Zion, ‘Look! Your Savior comes,
Ready to do what he said he’d do,
    prepared to complete what he promised.’”
Zion will be called new names: Holy People, God-Redeemed,
    Sought-Out, City-Not-Forsaken.
**MSG**

Golden Text:

**Isaiah 62:10-12**
10 **Go through,** **go through the gates;** prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.
11 Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
12 **And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord:** and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.
**KJV**

Psalm 61

1 Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.
6 Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations.
7 He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.
8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.
**KJV**

Isaiah 62

1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.
2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.
3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.
4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence,
7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
8 The Lord hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:
9 But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the Lord; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.
**10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.**
**11 Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.**
**12 And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.**

Sirach 31

**Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus)**
**Problems Caused by Money**
1 Worrying about money will make you lose weight and lose sleep. 2 Worrying about business will keep you from sleeping just as surely as a serious illness does.
3 Rich people work hard to make a lot of money; then they can sit back and live in luxury. 4 Poor people work hard and have nothing to show for it, and when they rest, they are still poor.
5 No one who loves money can be judged innocent; his efforts to get rich have led him into sin. 6 Many people have been ruined because of money, brought face-to-face with disaster. 7 Money is a trap for those who are fascinated by it, a trap that every fool falls into.
8 A person who gets rich without sinfully chasing after money is fortunate. 9 Do you know anyone like that? If so, we will congratulate him for performing a miracle that no one else has ever been able to do. 10 If anyone has ever passed this test, he can well be proud. Has anyone ever known that he could get away with cheating someone, and not taken advantage of it? 11 If so, he deserves his wealth, and everyone will praise him for his generosity.
**Behavior at Dinner Parties**
12 When you sit down at a fancy banquet, don't let your mouth hang open, and don't say,
Look at all that food! 13 It is impolite to have a greedy eye; remember that. Nothing in creation is greedier than the eye; that is why it sheds tears so often. 14 Don't reach out for everything you see, and don't elbow people out of the way to get at the food. 15 Be considerate of the other people at the table and treat them the way you want to be treated. 16 When you get your food, eat it like a human being. Don't smack and slurp; nobody can stand that. 17 It's good manners to be the first to stop eating; stuffing yourself is offensive. 18 If there are many people present, don't try to be the first to be served. 19 A little bit is plenty for anyone with good manners. Besides, you won't be short of breath when you go to bed. 20 People who eat too much get stomach aches and cannot sleep. If you don't overeat, you can get a good night's sleep and wake up early the next morning feeling fine. 21 But if you do get a stomach ache from eating too much, go off and vomit and you will feel better. 22 My child, if you listen to what I am saying and put it into practice, one of these days you will thank me for it. Be moderate in everything you do, and you will never get sick.
23 People appreciate a generous host, and he deserves their praise. 24 But everybody in town will complain about a host who is stingy with food, and their complaints are justified.
25 Don't try to prove your manhood by how much you can drink. Wine has been the ruin of many. 26 An arrogant person's character shows through when he is in a drunken argument, in the same way that iron is tested when it is heated red-hot and then dipped in water. 27 Wine can put new life into you if you drink it in moderation. What would life be like without it? Wine was created to make us happy. 28 If you drink it in moderation and at the right time, it can lift your spirits and make you cheerful, 29 but if you drink when you are angry and upset, it leads to headaches, embarrassment, and disgrace. 30 A drunken fool can lose his temper and hurt himself. His drinking makes him weak and an easy target for angry blows. 31 Never rebuke a person when you have both been drinking. Don't hurt his feelings while he is having a good time. It's not the time to criticize anyone, or to ask him to pay back a debt.
**GNT**

Golden Text

**Isaiah 25:8-9**
8    Yes, he’ll banish death forever.
And God will wipe the tears from every face.
    He’ll remove every sign of disgrace
From his people, wherever they are.
    Yes! God says so!
9 Also at that time, people will say,
    “Look at what’s happened! This is our God!
We waited for Him and he showed up and saved us!
    This God, the one we waited for!
**MSG**
8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.
9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
**KJV**

Shabbat Shalom,

My Spiritual Leader told me to Post this:

Stop reading Tarot Cards!

If you want a Word turn to God, not Tarot Cards!

2 Esdras 9

1 He answered me and said, “Measure carefully in your mind, and when you see that a certain part of the predicted signs are past, 2 then you will know that it is the very time when the Most High is about to visit the world which he has made. 3 So when there shall appear in the world earthquakes, tumult of peoples, intrigues of nations, wavering of leaders, confusion of princes, 4 then you will know that it was of these that the Most High spoke from the days that were of old, from the beginning. 5 For just as with everything that has occurred in the world, the beginning is evident, and the end manifest; 6 so also are the times of the Most High: the beginnings are manifest in wonders and mighty works, and the end in requital and in signs. 7 And it shall be that every one who will be saved and will be able to escape on account of his works, or on account of the faith by which he has believed, 8 will survive the dangers that have been predicted, and will see my salvation in my land and within my borders, which I have sanctified for myself from the beginning. 9 Then those who have now abused my ways shall be amazed, and those who have rejected them with contempt shall dwell in torments. 10 For as many as did not acknowledge me in their lifetime, although they received my benefits, 11 and as many as scorned my law while they still had freedom, and did not understand but despised it while an opportunity of repentance was still open to them, 12 these must in torment acknowledge it after death. 13 Therefore, do not continue to be curious as to how the ungodly will be punished; but inquire how the righteous will be saved, those to whom the age belongs and for whose sake the age was made.”
**The Argument Recapitulated**
14 I answered and said, 15 “I said before, and I say now, and will say it again: there are more who perish than those who will be saved, 16 as a wave is greater than a drop of water.”
17 He answered me and said, “As is the field, so is the seed; and as are the flowers, so are the colors; and as is the work, so is the product; and as is the farmer, so is the threshing floor. 18 For there was a time in this age when I was preparing for those who now exist, before the world was made for them to dwell in, and no one opposed me then, for no one existed; 19 but now those who have been created in this world which is supplied both with an unfailing table and an inexhaustible pasture, have become corrupt in their ways. 20 So I considered my world, and behold, it was lost, and my earth, and behold, it was in peril because of the devices of those who had come into it. 21 And I saw and spared some with great difficulty, and saved for myself one grape out of a cluster, and one plant out of a great forest. 22 So let the multitude perish which has been born in vain, but let my grape and my plant be saved, because with much labor I have perfected them. 23 But if you will let seven days more pass—do not fast during them, however; 24 but go into a field of flowers where no house has been built, and eat only of the flowers of the field, and taste no meat and drink no wine, but eat only flowers, 25 and pray to the Most High continually—then I will come and talk with you.”
**The Abiding Glory of the Mosaic Law**
26 So I went, as he directed me, into the field which is called Ardat; and there I sat among the flowers and ate of the plants of the field, and the nourishment they afforded satisfied me. 27 And after seven days, as I lay on the grass, my heart was troubled again as it was before. 28 And my mouth was opened, and I began to speak before the Most High, and said, 29 “O Lord, thou didst show thyself among us, to our fathers in the wilderness when they came out from Egypt and when they came into the untrodden and unfruitful wilderness; 30 and thou didst say, ‘Hear me, O Israel, and give heed to my words, O descendants of Jacob. 31 For behold, I sow my law in you, and it shall bring forth fruit in you and you shall be glorified through it for ever.’ 32 But though our fathers received the law, they did not keep it, and did not observe the statutes; yet the fruit of the law did not perish—for it could not, because it was thine. 33 Yet those who received it perished, because they did not keep what had been sown in them. 34 And behold, it is the rule that, when the ground has received seed, or the sea a ship, or any dish food or drink, and when it happens that what was sown or what was launched or what was put in is destroyed, 35 they are destroyed, but the things that held them remain; yet with us it has not been so. 36 For we who have received the law and sinned will perish, as well as our heart which received it; 37 the law, however, does not perish but remains in its glory.”
**The Vision of a Weeping Woman**
38 When I said these things in my heart, I lifted up my eyes and saw a woman on my right, and behold, she was mourning and weeping with a loud voice, and was deeply grieved at heart, and her clothes were rent, and there were ashes on her head. 39 Then I dismissed the thoughts with which I had been engaged, and turned to her 40 and said to her, “Why are you weeping, and why are you grieved at heart?”
41 And she said to me, “Let me alone, my lord, that I may weep for myself and continue to mourn, for I am greatly embittered in spirit and deeply afflicted.”
42 And I said to her, “What has happened to you? Tell me.”
43 And she said to me, “Your servant was barren and had no child, though I lived with my husband thirty years. 44 And every hour and every day during those thirty years I besought the Most High, night and day. 45 And after thirty years God heard your handmaid, and looked upon my low estate, and considered my distress, and gave me a son. And I rejoiced greatly over him, I and my husband and all my neighbors; and we gave great glory to the Mighty One. 46 And I brought him up with much care. 47 So when he grew up and I came to take a wife for him, I set a day for the marriage feast.
**RSV**

Shalom!

**Greetings in The Name of The Most High God.**
We are entering into a 3 day Power Fast from Tuesday through Thursday.
From 9am to 3pm
We are Fasting for our Sustenance.
We are Fasting for our Children
We are Seeking of God the Right way for us and for our children and for all our Substance.

**The Word is taken from Ezra 8:**
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
22....The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
24 Then I separated
28 Ye are holy unto the Lord; the vessels are holy also
29 Watch ye, and keep them,
35 Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel
36.... and they furthered the people, and the house of God.
Amiiiin💖

Isaiah 56

**1-3** God’s Message:
“Guard my common good:
    Do what’s right and do it in the right way,
**For salvation is just around the corner,**
    my setting-things-right is about to go into action.
How fortunate are you who enter into these things,
    you men and women who embrace them,
Who keep Sabbath and don’t defile it,
    who watch your step and don’t do anything evil!
Make sure no outsider who now follows God
    ever has occasion to say, ‘God put me in second-class.
    I don’t really belong.’
And make sure no physically mutilated person
    is ever made to think, ‘I’m damaged goods.
    I don’t really belong.’”
**4-5** For God says:
“To the mutilated who keep my Sabbaths
    and choose what delights me
    and keep a firm grip on my covenant,
I’ll provide them an honored place
    in my family and within my city,
    even more honored than that of sons and daughters.
I’ll confer permanent honors on them
    that will never be revoked.
**6-8** “And as for the outsiders who now follow me,
    working for me, loving my name,
    and wanting to be my servants—
All who keep Sabbath and don’t defile it,
    holding fast to my covenant—
I’ll bring them to my holy mountain
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
They’ll be welcome to worship the same as the ‘insiders,’
    to bring burnt offerings and sacrifices to my altar.
Oh yes, my house of worship
    will be known as a house of prayer for all people.”
The Decree of the Master, God himself,
    who gathers in the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather others also,
    gather them in with those already gathered.”
* * *
**9-12** A call to the savage beasts: Come on the run.
    Come, devour, beast barbarians!
For Israel’s watchmen are blind, the whole lot of them.
    They have no idea what’s going on.
They’re dogs without sense enough to bark,
    lazy dogs, dreaming in the sun—
But hungry dogs, they do know how to eat,
    voracious dogs, with never enough.
And these are Israel’s shepherds!
    They know nothing, understand nothing.
They all look after themselves,
    grabbing whatever’s not nailed down.
“Come,” they say, “let’s have a party.
    Let’s go out and get drunk!”
And tomorrow, more of the same:
    “Let’s live it up!”
MSG

Isaiah 66

**1-2** God’s Message:
“Heaven’s my throne,
    earth is my footstool.
What sort of house could you build for me?
    What holiday spot reserve for me?
I made all this! I own all this!”
    God’s Decree.
“But there is something I’m looking for:
    a person simple and plain,
    reverently responsive to what I say.
**3-4** “Your acts of worship
    are acts of sin:
Your sacrificial slaughter of the ox
    is no different from murdering the neighbor;
Your offerings for worship,
    no different from dumping pig’s blood on the altar;
Your presentation of memorial gifts,
    no different from honoring a no-god idol.
You choose self-serving worship,
    you delight in self-centered worship—disgusting!
Well, I choose to expose your nonsense
    and let you realize your worst fears,
Because when I invited you, you ignored me;
    when I spoke to you, you brushed me off.
You did the very things I exposed as evil,
    you chose what I hate.”
5 But listen to what God has to say
    to you who reverently respond to his Word:
“Your own families hate you
    and turn you out because of me.
They taunt you, ‘Let us see God’s glory!
    If God’s so great, why aren’t you happy?’
But they’re the ones
    who are going to end up shamed.”
* * *
6 Rumbles of thunder from the city!
    A voice out of the Temple!
God’s voice,
    handing out judgment to his enemies:
**7-9** “Before she went into labor,
    she had the baby.
Before the birth pangs hit,
    she delivered a son.
Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?
    Has anyone seen anything like this?
A country born in a day?
    A nation born in a flash?
But Zion was barely in labor
    when she had her babies!
Do I open the womb
    and not deliver the baby?
Do I, the One who delivers babies,
    shut the womb?
**10-11** “Rejoice, Jerusalem,
    and all who love her, celebrate!
And all you who have shed tears over her,
    join in the happy singing.
You newborns can satisfy yourselves
    at her nurturing breasts.
Yes, delight yourselves and drink your fill
    at her ample bosom.”
**12-13** God’s Message:
“I’ll pour robust well-being into her like a river,
    the glory of nations like a river in flood.
You’ll nurse at her breasts,
    nestle in her bosom,
    and be bounced on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
    so I’ll comfort you.
    You will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
**14-16** You’ll see all this and burst with joy
    —you’ll feel ten feet tall—
As it becomes apparent that God is on your side
    and against his enemies.
For God arrives like wildfire
    and his chariots like a tornado,
A furious outburst of anger,
    a rebuke fierce and fiery.
For it’s by fire that God brings judgment,
    a death sentence on the human race.
Many, oh so many,
    are under God’s sentence of death:
17 “All who enter the sacred groves for initiation in those unholy rituals that climaxed in that foul and obscene meal of pigs and mice will eat together and then die together.” God’s Decree.
**18-21** “I know everything they’ve ever done or thought. I’m going to come and then gather everyone—all nations, all languages. They’ll come and see my glory. I’ll set up a station at the center. I’ll send the survivors of judgment all over the world: Spain and Africa, Turkey and Greece, and the far-off islands that have never heard of me, who know nothing of what I’ve done nor who I am. I’ll send them out as missionaries to preach my glory among the nations. They’ll return with all your long-lost brothers and sisters from all over the world. They’ll bring them back and offer them in living worship to God. They’ll bring them on horses and wagons and carts, on mules and camels, straight to my holy mountain Jerusalem,” says God. “They’ll present them just as Israelites present their offerings in a ceremonial vessel in the Temple of God. I’ll even take some of them and make them priests and Levites,” says God.
**22-23** “For just as the new heavens and new earth
    that I am making will stand firm before me”
        —God’s Decree—
“So will your children
    and your reputation stand firm.
Month after month and week by week,
    everyone will come to worship me,” God says.
24 “And then they’ll go out and look at what happened
    to those who rebelled against me. Corpses!
Maggots endlessly eating away on them,
    an endless supply of fuel for fires.
Everyone who sees what’s happened
    and smells the stench retches.”
MSG

Psalm 119:70-120

70 They’re bland as a bucket of lard,
    while I dance to the tune of your revelation.
My troubles turned out all for the best—
    they forced me to learn from your textbook.
Truth from your mouth means more to me
    than striking it rich in a gold mine.
* * *
**73-80** With your very own hands you formed me;
    now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you.
When they see me waiting, expecting your Word,
    those who fear you will take heart and be glad.
I can see now, God, that your decisions are right;
    your testing has taught me what’s true and right.
Oh, love me—and right now!—hold me tight!
    just the way you promised.
Now comfort me so I can live, really live;
    your revelation is the tune I dance to.
Let the fast-talking tricksters be exposed as frauds;
    they tried to sell me a bill of goods,
    but I kept my mind fixed on your counsel.
Let those who fear you turn to me
    for evidence of your wise guidance.
And let me live whole and holy, soul and body,
    so I can always walk with my head held high.
* * *
**81-88** I’m homesick—longing for your salvation;
    I’m waiting for your word of hope.
My eyes grow heavy watching for some sign of your promise;
    how long must I wait for your comfort?
There’s smoke in my eyes—they burn and water,
    but I keep a steady gaze on the instructions you post.
How long do I have to put up with all this?
    How long till you haul my tormentors into court?
The arrogant godless try to throw me off track,
    ignorant as they are of God and his ways.
Everything you command is a sure thing,
    but they harass me with lies. Help!
They’ve pushed and pushed—they never let up—
    but I haven’t relaxed my grip on your counsel.
In your great love revive me
    so I can alertly obey your every word.
* * *
**89-96** What you say goes, God,
    and *stays*, as permanent as the heavens.
Your truth never goes out of fashion;
    it’s as relevant as the earth when the sun comes up.
Your Word and truth are dependable as ever;
    that’s what you ordered—you set the earth going.
If your revelation hadn’t delighted me so,
    I would have given up when the hard times came.
But I’ll never forget the advice you gave me;
    you saved my life with those wise words.
Save me! I’m all yours.
    I look high and low for your words of wisdom.
The wicked lie in ambush to destroy me,
    but I’m only concerned with your plans for me.
I see the limits to everything human,
    but the horizons can’t contain your commands!
* * *
**97-104** Oh, how I love all you’ve revealed;
    I reverently ponder it all the day long.
Your commands give me an edge on my enemies;
    they never become obsolete.
I’ve even become smarter than my teachers
    since I’ve pondered and absorbed your counsel.
I’ve become wiser than the wise old sages
    simply by doing what you tell me.
I watch my step, avoiding the ditches and ruts of evil
    so I can spend all my time keeping your Word.
I never make detours from the route you laid out;
    you gave me such good directions.
Your words are so choice, so tasty;
    I prefer them to the best home cooking.
With your instruction, I understand life;
    that’s why I hate false propaganda.
* * *
**105-112** By your words I can see where I’m going;
    they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back
    from living by your righteous order.
Everything’s falling apart on me, God;
    put me together again with your Word.
Adorn me with your finest sayings, God;
    teach me your holy rules.
My life is as close as my own hands,
    but I don’t forget what you have revealed.
The wicked do their best to throw me off track,
    but I don’t swerve an inch from your course.
I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever—
    what a gift! And how happy it makes me!
I concentrate on doing exactly what you say—
    I always have and always will.
* * *
**113-120** I hate the two-faced,
    but I love your clear-cut revelation.
You’re my place of quiet retreat;
    I wait for your Word to renew me.
Get out of my life, evildoers,
    so I can keep my God’s commands.
Take my side as you promised; I’ll live then for sure.
    Don’t disappoint all my grand hopes.
Stick with me and I’ll be all right;
    I’ll give total allegiance to your definitions of life.
Expose all who drift away from your sayings;
    their casual idolatry is lethal.
You reject earth’s wicked as so much rubbish;
    therefore I lovingly embrace everything you say.
I shiver in awe before you;
    your decisions leave me speechless with reverence.

MSG

Sirach 41

1 How bitter, death,
is the thought of you
    to those who are at peace
    among their possessions,
    to those who aren’t anxiously distracted, who prosper at everything
        and still have the strength
        to enjoy good food.
2 Your sentence looks good, death,
    to a person who is needy
    and lacks strength,
    who is extremely old and anxious
    about everything,
    who is not compliant
    and whose endurance has failed.
3 Don’t fear death’s judgment;
    remember those who came before you
    and those who will come after you.
4 This is the Lord’s judgment for all beings:
    Why should you reject
    the good pleasure of the Most High?
    Whether ten or one hundred
    or one thousand years,
    there’s no arguing about life
    in the grave.
5 The children of sinners are detestable,
    and they live together
    in the neighborhoods of the ungodly.
6 The inheritance of sinners’ children
will be destroyed,
    and their offspring
    will always live in disgrace.
7 Children will blame an ungodly father,
    because they will be disgraced
    because of him.
8 How terrible it will be for you
who are ungodly,
    who have abandoned the Law
    of the Most High!
9 When you are born,
you are born to a curse,
    and when you die,
    you will leave a curse as your legacy.
10 Everything that’s from the earth
will go back to the earth;
    so the ungodly come from a curse
    and go to destruction.
11 Human beings show their grief
in their bodies,
    but the no-good name of sinners
    will be erased.
12 Guard your reputation,
for it will continue after you
    longer than one thousand
    great treasures of gold.
13 A good life has a limited number of days,
    but a good name will continue forever.
**On shame**
14 Hold on to your education in peace,
my children.
    Hidden wisdom
    and an invisible treasure—
        of what use is either?
15 People who hide their foolishness
are better than people
    who hide their wisdom.
16 Therefore, respect my judgment,
    because it isn’t good to guard
    against every shame,
    and not everyone, in good faith,
    holds all the same things
    in good repute.
17 Be ashamed:
    of sexual immorality
    before your father and mother,
    of lying before a prince or leader,
18     of error before a judge and an official,
    of lawlessness before the assembly
    and the people,
    of injustice before a partner and friend,
19     of theft in the neighborhood
    where you are staying.
    Be ashamed:
    before the Lord’s truth and covenant,
    of leaning on your elbow at meals,
    of showing contempt
    when receiving or giving,
20     of silence when people greet you,
    of looking at a female escort,
21     of turning away a relative,
    of depriving someone of a share
    or a gift,
    of staring at another man’s wife,
22     of fooling around with his
    female servant—
        (and don’t get near her bed),
    of reproachful words before friends
        (and don’t criticize after you give),
**CEB**

Shabbat Shalom World and Greetings from The Remnant Bible School Church,

Our Leader was awoken by a hamstring cramp, it hit her twice to bring her out The Vallery of Dreams.

He said I have searched around, and I have found none, I looked around and found now. Our Leader said, huh, and He said both The 53s are yours.

Psalm 53 and Isaiah 53

Psalm 53

1-2 Bilious and bloated, they gas,
    “God is gone.”
It’s poison gas—
    they foul themselves, they poison
Rivers and skies;
    thistles are their cash crop.
God sticks his head out of heaven.
    He looks around.
He’s looking for someone not stupid—
    one man, even, God-expectant,
    just one God-ready woman.

3 He comes up empty. A string
    of zeros. Useless, unshepherded
Sheep, taking turns pretending
    to be Shepherd.
The ninety and nine
    follow the one.

4 Don’t they know anything,
    all these predators?
Don’t they know
    they can’t get away with this,
Treating people like a fast-food meal
    over which they’re too busy to pray?

5 Night is coming for them, and nightmare—
a nightmare they’ll never wake up from.
God will make hash of these squatters,
send them packing for good.

6 Is there anyone around to save Israel?
God turns life around.
Turned-around Jacob skips rope,
turned-around Israel sings laughter.

MSG

Isaiah 53

1 Who believes what we’ve heard and seen?
Who would have thought God’s saving power would look like this?

2-6 The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
    a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
    nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
    a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
    We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
    our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
    that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
    that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
    Through his bruises we get healed.
We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost.
    We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong,
    on him, on him.

7-9 He was beaten, he was tortured,
    but he didn’t say a word.
Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered
    and like a sheep being sheared,
    he took it all in silence.
Justice miscarried, and he was led off—
    and did anyone really know what was happening?
He died without a thought for his own welfare,
    beaten bloody for the sins of my people.
They buried him with the wicked,
    threw him in a grave with a rich man,
Even though he’d never hurt a soul
    or said one word that wasn’t true.

10 Still, it’s what God had in mind all along,
    to crush him with pain.
The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin
    so that he’d see life come from it—life, life, and more life.
    And God’s plan will deeply prosper through him.

11-12 Out of that terrible travail of soul,
    he’ll see that it’s worth it and be glad he did it.
Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,
    will make many “righteous ones,”
    as he himself carries the burden of their sins.
Therefore I’ll reward him extravagantly—
    the best of everything, the highest honors—
Because he looked death in the face and didn’t flinch,
    because he embraced the company of the lowest.
He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,
    he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

MSG

ARE YOU READY TO LEAVE ON THE SPACESHIP, WITH SPNNING WHEELS!😊

15-16 As I watched the four creatures, I saw something that looked like a wheel on the ground beside each of the four-faced creatures. This is what the wheels looked like: They were identical wheels, sparkling like diamonds in the sun. It looked like they were wheels within wheels, like a gyroscope.

17-21 They went in any one of the four directions they faced, but straight, not veering off. The rims were immense, circled with eyes. When the living creatures went, the wheels went; when the living creatures lifted off, the wheels lifted off. Wherever the spirit went, they went, the wheels sticking right with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures went, the wheels went; when the creatures stopped, the wheels stopped; when the creatures lifted off, the wheels lifted off, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

MSG

Golden Text

Shalom & Greetings in The Name of The Most High God❤️
We got a prophecy on 3/30/2024:
“The Master of The Universe who reigned before anything or anyone was created, will be brought into being at a given time. It was His will that brought all into being as King.”
Then 4/2/2024 we got Ezekiel 1 and Verses 25-28 says:
**25-28** And then, as they stood with folded wings, there was a voice from above the dome over their heads. Above the dome there was something that looked like a throne, sky-blue like a sapphire, with a humanlike figure towering above the throne. From what I could see, from the waist up he looked like burnished bronze and from the waist down like a blazing fire. Brightness everywhere! The way a rainbow springs out of the sky on a rainy day—that’s what it was like. It turned out to be the Glory of God!
When I saw all this, I fell to my knees, my face to the ground. Then I heard a voice.
Amiiiiin!

Ezekiel 1

1 When I was thirty years of age, I was living with the exiles on the Kebar River. On the fifth day of the fourth month, the sky opened up and I saw visions of God.
**2-3** (It was the fifth day of the month in the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin that God’s Word came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, on the banks of the Kebar River in the country of Babylon. God’s hand came upon him that day.)
* * *
**4-9** I looked: I saw an immense dust storm come from the north, an immense cloud with lightning flashing from it, a huge ball of fire glowing like bronze. Within the fire were what looked like four creatures vibrant with life. Each had the form of a human being, but each also had four faces and four wings. Their legs were as sturdy and straight as columns, but their feet were hoofed like those of a calf and sparkled from the fire like burnished bronze. On all four sides under their wings they had human hands. All four had both faces and wings, with the wings touching one another. They turned neither one way nor the other; they went straight forward.
**10-12** Their faces looked like this: In front a human face, on the right side the face of a lion, on the left the face of an ox, and in back the face of an eagle. So much for the faces. The wings were spread out with the tips of one pair touching the creature on either side; the other pair of wings covered its body. Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit went, they went. They didn’t turn as they went.
**13-14** The four creatures looked like a blazing fire, or like fiery torches. Tongues of fire shot back and forth between the creatures, and out of the fire, bolts of lightning. The creatures flashed back and forth like strikes of lightning.
15-16 As I watched the four creatures, I saw something that looked like a wheel on the ground beside each of the four-faced creatures. This is what the wheels looked like: They were identical wheels, sparkling like diamonds in the sun. It looked like they were wheels within wheels, like a gyroscope.
17-21 They went in any one of the four directions they faced, but straight, not veering off. The rims were immense, circled with eyes. When the living creatures went, the wheels went; when the living creatures lifted off, the wheels lifted off. Wherever the spirit went, they went, the wheels sticking right with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures went, the wheels went; when the creatures stopped, the wheels stopped; when the creatures lifted off, the wheels lifted off, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
**22-24** Over the heads of the living creatures was something like a dome, shimmering like a sky full of cut glass, vaulted over their heads. Under the dome one set of wings was extended toward the others, with another set of wings covering their bodies. When they moved I heard their wings—it was like the roar of a great waterfall, like the voice of The Strong God, like the noise of a battlefield. When they stopped, they folded their wings.
**25-28** And then, as they stood with folded wings, there was a voice from above the dome over their heads. Above the dome there was something that looked like a throne, sky-blue like a sapphire, with a humanlike figure towering above the throne. From what I could see, from the waist up he looked like burnished bronze and from the waist down like a blazing fire. Brightness everywhere! The way a rainbow springs out of the sky on a rainy day—that’s what it was like. It turned out to be the Glory of God!
When I saw all this, I fell to my knees, my face to the ground. Then I heard a voice.
**MSC**

Psalm 35

**1-3** Harass these hecklers, God,
    punch these bullies in the nose.
Grab a weapon, anything at hand;
    stand up for me!
Get ready to throw the spear, aim the javelin,
    at the people who are out to get me.
Reassure me; let me hear you say,
    “I’ll save you.”
**4-8** When those thugs try to knife me in the back,
    make them look foolish.
Frustrate all those
    who are plotting my downfall.
Make them like cinders in a high wind,
    with God’s angel working the bellows.
Make their road lightless and mud-slick,
    with God’s angel on their tails.
Out of sheer cussedness they set a trap to catch me;
    for no good reason they dug a ditch to stop me.
Surprise them with your ambush—
    catch them in the very trap they set,
    the disaster they planned for me.
**9-10** But let me run loose and free,
    celebrating God’s great work,
Every bone in my body laughing, singing, “God,
    there’s no one like you.
You put the down-and-out on their feet
    and protect the unprotected from bullies!”
**11-12** Hostile accusers appear out of nowhere,
    they stand up and badger me.
They pay me back misery for mercy,
    leaving my soul empty.
**13-14** When they were sick, I dressed in black;
    instead of eating, I prayed.
My prayers were like lead in my gut,
    like I’d lost my best friend, my brother.
I paced, distraught as a motherless child,
    hunched and heavyhearted.
**15-16** But when I was down
    they threw a party!
All the nameless misfits of the town came
    chanting insults about me.
Like barbarians desecrating a shrine,
    they destroyed my reputation.
**17-18** God, how long are you going
    to stand there doing nothing?
Save me from their brutalities;
    everything I’ve got is being thrown to the lions.
I will give you full credit
    when everyone gathers for worship;
When the people turn out in force
    I will say my Hallelujahs.
**19-21** Don’t let these liars, my enemies,
    have a party at my expense,
Those who hate me for no reason,
    winking and rolling their eyes.
No good is going to come
    from that crowd;
They spend all their time cooking up gossip
    against those who mind their own business.
They open their mouths
    in ugly grins,
Mocking, “Ha-ha, ha-ha, thought you’d get away with it?
    We’ve caught you hands down!”
22 Don’t you see what they’re doing, God?
    You’re not going to let them
Get by with it, are you? Not going to walk off
    without *doing* something, are you?
**23-26** Please get up—wake up! Tend to my case.
    My God, my Lord—my life is on the line.
Do what you think is right, God, my God,
    but don’t make me pay for their good time.
Don’t let them say to themselves,
    “Ha-ha, we got what we wanted.”
Don’t let them say,
    “We’ve chewed him up and spit him out.”
Let those who are being hilarious
    at my expense
Be made to look ridiculous.
    Make them wear donkey’s ears;
Pin them with the donkey’s tail,
    who made themselves so high and mighty!
**27-28** But those who want
    the best for me,
Let them have the last word—a glad shout!—
    and say, over and over and over,
“God is great—everything works
    together for good for his servant.”
I’ll tell the world how great and good you are,
    I’ll shout Hallelujah all day, every day.
**MSG**

The Commandments

**Shabbat Shalom & Greetings in The Name of The Most High!**
Every week we will be reading a portion of The Commands of The Most High God. This week we read
Commandments 1-9 of The Positive Mitzvots(Commandments): The Do’s. The Golden Text from todays reading comes from;
**Exodus:**
**23:25** You must serve the Lord your God. If you do this, I will bless you with plenty of bread and water. I will take away all sickness from you.
**Deuteronomy :**
**11:13** “The Lord says, ‘You must listen carefully to the commands I give you today: You must love the Lord your God, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul. If you do that,
**13:4** You must follow the Lord your God. Respect him. Obey his commands and do what he tells you. Serve the Lord your God, and never leave him.
**ERV**
**Amiiiiiin❤️**

Sirach 32

Sirach also known as Ecclesiastes, CEB Version
1 If they have appointed you
as the banquet leader,
    don’t think too much of yourself;
    behave toward them
    as if you were one of them.
    Take care of their needs
    and then sit down.
2 When you have done
everything necessary, recline,
so that you can have fun with them,
    and because of your excellent behavior
    you will receive a wreath.
3 Speak, you who are older,
for it’s your privilege.
    But know what you’re talking about,
    and don’t interrupt the music.
4 Where there’s a performance,
don’t talk too much,
    and don’t be clever at the wrong time.
5 A musical performance at a wine party
    is like a ruby seal on a gold ornament.
6 Melodic music accompanying sweet wine
    is like an emerald seal
    in a setting of gold.
7 Speak, you who are young,
if it’s necessary,
    but only twice,
    and only if you are asked.
8 Sum up what you have to say;
much can be said in few words.
Be like one who knows
but who can keep silent.
9 When you are among the more influential, don’t presume authority;
    and where elders are present,
    don’t talk idly about many things.
10 Lightning comes before thunder,
    and good favor walks
    in front of a modest person.
11 Rise up to leave in time,
and don’t be the last person out;
    go back to your own home,
    and don’t miss your work
    the next day.
12 Enjoy yourself there,
and do what you please,
    but don’t sin with arrogant words.
13 More than this,
bless the one who made you
    and who lets you drink freely
    from his good bounty.
**On divine providence**
14 Whoever fears the Lord
will accept instruction;
    those who rise early
    will find approval.
15 Whoever seeks the Law
will be filled with it,
    but the hypocrite will stumble over it.
16 Those who fear the Lord
will discover his decree,
    and they will kindle righteous deeds
    like a lamp.
17 Sinful people turn away from correction;
    they will look for a judgment
    that suits them.
18 A well-advised person
won’t overlook an intelligent thought;
    the stranger and the arrogant
    won’t cower out of fear.
19 Do nothing without deliberation,
    and when you have acted,
    don’t feel regret.
20 Don’t walk on a hazardous path,
    and don’t stumble on stony ground.
21 Don’t trust an unexplored road,
22     and be on guard
    concerning your children.
23 Trust yourself in every action,
    because this also means
    keeping the commandments.
24 Whoever has faith in the Law
pays attention to the commandments;
    whoever trusts the Lord
    won’t suffer loss.
CEB

Sirach 32

Sirach also known as Ecclesiastes, KJV Version
1If thou be made the master (of the feast) lift not thy selfe vp, but bee among them as one of the rest, take diligent care for them, and so sit downe.
2And when thou hast done all thy office, take thy place that thou mayest be merry with them, and receiue a crowne for thy well ordering of the feast.
3Speake thou that art the elder, for it becometh thee, but with sound iudgement, and hinder not musicke.
4Powre not out words where there is a musitian, and shew not forth wisedome out of time.
5A consort of musicke in a banket of wine, is as a signet of Carbuncle set in gold.
6As a signet of an Emeraud set in a worke of gold, so is the melodie of musicke with pleasant wine.
7Speake yong man, if there be need of thee: and yet scarsely when thou art twise asked:
8Let thy speach be short, comprehending much in few words, be as one that knoweth, and yet holdeth his tongue.
9If thou be among great men, make not thy selfe equall with them, and when ancient men are in place, vse not many words.
10Before the thunder goeth lightening: and before a shamefast man shall goe fauour.
11Rise vp betimes, and be not the last: but get thee home without delay.
12There take thy pastime, & do what thou wilt: but sinne not by proud speach
13And for these things blesse him that made thee, and hath replenished thee with his good things.
**14Who so feareth the Lord, will receiue his discipline, and they that seeke him early, shall find fauour.**
15He that seeketh the law, shall be filled therewith: but the hypocrite will be offended thereat.
16They that feare the Lord shall find iudgement, and shall kindle iustice as a light.
17A sinfull man will not be reproued, but findeth an excuse according to his will.
18A man of counsell will be considerate, but a strange and proud man is not daunted with feare, euen when of himselfe he hath done without counsell.
19Doe nothing without aduice, and when thou hast once done, repent not.
20Goe not in a way wherein thou maiest fall, and stumble not among the stones.
21Be not confident in a plaine way.
22And beware of thine owne children.
23In euery good worke trust thy owne soule: for this is the keeping of the commandements.
24He that beleeueth in the Lord, taketh heed to the commandement, and he that trusted in him, shall fare neuer the worse.
KJV

Nehemiah 13:22

“Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to The Greatness of Thy Mercy.”

Malachi 2 & 3

1 “Priests, this rule is for you. 2 Listen to me! Pay attention to what I say. Show honor to my name. If you don’t respect my name, bad things will happen to you. You will say blessings, but they will become curses. I will make bad things happen because you don’t show respect for my name.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
3 “Look, I will punish your descendants. During the festivals, you priests offer sacrifices to me. You take the dung and inside parts from the dead animals and throw them away. But I will smear the dung on your faces, and you will be thrown away with it! 4 Then you will learn why I am giving you this command. I am telling you these things so that my agreement with Levi will continue.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
5 The Lord said, “I made that agreement with Levi. I promised to give him life and peace—and I gave him those things. Levi respected me and showed honor to my name. 6 He taught the true teachings and didn’t teach lies. Levi was honest, and he loved peace. He followed me and saved many people from being punished for the evil things they did. 7 A priest should know God’s teachings. People should be able to go to a priest and learn God’s teachings. A priest should be the Lord’s messenger to the people.
8 “But you priests stopped following me! You used the teachings to make people do wrong. You ruined the agreement with Levi.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said. 9 “You don’t live the way I told you. You have not accepted my teachings. So I will cause people to hate you and think you are worth nothing.”
**Judah Was Not True to God**
10 We all have the same father. The same God made every one of us. So why do people cheat one another? They show that they don’t respect the agreement. They don’t respect the agreement that our ancestors made with God. 11 The people of Judah cheated other people. People in Jerusalem and Israel did terrible things. God loves the Temple, but the people in Judah didn’t respect the Lord’s holy Temple. The people of Judah began to worship a foreign goddess. 12 The Lord will remove them from Judah’s family. They might bring gifts to the Lord All-Powerful—but it will not help. 13 You can cry and cover the Lord’s altar with tears, but the Lord will not accept your gifts. He will not be pleased with the things you bring to him.
14 You ask, “Why are our gifts not accepted?” It is because the Lord saw the evil things you did—he is a witness against you. He saw you cheat on your wife. You have been married to her since you were young. She was your girlfriend. Then you made your vows to each other—and she became your wife. 15 God wants husbands and wives to become one body and one spirit. Why? So that they would have holy children and protect that spiritual unity. Don’t cheat on your wife. She has been your wife from the time you were young.
16 The Lord, the God of Israel, says, “I hate divorce, and I hate the cruel things that men do. So protect your spiritual unity. Don’t cheat on your wife.”
**The Special Time of Judgment**
17 You have taught wrong things, and it makes the Lord very sad. People were doing evil things, but you said that this pleased the Lord and that he accepted those things. And you taught that God does not punish people for the evil they do.
Malachi 3
1 The Lord All-Powerful says, “I am sending my messenger to prepare the way for me. Then suddenly, the Lord you are looking for will come to his temple. Yes, the messenger you are waiting for, the one who will tell about my agreement, is really coming!
2 “No one can prepare for that time or stand against him when he comes. He will be like a burning fire. He will be like the strong soap people use to make things clean. 3 He will make the Levites clean. He will make them pure, like silver is made pure with fire! He will make them pure like gold and silver. Then they will bring gifts to the Lord, and they will do things the right way. 4 Then the Lord will accept the gifts from Judah and Jerusalem. It will be as it was in the past—as the time long ago. 5 Then I will bring you to justice. I will be an expert witness and testify about the evil things people do. I will speak out against those who do evil magic or commit adultery. I will speak out against those who make false promises and cheat their workers and don’t pay them the money they promised. I will testify against those who don’t help strangers, or widows and orphans. And I will testify against those who don’t respect me.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
**Stealing From God**
6 “I am the Lord, and I don’t change. You are Jacob’s children, and you have not been completely destroyed. 7 But you never obeyed my laws. Even your ancestors stopped following me. Come back to me, and I will come back to you.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
“You say, ‘How can we come back?’
8 “People should not steal things from God, but you stole things from me.
“You say, ‘What did we steal from you?’
“You should have given me one-tenth of your things. You should have given me special gifts. 9 In this way your whole nation has stolen things from me, so bad things are happening to you.”
10 The Lord All-Powerful says, “Try this test. Bring one-tenth of your things to me. Put them in the treasury. Bring food to my house. Test me! If you do these things, I will surely bless you. Good things will come to you like rain falling from the sky. You will have more than enough of everything. 11 I will not let pests destroy your crops. All your grapevines will produce grapes.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
12 “People from other nations will be good to you. You will have a wonderful country.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
**The Special Time of Judgment**
13 The Lord says, “You said cruel things to me.”
But you ask, “What did we say about you?”
14 You said, “It is useless to worship God. We did what the Lord All-Powerful told us, but we didn’t gain anything. We cried like people at a funeral to show we were sorry for our sins, but it didn’t help. 15 We think proud people are happy. Evil people succeed. They do evil things to test God’s patience, and God does not punish them.”
16 Then the Lord’s followers spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to them. There is a book in front of him. In that book are the names of his followers. They are the people who honor the Lord’s name.
17 The Lord said, “They belong to me. I will be kind to them. Parents are very kind to their children who obey them. In the same way I will be kind to my followers. 18 You people will come back to me, and you will learn the difference between good and evil. You will learn the difference between someone who follows God and someone who does not.
**ERV**

Isaiah 63

3 Who is this coming from Edom,
    from the city of Bozrah?
His clothes are stained bright red.
    He is glorious in his clothes.
He is walking tall with his great power.
    He says, “I have the power to save you,
    and I speak the truth.”
2 “Why are your clothes bright red?
    They are like the clothes of someone who tramples grapes to make wine.”
3 He answers, “I walked in the winepress by myself.
    No one helped me.
I was angry, and I trampled the grapes.
    The juice splashed on my clothes, so now they are stained.
4 I chose a time to punish people.
    Now the time has come for me to save and protect my people.
5 I looked around, but I saw no one to help me.
    I was surprised that no one supported me.
So I used my own power to save my people.
    My own anger supported me.
6 In my anger I trampled down the nations.
    I punished them in anger and spilled their blood on the ground.”
**The Lord Has Been Kind to His People**
7 I will remember the kind things the Lord has done,
    and I will remember to praise him.
The Lord has given many good things
    to the family of Israel.
He has been very kind to us.
    He has shown us mercy.
8 He said, “These are my people.
    These are my real children.”
    So he saved them.
9 The people had many troubles,
    but he was not against them.
He loved them and felt sorry for them,
    so he saved them.
He sent his special angel to save them.
    He picked them up and carried them, just as he did long ago.
10 But they turned against him
    and made his Holy Spirit very sad.
So the Lord became their enemy
    and fought against them.
11 Then they remembered what happened long ago.
    They remembered Moses and those with him.
So where is the one who brought them through the sea
    along with the shepherds who led his flock?
Where is the one
    who sent his Holy Spirit to live among them?
12 He was by Moses’ side and led him with his wonderful hand.
He divided the water,
    so that the people could walk through the sea.
He made his name famous
    by doing those great things.
13 He led the people through the deep sea.
    Like a horse running through the desert,
    they walked without falling.
14 Like cattle going down to the valley,
    The Spirit of the Lord led them.
This is how you led your people
    and made your name wonderful.
**A Prayer for God to Help His People**
15 Please, look down from the heavens.
    See what is happening now.
Look down at us from your great and holy home in heaven.
    Where is your strong love for us?
Where is your compassion?
    Why are you hiding your kind love from me?
16 Look, you are our father!
    Abraham does not know us.
    Israel does not recognize us.
Lord, you are our father!
    You are the one who has always saved us!
17 Lord, why are you pushing us away from you?
    Why are you making it hard for us to follow you?
Come back to us!
    We are your servants.
Come to us and help us!
    Our tribes belong to you.
18 Your holy people had their land only a short time.
    Then our enemies trampled down your holy Temple.
19 Some people don’t follow you.
    They don’t wear your name.
And we have been like them
    for a very long time.
**ERV**

Isaiah 46

**1-2** The god Bel falls down, god Nebo slumps.
    The no-god hunks of wood are loaded on mules
And have to be hauled off,
    wearing out the poor mules—
Dead weight, burdens who can’t bear burdens,
    hauled off to captivity.
**3-4** “Listen to me, family of Jacob,
    everyone that’s left of the family of Israel.
I’ve been carrying you on my back
    from the day you were born,
And I’ll keep on carrying you when you’re old.
    I’ll be there, bearing you when you’re old and gray.
I’ve done it and will keep on doing it,
    carrying you on my back, saving you.
**5-7** “So to whom will you compare me, the Incomparable?
    Can you picture me without reducing me?
People with a lot of money
    hire craftsmen to make them gods.
The artisan delivers the god,
    and they kneel and worship it!
They carry it around in holy parades,
    then take it home and put it on a shelf.
And there it sits, day in and day out,
    a dependable god, always right where you put it.
Say anything you want to it, it never talks back.
    Of course, it never *does* anything either!
**8-11** “Think about this. Wrap your minds around it.
    This is serious business, rebels. Take it to heart.
Remember your history,
    your long and rich history.
I am God, the only God you’ve had or ever will have—
    incomparable, irreplaceable—
From the very beginning
    telling you what the ending will be,
All along letting you in
    on what is going to happen,
Assuring you, ‘I’m in this for the long haul,
    I’ll do exactly what I set out to do,’
Calling that eagle, Cyrus, out of the east,
    from a far country the man I chose to help me.
I’ve said it, and I’ll most certainly do it.
    I’ve planned it, so it’s as good as done.
**12-13** “Now listen to me:
    You’re a hardheaded bunch and hard to help.
I’m ready to help you right now.
    Deliverance is not a long-range plan.
    Salvation isn’t on hold.
I’m putting salvation to work in Zion now,
    and glory in Israel.”
MSG

1 Corinthians 11

**1-2** It pleases me that you continue to remember and honor me by keeping up the traditions of the faith I taught you. All actual authority stems from Christ.
**3-9** In a marriage relationship, there is authority from Christ to husband, and from husband to wife. The authority of Christ is the authority of God. Any man who speaks with God or about God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of Christ, dishonors Christ. In the same way, a wife who speaks with God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of her husband, dishonors her husband. Worse, she dishonors herself—an ugly sight, like a woman with her head shaved. This is basically the origin of these customs we have of women wearing head coverings in worship, while men take their hats off. By these symbolic acts, men and women, who far too often butt heads with each other, submit their “heads” to the Head: God.
**10-12** Don’t, by the way, read too much into the differences here between men and women. Neither man nor woman can go it alone or claim priority. Man was created first, as a beautiful shining reflection of God—that is true. But the head on a woman’s body clearly outshines in beauty the head of her “head,” her husband. The first woman came from man, true—but ever since then, every man comes from a woman! And since virtually everything comes from God anyway, let’s quit going through these “who’s first” routines.
**13-16** Don’t you agree there is something naturally powerful in the symbolism—a woman, her beautiful hair reminiscent of angels, praying in adoration; a man, his head bared in reverence, praying in submission? I hope you’re not going to be argumentative about this. All God’s churches see it this way; I don’t want you standing out as an exception.
**17-19** Regarding this next item, I’m not at all pleased. I am getting the picture that when you meet together it brings out your worst side instead of your best! First, I get this report on your divisiveness, competing with and criticizing each other. I’m reluctant to believe it, but there it is. The best that can be said for it is that the testing process will bring truth into the open and confirm it.
**20-22** And then I find that you bring your divisions to worship—you come together, and instead of eating the Lord’s Supper, you bring in a lot of food from the outside and make pigs of yourselves. Some are left out, and go home hungry. Others have to be carried out, too drunk to walk. I can’t believe it! Don’t you have your own homes to eat and drink in? Why would you stoop to desecrating God’s church? Why would you actually shame God’s poor? I never would have believed you would stoop to this. And I’m not going to stand by and say nothing.
**23-26** Let me go over with you again exactly what goes on in the Lord’s Supper and why it is so centrally important. I received my instructions from the Master himself and passed them on to you. The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said,
This is my body, broken for you.
Do this to remember me.
After supper, he did the same thing with the cup:
This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you.
Each time you drink this cup, remember me.
What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt.
**27-28** Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of “remembrance” you want to be part of? Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe.
**29-32** If you give no thought (or worse, don’t care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you’re running the risk of serious consequences. That’s why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. If we get this straight now, we won’t have to be straightened out later on. Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later.
**33-34** So, my friends, when you come together to the Lord’s Table, be reverent and courteous with one another. If you’re so hungry that you can’t wait to be served, go home and get a sandwich. But by no means risk turning this Meal into an eating and drinking binge or a family squabble. It is a spiritual meal—a love feast.
The other things you asked about, I’ll respond to in person when I make my next visit.
**MSG**

2 Esdras 7

1And when I had made an end of speaking these words, there was sent unto me the angel which had been sent unto me the nights afore:
2And he said unto me, Up, Esdras, and hear the words that I am come to tell thee.
3And I said, Speak on, my God. Then said he unto me, The sea is set in a wide place, that it might be deep and great.
4But put the case the entrance were narrow, and like a river;
5Who then could go into the sea to look upon it, and to rule it? if he went not through the narrow, how could he come into the broad?
6There is also another thing; A city is builded, and set upon a broad field, and is full of all good things:
7The entrance thereof is narrow, and is set in a dangerous place to fall, like as if there were a fire on the right hand, and on the left a deep water:
8And one only path between them both, even between the fire and the water, so small that there could but one man go there at once.
9If this city now were given unto a man for an inheritance, if he never shall pass the danger set before it, how shall he receive this inheritance?
10And I said, It is so, Lord. Then said he unto me, Even so also is Israel's portion.
11Because for their sakes I made the world: and when Adam transgressed my statutes, then was decreed that now is done.
12Then were the entrances of this world made narrow, full of sorrow and travail: they are but few and evil, full of perils,: and very painful.
13For the entrances of the elder world were wide and sure, and brought immortal fruit.
14If then they that live labour not to enter these strait and vain things, they can never receive those that are laid up for them.
15Now therefore why disquietest thou thyself, seeing thou art but a corruptible man? and why art thou moved, whereas thou art but mortal?
16Why hast thou not considered in thy mind this thing that is to come, rather than that which is present?
17Then answered I and said, O Lord that bearest rule, thou hast ordained in thy law, that the righteous should inherit these things, but that the ungodly should perish.
18Nevertheless the righteous shall suffer strait things, and hope for wide: for they that have done wickedly have suffered the strait things, and yet shall not see the wide.
19And he said unto me. There is no judge above God, and none that hath understanding above the Highest.
20For there be many that perish in this life, because they despise the law of God that is set before them.
21For God hath given strait commandment to such as came, what they should do to live, even as they came, and what they should observe to avoid punishment.
22Nevertheless they were not obedient unto him; but spake against him, and imagined vain things;
23And deceived themselves by their wicked deeds; and said of the most High, that he is not; and knew not his ways:
24But his law have they despised, and denied his covenants; in his statutes have they not been faithful, and have not performed his works.
25And therefore, Esdras, for the empty are empty things, and for the full are the full things.
26Behold, the time shall come, that these tokens which I have told thee shall come to pass, and the bride shall appear, and she coming forth shall be seen, that now is withdrawn from the earth.
27And whosoever is delivered from the foresaid evils shall see my wonders.
28For my son Jesus shall be revealed with those that be with him, and they that remain shall rejoice within four hundred years.
29After these years shall my son Christ die, and all men that have life.
30And the world shall be turned into the old silence seven days, like as in the former judgments: so that no man shall remain.
31And after seven days the world, that yet awaketh not, shall be raised up, and that shall die that is corrupt
32And the earth shall restore those that are asleep in her, and so shall the dust those that dwell in silence, and the secret places shall deliver those souls that were committed unto them.
33And the most High shall appear upon the seat of judgment, and misery shall pass away, and the long suffering shall have an end:
34But judgment only shall remain, truth shall stand, and faith shall wax strong:
35And the work shall follow, and the reward shall be shewed, and the good deeds shall be of force, and wicked deeds shall bear no rule.
36Then said I, Abraham prayed first for the Sodomites, and Moses for the fathers that sinned in the wilderness:
37And Jesus after him for Israel in the time of Achan:
38And Samuel and David for the destruction: and Solomon for them that should come to the sanctuary:
39And Helias for those that received rain; and for the dead, that he might live:
40And Ezechias for the people in the time of Sennacherib: and many for many.
41Even so now, seeing corruption is grown up, and wickedness increased, and the righteous have prayed for the ungodly: wherefore shall it not be so now also?
42He answered me, and said, This present life is not the end where much glory doth abide; therefore have they prayed for the weak.
43But the day of doom shall be the end of this time, and the beginning of the immortality for to come, wherein corruption is past,
44Intemperance is at an end, infidelity is cut off, righteousness is grown, and truth is sprung up.
45Then shall no man be able to save him that is destroyed, nor to oppress him that hath gotten the victory.
46I answered then and said, This is my first and last saying, that it had been better not to have given the earth unto Adam: or else, when it was given him, to have restrained him from sinning.
47For what profit is it for men now in this present time to live in heaviness, and after death to look for punishment?
48O thou Adam, what hast thou done? for though it was thou that sinned, thou art not fallen alone, but we all that come of thee.
49For what profit is it unto us, if there be promised us an immortal time, whereas we have done the works that bring death?
50And that there is promised us an everlasting hope, whereas ourselves being most wicked are made vain?
51And that there are laid up for us dwellings of health and safety, whereas we have lived wickedly?
52And that the glory of the most High is kept to defend them which have led a wary life, whereas we have walked in the most wicked ways of all?
53And that there should be shewed a paradise, whose fruit endureth for ever, wherein is security and medicine, since we shall not enter into it?
54(For we have walked in unpleasant places.)
55And that the faces of them which have used abstinence shall shine above the stars, whereas our faces shall be blacker than darkness?
56For while we lived and committed iniquity, we considered not that we should begin to suffer for it after death.
57Then answered he me, and said, This is the condition of the battle, which man that is born upon the earth shall fight;
58That, if he be overcome, he shall suffer as thou hast said: but if he get the victory, he shall receive the thing that I say.
59For this is the life whereof Moses spake unto the people while he lived, saying, Choose thee life, that thou mayest live.
60Nevertheless they believed not him, nor yet the prophets after him, no nor me which have spoken unto them,
61That there should not be such heaviness in their destruction, as shall be joy over them that are persuaded to salvation.
62I answered then, and said, I know, Lord, that the most High is called merciful, in that he hath mercy upon them which are not yet come into the world,
63And upon those also that turn to his law;
64And that he is patient, and long suffereth those that have sinned, as his creatures;
65And that he is bountiful, for he is ready to give where it needeth;
66And that he is of great mercy, for he multiplieth more and more mercies to them that are present, and that are past, and also to them which are to come.
67For if he shall not multiply his mercies, the world would not continue with them that inherit therein.
68And he pardoneth; for if he did not so of his goodness, that they which have committed iniquities might be eased of them, the ten thousandth part of men should not remain living.
69And being judge, if he should not forgive them that are cured with his word, and put out the multitude of contentions,
70There should be very few left peradventure in an innumerable multitude.
**ERV**

Psalm 25

**OUR GOLDEN CHAPTER**
**1-2** My head is high, God, held high;
I’m looking to you, God;
No hangdog skulking for me.
3 I’ve thrown in my lot with you;
You won’t embarrass me, will you?
Or let my enemies get the best of me?
Don’t embarrass any of us
Who went out on a limb for you.
It’s the traitors who should be humiliated.
4 Show me how you work, God;
School me in your ways.
5 Take me by the hand;
Lead me down the path of truth.
You are my Savior, aren’t you?
6 Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, God;
Rebuild the ancient landmarks!
7 Forget that I sowed wild oats;
Mark me with your sign of love.
Plan only the best for me, God!
8 God is fair and just;
He corrects the misdirected,
Sends them in the right direction.
9 He gives the rejects his hand,
And leads them step-by-step.
10 From now on every road you travel
Will take you to God.
Follow the Covenant signs;
Read the charted directions.
11 Keep up your reputation, God;
Forgive my bad life;
It’s been a very bad life.
12 My question: What are God-worshipers like?
Your answer: Arrows aimed at God’s bull’s-eye.
13 They settle down in a promising place;
Their kids inherit a prosperous farm.
14 God-friendship is for God-worshipers;
They are the ones he confides in.
15 If I keep my eyes on God,
I won’t trip over my own feet.
16 Look at me and help me!
I’m all alone and in big trouble.
17 My heart and mind are fighting each other;
Call a truce to this civil war.
18 Take a hard look at my life of hard labor,
Then lift this ton of sin.
19 Do you see how many people
Have it in for me?
How viciously they hate me?
20 Keep watch over me and keep me out of trouble;
Don’t let me down when I run to you.
21 Use all your skill to put me together;
I wait to see your finished product.
22 God, give your people a break
From this run of bad luck.
**MSG**

Psalm 33

1 Rejoice in the Lord, good people!
    It is only right for good people to praise him.
2 Play the lyre and praise the Lord.
    Play the ten-stringed harp for him.
3 Sing a new song to him.
    Play it well and sing it loud!
4 The Lord’s word is true,
    and he is faithful in everything he does.
5 He loves goodness and justice.
    The Lord’s faithful love fills the earth.
6 The Lord spoke the command, and the world was made.
    The breath from his mouth created everything in the heavens.
7 He gathered together the water of the sea.
    He put the ocean in its place.
8 Everyone on earth should fear and respect the Lord.
    All the people in the world should fear him,
9 because when he speaks, things happen.
    And if he says, “Stop!”—then it stops.
10 The Lord can ruin every decision the nations make.
    He can spoil all their plans.
11 But the Lord’s decisions are good forever.
    His plans are good for generation after generation.
12 Great blessings belong to those who have the Lord as their God!
    He chose them to be his own special people.
13 The Lord looked down from heaven
    and saw all the people.
14 From his high throne he looked down
    at all the people living on earth.
15 He created every person’s mind,
    and he knows what each one is doing.
16 A king is not saved by the power of his army.
    A soldier does not survive by his own great strength.
17 Horses don’t really bring victory in war.
    Their strength cannot help you escape.
18 The Lord watches over his followers,
    those who wait for him to show his faithful love.
19 He saves them from death.
    He gives them strength when they are hungry.
20 So we will wait for the Lord.
    He helps us and protects us.
21 He makes us happy.
    We trust his holy name.
22 Lord, we worship you,
    so show your great love for us.
**ERV**

2 Esdras 4

1 Then the angel who had been sent to me, whose name was Uriel, replied: 2 “Your mind has utterly failed with regard to this world, and do you think you can understand the way of the Most High?”
3 I said, “Yes, my Lord.”
He answered: “I am sent to show you three ways and to set three problems before you. 4 If you can say anything to me about one of these, I will show you the way you want to see, and I will teach you why the heart leans toward evil.”
5 I said, “Speak, my Lord.”
He said to me, “Go, weigh for me the weight of fire, or measure for me a blast of wind, or call back for me the day that is past.”
6 I answered, “Who alive can do this? How can you ask me these things?”
7 Uriel said to me: “If I had asked you, ‘How many dwellings are in the depths of the sea, or how many springs are in the source of the abyss, or how many paths are there above the dome, or which are the exits of paradise,’ 8 you would perhaps have said to me: ‘I haven’t descended into the abyss nor as yet into hell, nor have I ever ascended to heaven.’ 9 But I’ve only asked you here about fire and wind and the day you have passed through, things you can’t exist without, and you haven’t answered me about them.”
10 He said to me: “You can’t even understand the things that are yours, which you have grown up with. 11 How then can your mind contain the way of the Most High? How can a person who is already corrupted by the corrupt world understand the realm beyond corruption?”
I fell on my face 12 and said to him, “It would have been better not to have come into being than to come here, live in the middle of wickedness, suffer, and not understand why.”
13 He answered me: “I went forth to a forest of trees on the plain, and they devised a plan 14 and said: ‘Come, let’s go and make war on the sea so that it may recede before us, and let’s make for ourselves more forests.’ 15 And likewise, the waves of the sea also formed a plan and said, ‘Come, let’s go up and subdue the forest on the plain so that there too we may complete another region for ourselves.’ 16 But the plan of the forest came to naught, for fire came and consumed it. 17 Likewise also the plan of the waves of the sea, for the sand stood firm and prevented it. 18 If then you were judge of these, which would you begin to justify and which to condemn?”
19 I answered, “Each made a stupid plan, for land is given to the forest, and the sea is the appointed place for its waves.”
20 Uriel answered me: “You have judged well. So why haven’t you judged well in your own case? 21 As the land is given to the forest and the sea to the waves, so also only those who live on earth can understand the things that are on earth, and only those who live above the heavens can understand the things that are above the height of the heavens.”
22 I answered, “I beg you, Lord, why has the sense of understanding been given to me? 23 It wasn’t my purpose to ask about the ways above but about the things that we see every day. Why has Israel been handed over to the Gentiles to our shame? Why has the people you loved been given over to godless tribes? Why has the Law of our ancestors been invalidated and the written ordinances come to nothing? 24 Why do we pass from the world like locusts and our life like a mist? Why aren’t we worthy to obtain mercy? 25 What will God do for the sake of his name, which is bestowed on us? About these things I have asked.”
**26 He answered me: “If you remain alive, you’ll see. If you live, you will often be amazed, because the world is indeed rushing to its end.** 27 Indeed, it can’t bring the things that are promised to the just during this age, because this world is full of sadness and sickliness. 28 The evil about which you asked me has been sown, and its full harvest hasn’t yet come. 29 If that which was sown isn’t reaped, and the place where evil has been sown hasn’t departed, the field where good is sown won’t come. 30 A grain of evil seed was sown in the heart of Adam from the beginning, and how much godlessness it has produced until now and will produce until the time for threshing comes! 31 Calculate for yourself how much godless fruit the grain of evil seed will have produced! 32 When the innumerable ears of grain are sown, how great a threshing floor will they begin to make!”
33 I answered: “Where and when will these things be? Why are our years few and evil?”
34 He answered: “Don’t be in a greater hurry than the Most High. You hurry only for yourself, but the Most High on behalf of many. 35 Didn’t the souls of the just in their resting places ask about these things, saying, ‘How long are we to remain here, and when will the harvest of our reward come?’ 36 Then Jeremiel the angel answered them, ‘When the number of those like you is complete, for God has weighed the world in a balance 37 and measured the times by measure and numbered the times by number, and he won’t move or arouse himself until the prescribed measure is fulfilled.’”
38 I answered: “Supreme Lord, we all are also full of impiety. 39 Is it perhaps because of us, and because of the sins of those who live on earth, that the harvest of the just is delayed?”
40 He answered me, “Go ask a pregnant woman whether her womb can keep the baby inside her when she has completed her nine months.”
41 I said, “It can’t, Lord.”
He said to me: “The underworld and the resting places of the souls are like the womb. 42 As the one who gives birth hastens to escape the distress of giving birth, so these also hasten to give back those things that were entrusted to them from the beginning. 43 Then you will be shown the things you want to see.”
44 I answered, “If I have found favor with you, if it is possible, if I am worthy, 45 show me this also, whether there is more time yet to come than has past or whether the greater times have passed over us, 46 for I know what has passed, but I don’t know what is to come.”
47 He answered me: “Stand off to the right, and I will show you the interpretation of a parable.”
48 I stood aside and looked, and right there a burning furnace passed before me, and when the flame had passed, I looked and the smoke remained. 49 And after this a cloud full of water passed before me, and it poured down much rain with force, and when the rainstorm had passed there remained drops in the cloud.
50 He said to me, “Consider for yourself: as the rain is greater than the drops and the fire is greater than the smoke, so the measure that has passed is greater, but drops and smoke remain.”
51 I prayed and said, “Do you think I will live until those days? Who will be alive in those days?”
52 He answered me: “I can tell you in part concerning the signs you ask about, but about your own life I’m not sent to tell you. I don’t know.
**CEB**

Rapture Ready!

**1 Thessalonians 4:17**
17 After that we who are still alive at that time will be gathered up with those who have died. We will be taken up in the clouds and meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever.
**2 Corinthians 5:10**
10 We must all stand before Christ to be judged. Everyone will get what they should. They will be paid for whatever they did—good or bad—when they lived in this earthly body.
**1 Corinthians 15:51-53**
51 But listen, I tell you this secret: We will not all die, but we will all be changed. 52 It will only take the time of a second. We will be changed as quickly as an eye blinks. This will happen when the last trumpet blows. The trumpet will blow and those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we will all be changed. 53 This body that ruins must clothe itself with something that will never ruin. And this body that dies must clothe itself with something that will never die.
**Revelation 3:10**
10 You followed my command to endure patiently. So I will keep you from the time of trouble that will come to the world—a time that will test everyone living on earth.
**Mark 13:32**
32 “No one knows when that day or time will be. The Son and the angels in heaven don’t know when that day or time will be. Only the Father knows.
**Luke 10:20**
20 Yes, even the spirits obey you. And you can be happy, not because you have this power, but because your names are written in heaven.”
**2 Corinthians 5:10**
10 We must all stand before Christ to be judged. Everyone will get what they should. They will be paid for whatever they did—good or bad—when they lived in this earthly body.
**Revelation 20:2-4**
2 The angel grabbed the dragon, that old snake, also known as the devil or Satan. The angel tied the dragon with the chain for 1000 years. 3 Then the angel threw the dragon into the bottomless pit and closed it. The angel locked it over the dragon. The angel did this so that the dragon could not trick the people of the earth until the 1000 years were ended. After 1000 years the dragon must be made free for a short time.
4 Then I saw some thrones and people sitting on them. These were the ones who had been given the power to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been killed because they were faithful to the truth of Jesus and the message from God. They did not worship the beast or its idol. They did not receive the mark of the beast on their foreheads or on their hands. They came back to life and ruled with Christ for 1000 years.
**Philippians 3:20-21**
20 But the government that rules us is in heaven. We are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from there. 21 He will change our humble bodies and make them like his own glorious body. Christ can do this by his power, with which he is able to rule everything.
**Romans 8:18-19**
**We Will Have Glory in the Future**
18 We have sufferings now, but these are nothing compared to the great glory that will be given to us. 19 Everything that God made is waiting with excitement for the time when he will show the world who his children are. The whole world wants very much for that to happen.
**Acts 1:7-8**
7 Jesus said to them, “The Father is the only one who has the authority to decide dates and times. They are not for you to know. 8 But the Holy Spirit will come on you and give you power. You will be my witnesses. You will tell people everywhere about me—in Jerusalem, in the rest of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world.”
**Daniel 12:1-2**
1 “Daniel, at that time the great prince Michael will stand up. Michael is in charge of your people. There will be a time of much trouble, the worst time since nations have been on earth. But Daniel, at that time every one of your people whose name is found written in the book of life will be saved. 2 There are many who are dead and buried. Some of them will wake up and live forever, but others will wake up to shame and disgrace forever.
**1 Thessalonians 4:16-18**
16 The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. And the people who have died and were in Christ will rise first. 17 After that we who are still alive at that time will be gathered up with those who have died. We will be taken up in the clouds and meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
**Luke 17:34-37**
34 That night there may be two people sleeping in one room. One will be taken and the other will be left. 35 There may be two women working together. One will be taken and the other will be left.” 36
37 The followers asked Jesus, “Where will this be, Lord?”
Jesus answered, “It’s like looking for a dead body—you will find it where the vultures are gathering above.”
**Mark 13:24-27**
**When Jesus, the Son of Man, Comes Again**
24 “During the days following that time of trouble,
‘The sun will become dark,
    and the moon will not give light.
25 The stars will fall from the sky,
    and everything in the sky will be changed.’
26 “Then people will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 He will send his angels all around the earth. They will gather his chosen people from every part of the earth.
**Revelation 20:2-5**
2 The angel grabbed the dragon, that old snake, also known as the devil or Satan. The angel tied the dragon with the chain for 1000 years. 3 Then the angel threw the dragon into the bottomless pit and closed it. The angel locked it over the dragon. The angel did this so that the dragon could not trick the people of the earth until the 1000 years were ended. After 1000 years the dragon must be made free for a short time.
4 Then I saw some thrones and people sitting on them. These were the ones who had been given the power to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been killed because they were faithful to the truth of Jesus and the message from God. They did not worship the beast or its idol. They did not receive the mark of the beast on their foreheads or on their hands. They came back to life and ruled with Christ for 1000 years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not live again until the 1000 years were ended.)
This is the first resurrection.
**Revelation 11:15-19**
**The Seventh Trumpet Blast**
15 The seventh angel blew his trumpet. Then there were loud voices in heaven. The voices said,
“The kingdom of the world has now become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah.
    And he will rule forever and ever.”
16 Then the 24 elders bowed down on their faces and worshiped God. These are the elders who sit on their thrones before God. 17 The elders said,
“We give thanks to you, Lord God All-Powerful.
    You are the one who is and who always was.
We thank you because you have used your great power
    and have begun to rule.
18 The people of the world were angry,
    but now is the time for your anger.
    Now is the time for the dead to be judged.
It is time to reward your servants, the prophets,
    and to reward your holy people,
    the people, great and small, who respect you.
It is time to destroy those people who destroy the earth!”
19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened. The Box of the Agreement could be seen in his temple. Then there were flashes of lightning, noises, thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.
**ERV**

2 Esdras 13

**Vision of the man from the sea**
1 After seven days, I had a dream during the night. 2 I looked and saw a wind rising from the sea and stirring up all its waves. 3 As I watched, this wind made something like the figure of a man come up out of the heart of the sea. That man was flying among the clouds of heaven. Wherever he turned his face to look, everything that fell under his gaze trembled. 4 Wherever an utterance came from his mouth, all who heard his voice melted as wax melts when it feels the fire.
5 I kept watching these things, and an innumerable multitude of people came together from the four winds of heaven to fight against the man who had come up from the sea. 6 I watched as he carved a great mountain for himself and flew onto it. 7 I tried to see the region or place from which the mountain was carved, but I couldn’t.
8 After this I looked and I saw that all who had gathered to do battle against him were sorely afraid, yet they dared to fight. 9 When he saw the rush of the multitude coming, he didn’t raise his hand or hold a spear or any weapon of war. Rather, I saw 10 something like a wave of fire shoot forth from his mouth, and a breath of flame from his lips, and a storm of sparks from his tongue. All these things—the wave of fire, the breath of flame, and the mighty storm—mixed together 11 and fell upon the crowd that was rushing forward, prepared to fight. It burned them all up so that suddenly nothing was seen of the innumerable mob except the dust of ashes and the smell of smoke. I saw this and was amazed.
12 After these things I saw the same man coming down from the mountain and calling to himself another crowd—a peaceful one. 13 Many people came to him. Some were rejoicing and some were sad, some were even tied up, while some were bringing other people as an offering.
I woke up in great fear and pleaded with the Most High. I said, 14 “From the beginning you showed your servant these wonders, and you considered me worthy that you should receive my prayer. 15 Now show me also the interpretation of this dream. 16 As I turn it over in my mind, I think: How terrible it will be for those who will be left in those days, and how much worse for those who aren’t left! 17 Those who aren’t left will be full of sorrow, 18 since they now know what lies in store for the last days, but they won’t live to see them. But how terrible it will be also for those who are left, 19 for that very reason! They will see great dangers, and there will be many kinds of distress, as these dreams show. 20 Yet it is better to encounter these things, even incurring danger, than to pass from the world like a cloud and not see what happens at the end.”
21 He answered me, “I will tell you the interpretation of the dream as well, and I will explain to you the things you spoke about. 22 As to what you said about those who are left, this is the interpretation: 23 He who brings the danger at that time will himself guard those who fall into danger, who have works and faith in the most mighty one. 24 Know, therefore, that those who are left enjoy greater privilege than those who have died. 25 The interpretations of the vision are as follows:
“In that you saw a man going up from the heart of the sea, 26 that is the one whom the Most High has been keeping for many ages. He will liberate God’s creation all by himself, and he will put in order those who are left.
27 “In that you saw something like wind and fire and storm go out of his mouth, 28 and that he didn’t hold a spear or weapon of war, yet destroyed the rush of that multitude that had come to fight him, here is the interpretation: 29 Look, the days are coming when the Most High will begin to rescue those who are on the earth. 30 Those who live on earth will go out of their minds. 31 They will plan to wage war against each other, city against city, place against place, nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 32 When these things happen, and the signs that I showed you before take place, then my Son will be revealed, whom you saw as a man rising up. 33 When all the nations hear his voice, then each one will leave its own region and will leave off the wars they were waging against each other. 34 An innumerable mob will be gathered together, as you saw, wanting to come and fight against him. 35 But he will take his stand on the summit of Mount Zion. 36 Zion will come and will appear to all, built and ready, as you saw a mountain carved without hands. 37 My Son himself will indict the assembled nations for their impious deeds—these things were indicated by the storm. He will scold them for their evil plans and reveal the torments with which they are about to be tortured. These things correspond to the flame. 38 He will destroy them without effort by the Law, which was indicated by the fire.
39 “As to the fact that you saw him collecting to himself another peaceful multitude, 40 these are the ten tribes that were taken captive from their land in the days of King Hoshea, whom King Shalmaneser of the Assyrians took across the river as a captive. They were taken into another land, 41 but they made this plan for themselves: They would leave the multitude of the nations and go into a more remote region, where the human race had never lived. 42 There they would be able to observe their customs, which they hadn’t kept in their own region. 43 They went in through the narrow passages of the Euphrates River. 44 Then the Most High gave them signs and stopped the flow of the river until they had passed. 45 They made a long journey through that region for a year and a half, and that region is called Arzareth. 46 They lived there until the last time, and now they begin again to return. 47 The Most High will once again stop the flow of the river so that they can cross. These people make up the multitude gathered in peace, 48 along with those who are left of your people, who are found within my holy boundaries. 49 Then when he begins to destroy the multitude of the nations that are gathered, he will protect the people who have survived. 50 Then he will show them many more signs.”
51 I said, “Supreme Lord, show me why I saw a man rising up from the heart of the sea.”
He said to me, 52 “Just as no one can seek out or know what is in the depth of the sea, so no one on earth can see my Son or those who are with him, except in that time when his day has come. 53 This is the interpretation of the dream that you saw, which has enlightened you alone of all people. 54 You have abandoned your own affairs and occupied yourself with mine, and you have sought out my Law. 55 You have given your life to wisdom, and have called understanding your mother. 56 Because of this, I have shown you these things, for you have a reward with the Most High. After three days I will tell you more and explain to you weighty and wonderful things.”
57 I went out from there into a large field, glorifying and praising the Most High for the wonders he performed over time, 58 and because he governs the times and all that comes about in its time. I stayed there for three days.
**CEB**

Word of The Day

**Genesis 2:18**
18 Then the Lord God said, “I see that it is not good for the man to be alone. I will make the companion he needs, one just right for him.”
**Isaiah 14:31**
31 People near the city gates, cry!
    People in the city, cry out!
Everyone in Philistia,
    your courage will melt like hot wax.
Look to the north!
    There is a cloud of dust.
An army is coming,
    and everyone in that army is strong.
**Isaiah 51:2**
2 Abraham is your father, so look at him. Look at Sarah, who gave birth to you. Abraham was alone when I called him. Then I blessed him, and he began a great family with many descendants.”
**Lamentations 3:28**
28 He should sit alone and be quiet
    when the Lord puts his yoke on him.
**Luke 9:18**
18 One time Jesus was praying alone. His followers came together there, and he asked them, “Who do the people say I am?”
**Matthew 9:9-13**
9 When Jesus was leaving, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the place for collecting taxes. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” So he got up and followed Jesus.
10 Jesus ate dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and others with bad reputations came and ate with him and his followers. 11 The Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with these people. They asked his followers, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and other sinners?”
12 Jesus heard them say this. So he said to them, “It is the sick people who need a doctor, not those who are healthy. 13 You need to go and learn what this Scripture means: ‘I don’t want animal sacrifices; I want you to show kindness to people.’[a] I did not come to invite good people. I came to invite sinners.”
**ERV**

Baruch 5

1 Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem,
    and put on forever the beauty of the glory from God.
2 Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God;
    put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting,
3 for God will show your splendor everywhere under heaven,
4 for God will give you evermore the name,
    “Righteous Peace, Godly Glory.”
5 Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height;
    look toward the east,
and see your children gathered from west and east
    at the word of the Holy One,
    rejoicing that God has remembered them.
6 For they went out from you on foot,
    led away by their enemies,
but God will bring them back to you,
    carried in glory, as on a royal throne.
7 For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low
    and the valleys filled up, to make level ground,
    so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God.
8 The woods and every fragrant tree
    have shaded Israel at God’s command.
9 For God will lead Israel with joy,
    in the light of his glory,
    with the mercy and righteousness that come from him.
**NRSVUE**

Psalm 16

AMP

1 Keep and protect me, O God, for in You I have placed my trust and found refuge.

2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good besides You.”

3 As for the saints (godly people) who are in the land,
They are the majestic and the noble and the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows [pain and suffering] of those who have chosen another god will be multiplied [because of their idolatry];
I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
Nor will I take their names upon my lips.

5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance, my cup [He is all I need];
You support my lot.

6 The [boundary] lines [of the land] have fallen for me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

7 I will bless the Lord who has counseled me;
Indeed, my heart (mind) instructs me in the night.

8 I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my innermost self] rejoices;
My body too will dwell [confidently] in safety,

10 For You will not abandon me to Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead),
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

AMP

Psalm 16

KJV

1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;

3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.

5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

KJV

Golden Text

**Zechariah 4:1-6**
1 Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I replied.
6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: **‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says The Lord Almighty.**
**NIV**
**Zechariah 6:12-13**
12 Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is **The Branch,** and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord. 13 It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’
**NIV**

Jeremiah 23:29-31 & 1-3

**Verses 29-31**
29 “Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the [most stubborn] rock [in pieces]? 30 Therefore behold (hear this), I am against the [counterfeit] prophets,” says the Lord, “[I am descending on them with punishment, these prophets] who steal My words from one another [imitating the words of the true prophets]. 31 Hear this, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their [own deceitful] tongues and say, ‘Thus says *the Lord*.’
**AMP**
**Verses 1-3**
1 The Lord declares:
I will send disaster upon the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were to care for. 2 Instead of leading my flock to safety, you have deserted them and driven them to destruction. And now I will pour out judgment upon you for the evil you have done to them. 3 And I will gather together the remnant of my flock from wherever I have sent them and bring them back into their own fold, and they shall be fruitful and increase.
**TLB**

Psalm 104

**1-14** O my soul, bless God!
God, my God, how great you are!
    beautifully, gloriously robed,
Dressed up in sunshine,
    and all heaven stretched out for your tent.
You built your palace on the ocean deeps,
    made a chariot out of clouds and took off on wind-wings.
You commandeered winds as messengers,
    appointed fire and flame as ambassadors.
You set earth on a firm foundation
    so that nothing can shake it, ever.
You blanketed earth with ocean,
    covered the mountains with deep waters;
Then you roared and the water ran away—
    your thunder crash put it to flight.
Mountains pushed up, valleys spread out
    in the places you assigned them.
You set boundaries between earth and sea;
    never again will earth be flooded.
You started the springs and rivers,
    sent them flowing among the hills.
All the wild animals now drink their fill,
    wild donkeys quench their thirst.
Along the riverbanks the birds build nests,
    ravens make their voices heard.
You water the mountains from your heavenly reservoirs;
    earth is supplied with plenty of water.
You make grass grow for the livestock,
    hay for the animals that plow the ground.
**14-23** Oh yes, God brings grain from the land,
    wine to make people happy,
Their faces glowing with health,
    a people well-fed and hearty.
God’s trees are well-watered—
    the Lebanon cedars he planted.
Birds build their nests in those trees;
    look—the stork at home in the treetop.
Mountain goats climb about the cliffs;
    badgers burrow among the rocks.
The moon keeps track of the seasons,
    the sun is in charge of each day.
When it’s dark and night takes over,
    all the forest creatures come out.
The young lions roar for their prey,
    clamoring to God for their supper.
When the sun comes up, they vanish,
    lazily stretched out in their dens.
Meanwhile, men and women go out to work,
    busy at their jobs until evening.
**24-30** What a wildly wonderful world, God!
    You made it all, with Wisdom at your side,
    made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.
Oh, look—the deep, wide sea,
    brimming with fish past counting,
    sardines and sharks and salmon.
Ships plow those waters,
    and Leviathan, your pet dragon, romps in them.
All the creatures look expectantly to you
    to give them their meals on time.
You come, and they gather around;
    you open your hand and they eat from it.
If you turned your back,
    they’d die in a minute—
Take back your Spirit and they die,
    revert to original mud;
Send out your Spirit and they spring to life—
    the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.
**31-32** The glory of God—let it last forever!
    Let God enjoy his creation!
He takes one look at earth and triggers an earthquake,
    points a finger at the mountains, and volcanoes erupt.
**33-35** Oh, let me sing to God all my life long,
    sing hymns to my God as long as I live!
Oh, let my song please him;
    I’m so pleased to be singing to God.
But clear the ground of sinners—
    no more godless men and women!
O my soul, bless God!
**MSG**

Psalm 15

**(Second cousin “links with” Job 22)**
1 God, who gets invited
    to dinner at your place?
How do we get on your guest list?
2 “Walk straight,
    act right,
        tell the truth.
**3-4** “Don’t hurt your friend,
    don’t blame your neighbor;
        despise the despicable.
5 “Keep your word even when it costs you,
    make an honest living,
        never take a bribe.
“You’ll never get
blacklisted
if you live like this.”
**MSG**

Psalm 1

**(Second cousin “links with” Job 22. Do Psalm 1 to be at Peace with Job 22)**
1 Great blessings belong to those
    who don’t listen to evil advice,
who don’t live like sinners,
    and who don’t join those who make fun of God.
2 Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings
    and think about them day and night.
3 So they grow strong,
    like a tree planted by a stream—
a tree that produces fruit when it should
    and has leaves that never fall.
Everything they do is successful.
4 But the wicked are not like that.
    They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5 When the time for judgment comes, the wicked will be found guilty.
    Sinners have no place among those who do what is right.
6 The Lord shows his people how to live,
    but the wicked have lost their way.
**ERV**

Golden Text

**Job 22:3-4**
3 Does your living right benefit him?
    Does God All-Powerful gain anything if you follow him?
4 Why does God blame and punish you?
    Is it because you worship him?
**Job 22:8**
8 You have a lot of farmland,
    and people respect you.
**Job 22:12-14**
12 “God lives in the highest part of heaven
    and looks down on the highest stars.
13 But you might say, ‘What does God know?
    Can he see through the dark clouds to judge us?
14 Thick clouds hide us from his eyes,
    so he cannot see us as he walks around the edge of the sky.’
**Job 22:17-18**
17 They told God, ‘Leave us alone!’
    and said, ‘God All-Powerful cannot do anything to us!’
18 And it was God who filled their houses with good things.
    No, I would never follow the advice of evil people.
**Job 22:21-23**
21 “Now, Job, give yourself to God and make peace with him.
    Do this, and you will get many good things.
22 Accept his teaching.
    Pay attention to what he says.
23 If you return to God All-Powerful, you will be restored.
    But remove the evil from your house.
**Job 22:25-30**
25 And let God All-Powerful be your gold.
    Let him be your pile of silver.
26 Then you will enjoy God All-Powerful,
    and you will look up to him.
27 When you pray, he will hear you.
    And you will be able to do all that you promised him.
28 If you decide to do something, it will be successful.
    And your future will be very bright!
29 When people are brought down and you ask God to help them,
    he will rescue those who have been humbled.
30 Even those who are guilty will be forgiven.
    They will be saved because you did what was right.”
**ERV**

Job 22

1 Then Eliphaz from Teman answered:
2 “Does God need our help?
    Even the wisest of us is not really useful to him.
3 Does your living right benefit him?
    Does God All-Powerful gain anything if you follow him?
4 Why does God blame and punish you?
    Is it because you worship him?
5 No, it is because you sin so much.
    You never stop sinning.
6 Maybe to guarantee loans you took things from people for no reason.
    Maybe you took a poor man’s clothes to make sure he paid you back.
7 Maybe you failed to give water or food
    to people who were tired or hungry.
8 You have a lot of farmland,
    and people respect you.
9 But maybe you sent widows away without giving them anything.
    And maybe you took advantage of orphans.
10 That is why traps are all around you,
    and sudden trouble makes you afraid.
11 That is why it is so dark you cannot see,
    and why a flood of water covers you.
12 “God lives in the highest part of heaven
    and looks down on the highest stars.
13 But you might say, ‘What does God know?
    Can he see through the dark clouds to judge us?
14 Thick clouds hide us from his eyes,
    so he cannot see us as he walks around the edge of the sky.’
15 “Job, you are walking on the old path
    that evil people walked on long ago.
16 They were destroyed before it was their time to die.
    They were washed away by the flood.
17 They told God, ‘Leave us alone!’
    and said, ‘God All-Powerful cannot do anything to us!’
18 And it was God who filled their houses with good things.
    No, I would never follow the advice of evil people.
19 Those who do what is right are happy to see them destroyed.
    The innocent laugh at them and say,
20 ‘Surely our enemies are destroyed!
    Their wealth burned up in the fire!’
21 “Now, Job, give yourself to God and make peace with him.
    Do this, and you will get many good things.
22 Accept his teaching.
    Pay attention to what he says.
23 If you return to God All-Powerful, you will be restored.
    But remove the evil from your house.
24 Think of your gold as nothing but dirt.
    Think of your finest gold as rocks from a stream.
25 And let God All-Powerful be your gold.
    Let him be your pile of silver.
26 Then you will enjoy God All-Powerful,
    and you will look up to him.
27 When you pray, he will hear you.
    And you will be able to do all that you promised him.
28 If you decide to do something, it will be successful.
    And your future will be very bright!
29 When people are brought down and you ask God to help them,
    he will rescue those who have been humbled.
30 Even those who are guilty will be forgiven.
    They will be saved because you did what was right.”
**ERV**

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Sirach 3

DR Version

The sons of wisdom are the church of the just: and their generation, obedience and love. 2 Children, hear the judgment of your father, and so do that you may be saved. 3 For God hath made the father honourable to the children: and seeking the judgment of the mothers, hath confirmed it upon the children. 4 He that loveth God, shall obtain pardon for his sins by prayer, and shall refrain himself from them, and shall be heard in the prayer of days. 5 And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up a treasure.

6 He that honoureth his father shall have joy in his own children, and in the day of his prayer he shall be heard. 7 He that honoureth his father shall enjoy a long life: and he that obeyeth the father, shall be a comfort to his mother. 8 He that feareth the Lord, honoureth his parents, and will serve them as his masters that brought him into the world. 9 Honour thy father, in work and word, and all patience, 10 That a blessing may come upon thee from him, and his blessing may remain in the latter end.

11 The father's blessing establisheth the houses of the children: but the mother's curse rooteth up the foundation. 12 Glory not in the dishonour of thy father: for his shame is no glory to thee. 13 For the glory of a man is from the honour of his father, and a father without honour is the disgrace of the son. 14 Son, support the old age of thy father, and grieve him not in his life; 15 And if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and despise him not when thou art in thy strength: for the relieving of the father shall not be forgotten.

16 For good shall be repaid to thee for the sin of thy mother. 17 And in justice thou shalt be built up, and in the day of affliction thou shalt be remembered: and thy sins shall melt away as the ice in the fair warm weather. 18 Of what an evil fame is he that forsaketh his father: and he is cursed of God that angereth his mother. 19 My son, do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved above the glory of men. 20 The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and thou shalt find grace before God:

21 For great is the power of God alone, and he is honoured by the humble. 22 Seek not the things that are too high for thee, and search not into things above thy ability: but the things that God hath commanded thee, think on them always, and in many of his works be not curious. 23 For it is not necessary for thee to see with thy eyes those things that are hid. 24 In unnecessary matters be not over curious, and in many of his works thou shalt not be inquisitive. 25 For many things are shewn to thee above the understanding of men.

26 And the suspicion of them hath deceived many, and hath detained their minds in vanity. 27 A hard heart shall fear evil at the last: and he that loveth danger shall perish in it. 28 A heart that goeth two ways shall not have success, and the perverse of heart shall be scandalized therein. 29 A wicked heart shall be laden with sorrows, and the sinner will add sin to sin. 30 The congregation of the proud shall not be healed: for the plant of wickedness shall take root in them, and it shall not be perceived.

31 The heart of the wise is understood in wisdom, and a good ear will hear wisdom with all desire. 32 A wise heart, and which hath understanding, will abstain from sins, and in the works of justice shall have success. 33 Water quencheth a flaming fire, and alms resisteth sins: 34 And God provideth for him that sheweth favour: he remembereth him afterwards, and in the time of his fall he shall find a sure stay.

Sirach 3

CEB Version

1 Listen to a father’s warning, children,
    and act accordingly
    so that you may be safe.
2 The Lord gives pride of place
to a father above his children
and establishes a mother’s judgment
above that of her offspring.
3 Those who honor their fathers
will make up for their own sins,
4     and those who praise their mother
    are like people storing up treasure.
5 Those who honor their fathers
will be made happy
by their own children,
    and they will be heard when they pray.
6 Those who praise their fathers
will live a long life,
    and those who listen to the Lord
    will give rest to their mothers,
7     and they will serve their parents
    as their masters.
8 Honor your father in action and word
    so that a blessing will come
    from him to you,
9 since a father’s blessing
supports his children’s families,
    but a mother’s curse
    undermines their foundations.
10 Don’t glorify yourself
in your father’s disgrace,
    because your father’s disgrace
    brings you no credit.
11 A father’s honor is the starting point
for his children’s reputation,
    and a mother in disrepute
    is a disgrace to her children.

12 My child, help your father in his old age,
    and don’t give him grief during his life.
13 And if his understanding fails,
    be tolerant,
    and don’t shame him,
    because you have all your faculties.
14 Taking care of one’s father
won’t be forgotten.
    It will be credited to you
    against your sins.
15 When you are in trouble,
this will be recalled about you;
    like frost warmed by sunshine,
    so your sins will melt away.
16 Those who abandon their fathers
are like blasphemers,
    and those who anger their mothers
    have been cursed by the Lord.

Humility and charity

17 My child, conduct your affairs
with gentleness,
    and you will be loved
    more than a person of good repute.
18 However great you become,
humble yourself more,
    and you will find favor before the Lord,
20     because the Lord’s power is great,
    and he is glorified by the humble.
21 Don’t seek out things
that are too difficult for you,
    and don’t investigate matters
    too perplexing for you.
22 Think about what
you have been commanded,
    because you have no need
    for matters that are hidden.
23 Don’t meddle in things
beyond your own affairs
    since you have already been shown things beyond human understanding.
24 Speculation has led many people astray,
    and false conjectures have
    weakened their thoughts.
26 A stubborn heart will come to misery,
    and whoever loves danger
    will be destroyed by it.
27 A stubborn heart will be weighed down
by suffering,
    and the sinner will keep on sinning.
28 There’s no healing for the distress
of arrogant people,
    because an evil plant
    has taken root in them.
29 The hearts of intelligent people
will think about a proverb,
    and the wise desire people
    who are ready to listen.

30 Water will put out a blazing fire,
    and giving to those in need
    will make up for sins.
31 Those who repay favors
consider the future,
    and at the moment when they fall,
    they will find support.

CEB

Golden Text

**Sirach 3:23**
23 Don’t meddle in things
beyond your own affairs
since you have already been shown things beyond human understanding.
**Sirach 3:23 links with 1 Peter**
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

Psalm 42

1 Like a deer drinking from a stream,
    I reach out to you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for the living God.
    When can I go to meet with him?
3 Instead of food, I have only tears day and night,
    as my enemies laugh at me and say, “Where is your God?”
4 My heart breaks as I remember the pleasant times in the past,
    when I walked with the crowds as I led them up to God’s Temple.
I remember the happy songs of praise
    as they celebrated the festival.
**5-6** Why am I so sad?
    Why am I so upset?
I tell myself, “Wait for God’s help!
    You will again be able to praise him,
    your God, the one who will save you.”
In my sadness I say, “I will remember you from here on this small hill,
    where Mount Hermon and the Jordan River meet.”
7 I hear the roar of the water coming from deep within the earth.
    It shouts to the water below as it tumbles down the waterfall.
God, your waves come one after another,
    crashing all around and over me.
8 By day the Lord shows his faithful love,
    and at night I have a song for him—a prayer for the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my Rock,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
    Why must I suffer this sadness that my enemies have brought me?”
10 Their constant insults are killing me.
    They never stop asking, “Where is your God?”
11 Why am I so sad?
    Why am I so upset?
I tell myself, “Wait for God’s help!
    You will again be able to praise him,
    your God, the one who will save you.”
**ERV**

Amos 4

1 Listen to me, you cows of Bashan on Samaria’s mountain. You hurt the poor and crush those in need. You tell your husbands, “Bring us something to drink!”
2 The Lord God made a promise. He promised by his holiness that troubles will come to you. People will use hooks and take you away as prisoners. They will use fishhooks to take away your children. 3 Your city will be destroyed. The women will rush out through cracks in the wall and throw themselves onto the pile of dead bodies.
This is what the Lord says: 4 “Go to Bethel and sin. Go to Gilgal and sin even more. Offer your sacrifices in the morning. Bring a tenth of your crops for the three-day festival. 5 And offer a thank offering made with yeast. Tell everyone about the freewill offerings. Israel, you love to do those things. So go and do them.” This is what the Lord God said.
6 “I didn’t give you any food to eat. There was no food in any of your cities, but you didn’t come back to me.” This is what the Lord said.
7 “I also stopped the rain, and it was three months before harvest time. So no crops grew. Then I let it rain on one city, but not on another city. Rain fell on one part of the country, but on the other part of the country, the land became very dry. 8 So the people from two or three cities staggered to another city to get water, but there was not enough water for everyone. Still you didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
9 “I made your crops die from heat and disease. I destroyed your gardens and your vineyards. Locusts ate your fig trees and olive trees. But you still didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
10 “I sent diseases against you, as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with swords. I took away your horses. I made your camp smell very bad from all the dead bodies, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
11 “I destroyed you as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. And those cities were completely destroyed. You were like a burned stick pulled from a fire, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord says.
12 “So, Israel, this is what I will do to you. You people of Israel, prepare to meet your God.”
13 He is the one who made the mountains.
    He created the wind.
    He lets people know his thoughts.
He changes the darkness into dawn.
    He walks over the mountains of the earth.
    His name is Yahweh, Lord God All-Powerful.
**ERV**

Micah 3

1 Then I said, “Listen, leaders of Jacob and officers of the nation of Israel!
    You should know what justice is.
2 But you hate good and love evil.
    You tear the skin off the people
    and tear the flesh off their bones.
3 You are destroying my people.
    You take their skin off them and break their bones.
    You chop their bones up like meat to put in the pot!
4 Then you will pray to the Lord,
    but he will not answer you.
No, he will hide his face from you,
    because what you do is evil.”
**False Prophets**
5 Some false prophets are telling lies to the Lord’s people. This is what the Lord says about them:
“These prophets are led by their stomachs.
They promise peace for those who give them food,
    but they promise war to those who do not give them food.
6 “This is why it is like night for you
    and you don’t have visions.
You cannot see what will happen in the future,
    so it is like darkness to you.
The sun has gone down on the prophets.
    They cannot see what will happen in the future,
    so it is like darkness to them.
7 The seers are ashamed.
    The fortunetellers are embarrassed.
None of them will say anything,
    because God will not speak to them.”
**Micah Is an Honest Prophet of God**
8 But the Lord’s Spirit has filled me
    with power, goodness, and strength.
So I can tell Jacob about his crimes,
    and so I can tell Israel about his sins!
**The Leaders of Israel Are to Blame**
9 Leaders of Jacob and rulers of Israel, listen to me!
    You hate the right way of living!
If something is straight,
    then you make it crooked!
10 You build Zion by murdering people.
    You build Jerusalem by cheating people!
11 The judges in Jerusalem accept bribes
    to help them decide who wins in court.
The priests in Jerusalem must be paid
    before they will teach the people.
People must pay the prophets
    before they will look into the future.
Then those leaders expect the Lord to help them.
    They say, “The Lord lives here with us,
    so nothing bad will happen to us.”
12 Leaders, because of you, Zion will be destroyed.
    It will become a plowed field.
Jerusalem will become a pile of rocks.
    Temple Mount will be an empty hill overgrown with bushes.
**ERV**

Sirach 12

1 If you do good,
know for whom you do it,
    and there’ll be gratitude
    for your good deeds.
2 Do good to the godly,
and you will find a reward,
    and if not from them,
    then from the Most High.
3 There is nothing good
for those who continue to do evil
    or for those who
    don’t freely offer charity.
4 Give to the pious, but don’t assist sinners.
5 Do good to the humble,
but don’t give to the ungodly.
    Hold back your bread,
    and don’t give it to them,
        since by it they might gain power
        over you.
    You will encounter twice as much evil
        for all the good things
        that you have done for them.
6 The Most High also hated sinners,
    and he will repay the ungodly
    with punishment.
7 Give to good people,
and don’t assist sinners.
8 A friend is not avenged
in prosperity,
    and an enemy is not hidden
    in adversity.
9 When people are prosperous,
their enemies are in pain,
    and when they meet with adversity,
    even friends will keep away.
10 Don’t ever trust your enemies;
    for just as copper corrodes,
    so their wickedness does as well.
11 If they are humbled
and walk away stooped over,
    look after yourself,
    and keep up your guard against them.
        You will be to them
        as one who polishes a mirror,
        and you will know that it won’t be completely tarnished.
12 Don’t put them next to you;
        they might overthrow you
        and take your place.
    Don’t sit them on your right side,
        since they might seek your seat.
    In the end you will understand my words,
    and you will be pierced by what I’ve said.
13 Who pities a snake charmer
who gets bitten?
    Or anyone who goes near wild beasts?
14 So it is with anyone
who goes near sinful people
    and becomes involved in their sins.
15 They will remain with you for a time,
    but if you waver, they won’t be loyal.
16 Enemies speak sweetly with their lips,
        but in their hearts,
        they plan to throw you into a ditch.
    Enemies cry tears with their eyes,
        but if they find an opportunity,
        they won’t be able to
        get enough blood.
17 If you meet up with trouble,
you will find them there ahead of you;
    and appearing to help,
they will trip you.
18 They will shake their heads
and clap their hands,
    and they will whisper many things
    and change their faces.
**CEB**

Things God Hate

**God hates Divorce:**
**Malachi 2:16** The Lord, the God of Israel, says, “I hate divorce, and I hate the cruel things that men do. So protect your spiritual unity. Don’t cheat on your wife.”
**God hates Cheating:**
**Malachi 2:14-16** You ask, “Why are our gifts not accepted?” **It is because the Lord saw the evil things you did—**he is a witness against you. ***He saw you cheat on your wife.*** You have been married to her since you were young. She was your girlfriend. Then you made your vows to each other—and she became your wife. **15 God wants husbands and wives to become one body and one spirit. Why? So that they would have holy children and protect that spiritual unity.** ***Don’t cheat on your wife.*** She has been your wife from the time you were young. 16 The Lord, the God of Israel, says, “**I hate divorce, and I hate the cruel things that men do.** **So protect your spiritual unity. Don’t cheat on your wife.**”
**Those who do not Repent:**
**Amos 4:6 & 8-11**
6 “I didn’t give you any food to eat. There was no food in any of your cities, but you didn’t come back to me.” This is what the Lord said.
8 So the people from two or three cities staggered to another city to get water, but there was not enough water for everyone. Still you didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
9 “I made your crops die from heat and disease. I destroyed your gardens and your vineyards. Locusts ate your fig trees and olive trees. But you still didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
10 “I sent diseases against you, as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with swords. I took away your horses. I made your camp smell very bad from all the dead bodies, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
11 “I destroyed you as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. And those cities were completely destroyed. You were like a burned stick pulled from a fire, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord says.
**Sinners**
**Sirach 12:3**
3 There is nothing good
for those who continue to do evil or for those who don’t freely offer charity.
**Proverbs 6:16-19**
**What The Lord Hates:**
**The Lord hates these seven things:**
**Eyes that show pride,**
**Tongues that tell lies,**
**Hands that kill innocent people,**
**Hearts that plan evil things to do,**
**Feet that run to do evil,**
**Witnesses in court who tell lies, and**
**Anyone who causes family members to fight.**
**ERV**

Golden Text

**Amos 4:6**
6 “…you didn’t come back to Me.” This is what The Lord said.
**Amos 4:8-12**
8 So the people from two or three cities staggered to another city to get water, but there was not enough water for everyone. Still you didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
9 “I made your crops die from heat and disease. I destroyed your gardens and your vineyards. Locusts ate your fig trees and olive trees. But you still didn’t come to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
10 “I sent diseases against you, as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with swords. I took away your horses. I made your camp smell very bad from all the dead bodies, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord said.
11 “I destroyed you as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. And those cities were completely destroyed. You were like a burned stick pulled from a fire, but still you didn’t come back to me for help.” This is what the Lord says.
12 “So, Israel, this is what I will do to you. You people of Israel, prepare to meet your God.”
**Malachi 2:2**
2 Listen to me! Pay attention to what I say. Show honor to my name. If you don’t respect my name, bad things will happen to you. You will say blessings, but they will become curses. I will make bad things happen because you don’t show respect for my name.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
**Malachi 2:14-16**
14 You ask, “Why are our gifts not accepted?” It is because the Lord saw the evil things you did—he is a witness against you. He saw you cheat on your wife. You have been married to her since you were young. She was your girlfriend. Then you made your vows to each other—and she became your wife. 15 God wants husbands and wives to become one body and one spirit. Why? So that they would have holy children and protect that spiritual unity. Don’t cheat on your wife. She has been your wife from the time you were young.
16 The Lord, the God of Israel, says, “I hate divorce, and I hate the cruel things that men do. So protect your spiritual unity. Don’t cheat on your wife.”
**ERV**
**Amos 4:6**
6 “I didn’t give you any food to eat. There was no food in any of your cities, but you didn’t come back to me.” This is what the Lord said.
**Amos 4:6**
6 “I didn’t give you any food to eat. There was no food in any of your cities, but you didn’t come back to me.” This is what the Lord said.
**Sirach 12:9-12**
9 When people are prosperous,
their enemies are in pain,
    and when they meet with adversity,
    even friends will keep away.
10 Don’t ever trust your enemies;
    for just as copper corrodes,
    so their wickedness does as well.
11 If they are humbled
and walk away stooped over,
    look after yourself,
    and keep up your guard against them.
        You will be to them
        as one who polishes a mirror,
        and you will know that it won’t be completely tarnished.
12 Don’t put them next to you;
        they might overthrow you
        and take your place.
    Don’t sit them on your right side,
        since they might seek your seat.
    In the end you will understand my words,
    and you will be pierced by what I’ve said.
**CEB**
**Sirach 12:12 Links with:**
Psalm 1
1 Great blessings belong to those
    who don’t listen to evil advice,
who don’t live like sinners,
    and who don’t join those who make fun of God.
2 Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings
    and think about them day and night.
3 So they grow strong,
    like a tree planted by a stream—
a tree that produces fruit when it should
    and has leaves that never fall.
Everything they do is successful.
4 But the wicked are not like that.
    They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5 When the time for judgment comes, the wicked will be found guilty.
    Sinners have no place among those who do what is right.
6 The Lord shows his people how to live,
    but the wicked have lost their way.
**ERV**
**Sirach 12:13**
**Iniquitous**
13 Who pities a snake charmer
who gets bitten?
    Or anyone who goes near wild beasts?
**ERV**

Golden Text

**Isaiah 51:12**
The Lord says, “I Am The One who comforts you.
So why should you be afraid of people?
They are only humans who live and die like the grass.
**ERV**

Isaiah 51

1 “Some of you people try hard to live good lives. You go to the Lord for help. Listen to me. You should look at Abraham your father. He is the rock you were cut from. 2 Abraham is your father, so look at him. Look at Sarah, who gave birth to you. Abraham was alone when I called him. Then I blessed him, and he began a great family with many descendants.”
3 In the same way, the Lord will bless Zion. He will feel sorry for her and her people, and he will do something great for her. He will turn the desert into a garden. It will be like the Garden of Eden. The land was empty, but it will become like the Lord’s garden. People there will be very happy. They will sing victory songs to thank God for what he did.
4 “My people, listen to me!
    My decisions will be like lights showing people how to live.
5 I will soon save you and show that I am fair.
    I will use my power and judge all nations.
All the faraway places are waiting for me.
    They wait for my power to help them.
6 Look up to the heavens!
    Look around you at the earth below!
The skies will disappear like clouds of smoke.
    The earth will become like worthless old clothes.
The people on earth will die,
    but my salvation will continue forever.
    My goodness will never end.
7 You people who understand goodness should listen to me.
    You people who follow my teachings should hear the things I say.
Don’t be afraid of evil people.
    Don’t let their insults upset you.
8 They will be like old clothes eaten by moths.
    They will be like wool eaten by worms.
But my goodness will last forever.
    My salvation will continue forever and ever.”
**God’s Own Power Will Save His People**
9 Wake up! Wake up!
    Arm of the Lord, clothe yourself with strength.
Show your power the way you did long ago,
    as you have from ancient times.
You are the one who destroyed Rahab.
    You defeated the Dragon.
10 You dried up the water that was in the deep sea.
    You made a road through the deepest parts of the sea.
    Your people crossed over and were saved.
11 The Lord will save his people.
    They will return to Zion with joy.
They will be very happy.
    Their happiness will be like a crown on their heads forever.
They will be singing with joy.
    All sadness will be gone far away.
12 The Lord says, “I am the one who comforts you.
    So why should you be afraid of people?
    They are only humans who live and die like the grass.
13 “I, the Lord, am the one who made you.
    With my power I made the earth
    and spread the sky over the earth.
But you have forgotten me,
    so you are always afraid that angry men will hurt you.
Those men planned to destroy you,
    but where are they now?
14 “People in prison will soon be made free.
    They will not die and rot in prison.
    They will have plenty of food.
15 “I am the Lord your God,
    the one who stirs up the sea and makes the waves roar.”
    The Lord All-Powerful is his name.
16 “My servant, I gave you the words I want you to say, and I covered you with my hands to protect you. I did this to make a new heaven and earth and so that you would say to Israel, ‘You are my people.’”
**God Punished Israel**
17 Wake up! Wake up!
    Jerusalem, get up!
The Lord was very angry with you.
    So you were punished.
It was like a cup of poison you had to drink,
    and you drank it all.
18 Jerusalem had many people, but none of them became leaders for her. None of the children she raised became guides to lead her. 19 Troubles came to you, Jerusalem, in pairs: Your land was destroyed and lies in ruins, and your people suffered from famine and war.
But no one felt sorry for you or showed you mercy. 20 Your people became weak. They fell on the ground and lay there. They were lying on every street corner, like animals caught in a net. They were punished by the Lord’s anger until they could not accept any more punishment. When God said he would give them more punishment, they became very weak.
21 Listen to me, poor Jerusalem. You are weak like a drunk, but you are not drunk from wine. You are weak from that “cup of poison.”
22 Your God is the one who fights for his people. He is your Lord God, and he says to you, “Look, I am taking this ‘cup of poison’ away from you. It is full of my anger, and I am taking it out of your hand. You will not be punished by my anger again. 23 I will now use my anger to punish the people who hurt you. They tried to kill you. They told you, ‘Bow down before us, and we will walk on you.’ They forced you to bow down before them, and then they walked on your back like dirt. You were like a road for them to walk on.”
**ERV**

Baruch 4

1 She is the book of the commandments of God,
    the law that endures forever.
All who hold her fast will live,
    and those who forsake her will die.
2 Turn, O Jacob, and take her;
    walk toward the shining of her light.
3 Do not give your glory to another
    or your advantages to a foreign nation.
4 Happy are we, O Israel,
    for we know what is pleasing to God.
**Encouragement for Israel**
5 Take courage, my people,
    who perpetuate Israel’s name!
6 It was not for destruction
    that you were sold to the nations,
but you were handed over to your enemies
    because you angered God.
7 For you provoked the one who made you
    by sacrificing to demons and not to God.
8 You forgot the everlasting God, who brought you up,
    and you grieved Jerusalem, who reared you.
9 For she saw the wrath that came upon you from God,
    and she said:
“Listen, you neighbors of Zion;
    God has brought great sorrow upon me,
10 for I have seen the exile of my sons and daughters,
    which the Everlasting brought upon them.
11 With joy I nurtured them,
    but I sent them away with weeping and sorrow.
12 Let no one rejoice over me, a widow
    and bereaved of many;
I was left desolate because of the sins of my children,
    because they turned away from the law of God.
13 They had no regard for his statutes;
    they did not walk in the ways of God’s commandments
    or tread the paths his righteousness showed them.
14 Let the neighbors of Zion come;
    remember the capture of my sons and daughters,
    which the Everlasting brought upon them.
15 For he brought a distant nation against them,
    a nation ruthless and of a strange language,
which had no respect for the aged
    and no pity for a child.
16 They led away the widow’s beloved sons
    and bereaved the lonely woman of her daughters.
17 “But I, how can I help you?
18 For he who brought these calamities
    will deliver you from the hand of your enemies.
19 Go, my children, go,
    for I have been left desolate.
20 I have taken off the robe of peace
    and put on sackcloth for my supplication;
    I will cry to the Everlasting all my days.
21 “Take courage, my children, cry to God,
    and he will deliver you from the power and hand of the enemy.
22 For I have put my hope in the Everlasting to save you,
    and joy has come to me from the Holy One,
because of the mercy that will soon come to you
    from your everlasting savior.
23 For I sent you out with sorrow and weeping,
    but God will give you back to me with joy and gladness forever.
24 For as the neighbors of Zion have now seen your capture,
    so they soon will see your salvation by God,
which will come to you with great glory
    and with the splendor of the Everlasting.
25 My children, endure with patience the wrath that has come upon you from God.
Your enemy has overtaken you,
    but you will soon see their destruction
    and will tread upon their necks.
26 My pampered children have traveled rough roads;
    they were taken away like a flock carried off by the enemy.
27 “Take courage, my children, and cry to God,
    for you will be remembered by the one who brought this upon you.
28 For just as you were disposed to go astray from God,
    return with tenfold zeal to seek him.
29 For the one who brought these calamities upon you
    will bring you everlasting joy with your salvation.”
**Jerusalem Is Assured of Help**
30 Take courage, O Jerusalem,
    for the one who named you will comfort you.
31 Wretched will be those who mistreated you
    and who rejoiced at your fall.
32 Wretched will be the cities that your children served as slaves;
    wretched will be the city that received your offspring.
33 For just as she rejoiced at your fall
    and was glad for your ruin,
    so she will be grieved at her own desolation.
34 I will take away her pride in her great population,
    and her insolence will be turned to grief.
35 For fire will come upon her from the Everlasting for many days,
    and for a long time she will be inhabited by demons.
36 Look toward the east, O Jerusalem,
    and see the joy that is coming to you from God.
37 Look, your children are coming, whom you sent away;
    they are coming, gathered from east and west,
at the word of the Holy One,
    rejoicing in the glory of God.
**NRSVUE**

Revelations 22

**1-5** Then the Angel showed me Water-of-Life River, crystal bright. It flowed from the Throne of God and the Lamb, right down the middle of the street. The Tree of Life was planted on each side of the River, producing twelve kinds of fruit, a ripe fruit each month. The leaves of the Tree are for healing the nations. Never again will anything be cursed. The Throne of God and of the Lamb is at the center. His servants will offer God service—worshiping, they’ll look on his face, their foreheads mirroring God. Never again will there be any night. No one will need lamplight or sunlight. The shining of God, the Master, is all the light anyone needs. And they will rule with him age after age after age.
**Don’t Put It Away on the Shelf**
**6-7** The Angel said to me, “These are dependable and accurate words, every one. The God and Master of the spirits of the prophets sent his Angel to show his servants what must take place, and soon. And tell them, ‘Yes, I’m on my way!’ Blessed be the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
**8-9** I, John, saw all these things with my own eyes, heard them with my ears. Immediately when I heard and saw, I fell on my face to worship at the feet of the Angel who laid it all out before me. He objected, “No you don’t! I’m a servant just like you and your companions, the prophets, and all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”
**10-11** The Angel continued, “Don’t seal the words of the prophecy of this book; don’t put it away on the shelf. Time is just about up. Let evildoers do their worst and the dirty-minded go all out in pollution, but let the righteous maintain a straight course and the holy continue on in holiness.”
* * *
**12-13** “Yes, I’m on my way! I’ll be there soon! I’m bringing my payroll with me. I’ll pay all people in full for their life’s work. I’m A to Z, the First and the Final, Beginning and Conclusion.
**14-15** “How blessed are those who wash their robes! The Tree of Life is theirs for good, and they’ll walk through the gates to the City. But outside for good are the filthy curs: sorcerers, fornicators, murderers, idolaters—all who love and live lies.
16 “I, Jesus, sent my Angel to testify to these things for the churches. I’m the Root and Branch of David, the Bright Morning Star.”
17 “Come!” say the Spirit and the Bride.
Whoever hears, echo, “Come!”
Is anyone thirsty? Come!
All who will, come and drink,
Drink freely of the Water of Life!
**18-19** I give fair warning to all who hear the words of the prophecy of this book: If you add to the words of this prophecy, God will add to your life the disasters written in this book; if you subtract from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will subtract your part from the Tree of Life and the Holy City that are written in this book.
20 He who testifies to all these things says it again: “I’m on my way! I’ll be there soon!”
Yes! Come, Master Jesus!
21 The grace of the Master Jesus be with all of you. Oh, Yes!
**MSG**

**2 Esdras 8:43** because the farmer’s seed doesn’t grow up, perhaps because it didn’t receive your rain in season; or if it was spoiled by abundance of rain, it perishes.
**2 Esdras 8:43 links with:**
**St John 15:1-2** “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vineyard keeper. 2 He removes any of my branches that don’t produce fruit, and he trims any branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit.
**2 Esdras 8:52** For you, paradise is opened, the tree of life is planted, the future time is prepared, abundance is made ready, the city is built, rest is appointed, goodness is perfected, and wisdom is perfected in advance.
**2 Esdras 8:52 links with:**
**Hebrews 4:9-11** So you see that a sabbath rest is left open for God’s people. 10 The one who entered God’s rest also rested from his works, just as God rested from his own.
11 Therefore, let’s make every effort to enter that rest so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience,
**2 Esdras 8:56** They also received freedom, but they despised the Most High, spoke ill of his Law, and abandoned his ways.
**2 Esdras 8:56 links with:**
**Colossians 2:16** So don’t let anyone judge you about eating or drinking or about a festival, a new moon observance, or sabbaths.
**2 Esdras 8:58** They said in their heart that there is no God, even though they knew that they would have to die.
**2 Esdras 8:58 links with:**
**Psalm 53:1** So don’t let anyone judge you about eating or drinking or about a festival, a new moon observance, or sabbaths.
**And with:**
**Psalm 14:1** Fools say in their hearts, There is no God. They are corrupt and do evil things; not one of them does anything good.
**2 Esdras 8:59** Just as the things that are predicted will receive you, so also the thirst and torment that are prepared will receive them. The Most High didn’t intend for human beings to be destroyed,
**2 Esdras 8:59 links with:**
**2 Peter 3:8-9** Don’t let it escape your notice, dear friends, that with the Lord a single day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a single day. 9 The Lord isn’t slow to keep his promise, as some think of slowness, but he is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish but all to change their hearts and lives.
**2 Esdras 8:63**
63 I answered, “Look now, Lord, you have shown me a multitude of signs that you are about to perform in the last times, but you haven’t shown me when they will take place.”
**2 Esdras 8:63** **links with:**
**Matthew 24:36** But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
**2 Esdras 9:7** All this—who will be saved, who will be able to escape through their works or through the faith with which they believe—
**2 Esdras 9:7 links with:**
**James 2:26** For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
**2 Esdras 9:15** “I said before and now will say again that those who perish are more numerous than those who are saved,
**2 Esdras 9:15 links with:**
**Matthew 22:14** “Many people are invited, but few people are chosen.”
**And with:**
**Matthew 7:21** “Not everybody who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter.
**Additional Key Verses:**
**2 Esdras 9:18, 25, 33**
18 There was a time in this world—when I was preparing for those who now are, before the world in which they would dwell was made for them—no one opposed me, because no one existed yet.
25 Pray to the Most High without pause, and I will come and talk to you.”
33 Yet those who received it perished, not keeping what was sown in them.
**Isaiah 42:1** But here is my servant, the one I uphold; my chosen, who brings me delight.
I’ve put my spirit upon him; he will bring justice to the nations.
**Isaiah 42:1 links with:**
**Matthew 3:17** A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him.”
Amiiiin💖

Isaiah 52

KJV

1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

2 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

3 For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

4 For thus saith the Lord God, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

5 Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.

9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

10 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.

12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward.

13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

KJV

Isaiah 52

ERV

1 Wake up! Wake up!
Zion, clothe yourself with strength. Holy city of Jerusalem, stand up and put on your beautiful clothes! Those filthy foreigners will not enter you again.
2 Jerusalem, get up and shake off the dust!
Daughter Zion, you were a prisoner, but take the chains off your neck.
3 The Lord says, “You were not sold for money. So I will not use money to set you free.”

4 The Lord God says, “First, my people went down to Egypt and became slaves. Then Assyria made them slaves. 5 Now look what has happened. Another nation has taken my people,” says the Lord. “That country did not pay to take my people, but they rule over them and laugh at them, and they say bad things about me all the time.” The Lord is the one saying these things.

6 “This happened so that my people will learn about me. My people will know who I am. My people will know my name, and they will know that I Am He is speaking to them.”

7 How wonderful it is to see someone coming over the hills to tell good news. How wonderful to hear him announce, “There is peace! We have been saved!” and to hear him say to Zion, “Your God is the king!”

8 The city guards are shouting. They are all rejoicing together. They can all see the Lord returning to Zion.

9 Ruins of Jerusalem, be happy again! Rejoice because the Lord comforted his people and set Jerusalem free.
10 The Lord showed his holy strength to all the nations. All the faraway countries saw how God saved his people.

11 So leave Babylon! Leave that place! Priests, you carry the things that belong to the Lord.
So make yourselves pure. Don’t touch anything that is not pure.
12 You will leave Babylon, but they will not force you to leave in a hurry. You will not be forced to run away. The Lord will be in front of you. The God of Israel will be behind you.

13 The Lord says, “Look, my servant will succeed in what he has to do, and he will be raised to a position of high honor. 14 It is true that many were shocked when they saw him. He was beaten so badly that he no longer looked like a man. 15 But it is also true that many nations will be amazed at him. Kings will look at him and be unable to speak. They will see what they had never been told. They will understand what they had never heard.”

ERV

Isaiah 42

KJV

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

5 Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

8 I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

10 Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.

11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

12 Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands.

13 The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.

14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.

15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.

16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.

18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.

19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant?

20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.

21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?

24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.

25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

KJV

Isaiah 42

ERV

1 “Here is my servant, the one I support. He is the one I have chosen, and I am very pleased with him. I have filled him with my Spirit, and he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry out or shout or try to make himself heard in the streets.
3 He will not break even a crushed reed. He will not put out even the weakest flame. He will bring true justice.
4 He will not grow weak or give up until he has brought justice to the world. And people in faraway places will hope to receive his teachings.”

5 The Lord, the true God, said these things. (He created the sky and spread it out over the earth. He formed the earth and everything it produced. He breathes life into all the people on earth. He gives a spirit to everyone who walks on the earth.)

6 “I, the Lord, was right to call you. I will hold your hand and protect you. You will be the sign of my agreement with the people. You will be a light for the other nations.
7 You will make the blind able to see. You will free those who are held as captives. You will lead those who live in darkness out of their prison.

8 “I am Yahweh.
That is my name.
I will not give my glory to another. I will not let statues take the praise that should be mine.
9 In the past, I told you what would happen, and it happened! Now I am telling you something new, and I am telling you now, before it happens.”

10 Sing a new song to the Lord; praise him everywhere on earth— all you who sail on the seas, everything in the sea, and all you people in faraway places!
11 Deserts and cities, villages of Kedar, praise the Lord! People living in Sela, sing for joy! Sing from the top of your mountain.
12 Give glory to the Lord.
Praise him, all you People in faraway lands!
13 The Lord will go out like a strong soldier. Like a man going into battle, he will be full of excitement. He will shout with a loud cry, and he will defeat his enemies.

14 “For a long time I have said nothing. I have controlled myself and kept quiet. But now I will cry out like a woman giving birth. My breathing is getting faster and louder.
15 I will destroy the hills and mountains. I will dry up all the plants that grow there. I will change rivers to dry land and dry up pools of water.
16 Then I will lead the blind along a path they never knew to places where they have never been before.
I will change darkness into light for them. I will make the rough ground smooth. I will do these things for them; I will not abandon my people. 17 But some of them have left me. They say to their gold statues, ‘You are my gods.’ They trust their false gods, but they will be disappointed and shamed. 18 “Deaf people, listen to me! Blind people, look and see!
19 In all the world, no one is more blind than my servant. No one is more deaf than my messenger.
No one is more blind than my chosen people, the servant of the Lord.
20 My people see what they should do, but they do not obey me. They can hear with their ears, but they refuse to listen to me.” 21 The Lord wants them to do what is right. He wants them to honor his wonderful teachings.
22 But look at his people Others have defeated them and have stolen from them. The young men are afraid. They are locked in prisons. People have taken advantage of them, and there is no one to protect them. Others take their money, and there is no one to say, “Give it back!” 23 Will any of you pay attention to this warning? Will you ever learn to listen? 24 Who let Jacob be defeated? Who let others take what belonged to Israel? The Lord allowed them to do this. We sinned against him, so he let people take away our wealth. The people did not want to live the way he wanted. They refused to listen to his teaching. 25 So he poured out his anger on them and brought wars against them. It was as if there were fires all around them, but they didn’t know what was happening. It was as if they were burning, but they didn’t try to understand.

ERV

2 Esdras 7

**CEB Version**
1 When I finished speaking these words, the angel who had been sent to me on the previous nights was sent to me again. 2 He said to me, “Rise, Ezra, and hear the words I have come to speak to you.”
3 I said, “Speak, my Lord.”
He said to me: “A certain sea is set in a spacious place so that it can be deep and vast, 4 but its entrance is set in a narrow place, like a river. 5 If anyone wants to go to the sea to see it or to rule over it, how can he come into the broad place unless he passes through the narrow? 6 Another instance: A city is built and positioned on a broad plain, full of all good things. 7 Its entrance, however, is narrow and located on a precipice so that there is fire on the right and deep water on the left. 8 There is a single path located between them, between the fire and the water, and the path has only room for human footprints. 9 If that city is given to someone as an inheritance, if the heir doesn’t pass through the danger, how will the heir receive the inheritance?”
10 I said, “Indeed, Lord.”
He said to me: “So also is Israel’s portion. I indeed made the world on account of them. 11 When Adam transgressed my ordinances, what had been made was judged, 12 and the entrances of this world were made narrow, sorrowful, and troublesome. They are few and bad, full of dangers and involving people in great hardships. 13 The entrances of the greater world, however, are spacious and secure, and they generate the fruit of immortality. 14 If those who live don’t enter these narrow and empty places, they can’t receive the things that are in store. 15 Therefore, why are you disturbed, being corruptible, and why are you upset, being mortal? 16 Why haven’t you focused your mind on what is still to come, rather than on what is present?”
17 I answered: “Supreme Lord, you ordained in your Law that the just will inherit these things, but the impious will perish. 18 The just then can tolerate the narrow, hoping for the spacious, but those who have acted impiously endure the narrow and won’t see the spacious.”
19 He said to me: “You aren’t a higher judge than God, nor more intelligent than the Most High. 20 Better that many of those now alive should perish than that the Law of God, which is laid out before them, be disregarded. 21 God commanded those who come into the world, after they came, what they needed to do to live, and what laws they should observe to avoid punishment. 22 But they weren’t persuaded and opposed him. They filled their heads with worthless thoughts, 23 and they invented excuses for their sins. They emphatically denied that the Most High exists, and they didn’t learn his ways. 24 They despised his Law and rejected his covenants. They weren’t faithful to his statutes, and didn’t perform the works he prescribed. 25 Therefore, Ezra, empty things are for the empty and full things for the full.
26 “Look! The time is coming when the signs appear that I told you about in advance, and the city will appear, appearing as a bride, and the land that is now hidden will be openly displayed. 27 Everyone who is rescued from the evils foretold will see my wonders. 28 My Son the anointed one will be revealed along with those who are with him, and those who remain will rejoice for four hundred years.
29 “After these years, my Son the anointed one and all who have human breath will die. 30 The world will be turned back to primeval silence for seven days, as in the earliest beginnings so that no one is left alive. 31 After seven days, the world that isn’t yet awake will be roused, and the corrupt world will die. 32 The earth will give back those who sleep, and the dust will give back in silence those who dwell in it, and the resting places will give back the souls that have been entrusted to them. 33 The Most High will be revealed on the throne of judgment, and mercy will pass away. Patience will be withdrawn, 34 and only judgment will remain. Truth will arise, faith will recover strength, 35 and works will have their consequences. Reward will come about, righteous deeds will awake, and unrighteous deeds won’t sleep.
36 “The lake of torment will appear, and across from it will be the place of rest. Hell’s furnace will be displayed and across from it the delightful paradise. 37 Then the Most High will speak to the nations that have been raised: ‘Look and understand whom it is you have denied, whom you haven’t served, and whose ordinances you have despised. 38 Look to one side and the other: Here is delight and rest, and over there are fire and torments.’ He will say these things to them on the Judgment Day, 39 a day that has no sun or moon or stars, 40 no cloud or thunder or lightning, no wind or water or air, no darkness or evening or morning, 41 no summer or spring or heat, no winter or frost or cold, no hail or rain or dew, 42 no noon or night or early dawn, no shining or brightness or light, but only the splendor of the light of the Most High. All will then begin to see what things are in store for them. 43 It will take a period of about a week of years. 44 This is my judgment and the arrangements made for it. I have shown this to you alone.”
45 I replied: “I said before, Lord, and I say now: Privileged are those now living who observe what you have commanded. 46 But what of those who were the subject of my prayer? Who is there of all the living who hasn’t sinned, or who among those who have been born hasn’t transgressed your covenant? 47 Now I see that the world to come will bring delight to few but torment to many. 48 The inclination to do evil grew in us. It alienated us and led us into corruption and the paths that lead to death. It showed us the way to damnation and removed us far from life—and this happened not to a few people but to nearly all who were created.”
49 He replied to me: “Listen to me, and I will instruct you and will advise you yet again. 50 Because of this the Most High made not one world but two. 51 Regarding what you said about the just being not many but few and the wicked being numerous, think about this: 52 If you have very few choice stones, will you add lead and clay to their number?”
53 I said, “Lord, who would do such a thing?”
54 He said to me, “Not only this, but ask the earth and it will inform you; flatter it and it will tell you. 55 Say to it: You create gold, silver, bronze, iron, and also lead and clay. 56 But silver is more numerous than gold, and bronze than silver, and iron than bronze, lead than iron, and clay than lead. 57 Decide yourself then which things are precious and desirable, what is abundant or what is rare.”
58 I said, “Supreme Lord, that which is abundant is cheaper, because what is more rare is valuable.”
59 He replied to me: “Reflect on what you have thought. One who has what is scarce rejoices more than one who has what is abundant. 60 So also will be the judgment I have promised. I will rejoice over the few who will be saved, because they are the ones who made my honor to prevail now and through whom my reputation is celebrated. 61 I will have no regrets over the multitude who perish, for they are even now like vapor, the equivalent of flame or smoke; they burn and flare up and are quenched.”
62 I replied: “Earth, what have you brought to birth? If consciousness is made of dust like other creatures, 63 it would have been better that the dust itself had never been born, so that consciousness shouldn’t be made from it. 64 But now consciousness grows with us, and due to this we are tortured, because we perish and are aware of the fact. 65 Let the human race lament and let the wild beasts rejoice. Let all people who are born lament, but let four-footed animals and flocks be happy! 66 It is much better for them than for us. They don’t expect judgment. They don’t know about either the torments or the deliverance that you promise after death. 67 But what does it profit us that we will be preserved, only to be tortured with torments? 68 All who are born are mixed up with violations, full of sins, and weighed down with crimes. 69 If we were not to come into judgment after death, it would perhaps have been better for us.”
70 He replied to me: “When the Most High made the world and Adam and all who are descended from him, he first prepared the judgment and the things that pertain to the judgment. 71 Now understand on the basis of your own words—because you said, ‘Consciousness grows with us.’ 72 Those who sojourn on earth will be tormented precisely because, although they were aware, they committed violations. Although they received the commandments, they didn’t keep them. When they did follow the Law, they falsified its contents. 73 What will they have to say in the judgment? How will they respond in the last times? 74 How long a time the Most High has put up with those who inhabit the world! But this wasn’t for their sakes; rather for the sake of the schedule that he has established for the unfolding of the times.”
75 I replied: “If I have found favor with you, Lord, show this also to your servant: After death, as soon as each person gives up his or her soul, will we be kept asleep until the time comes for you to begin to renew creation, or will we be tormented right away?”
76 He replied to me: “I will show you this too. But don’t associate yourself with those who have shown contempt, and don’t count yourself among those who are tormented. 77 You have a treasure of works stored up with the Most High, but it won’t be shown to you until the last times.
78 “Now a word about death: When the final sentence goes forth from the Most High that a person should die, when the spirit recedes from the body so that it may be sent again to him who gave it, the first thing is to stand in awe before the glory of the Most High. 79 If the spirit belonged to one of those who showed contempt and didn’t keep the Most High’s way, if it was one of those who despised his Law and who hates those who fear God, 80 these spirits don’t go into their dwellings but will immediately wander about in torments. They will constantly grieve and be sorrowful for seven reasons:
81 The first reason—because they despised the Law of the Most High.
82 The second reason—because they can’t now effectively change their hearts and lives so that they might live.
83 The third reason—because they will see the reward laid up for those who have believed the Most High’s testimonies.
84 The fourth reason—because they will consider the torment laid up for themselves in the last days.
85 The fifth reason—because they will see the dwelling places of others, guarded by angels in great silence.
86 The sixth reason—because they see the torment coming upon them from now on.
87 The seventh reason, which is greater than all the previously mentioned reasons—because they will melt away in confusion and be consumed in disgrace.
“They will wither in fear when they see the glory of the Most High, before whom they sinned when they were alive and before whom they are to be judged in the last times.
88 “The arrangement for those who kept God’s ways is this when they begin to be separated from the corruptible body. 89 In the time of their exile here they labored hard to serve the Most High. Every hour they endured danger so that they might keep the Law of the lawgiver perfectly. 90 Therefore, this is the word about them: 91 First, they will see with great joy the glory of him who receives them. They will have rest on account of seven orders:
92 The first order—because they have struggled hard to overcome the evil thought fashioned within them so that it wouldn’t lead them astray from life to death.
93 The second order—because they see the panic in which the souls of the wicked wander and the punishment that awaits them.
94 The third order—seeing the testimony that their maker has testified on their behalf, because when they were alive, they kept the Law that was given through faith.
95 The fourth order—understanding the peaceful rest that they now enjoy, gathered in their resting chambers, guarded by angels in deep silence, and understanding the glory that awaits them in their last days.
96 The fifth order—rejoicing at how they have now escaped the corruptible and how they will have a future inheritance; moreover, seeing the narrow space, full of labor, from which they have been freed, and the spacious place they are about to receive and enjoy, now that they are immortal.
97 The sixth order—when they are shown how their face begins to shine like the sun and how they begin to be like the stars, as beings of incorruptible light.
98 The seventh order, which is greater than all those mentioned—because they will rejoice with confidence and will trust without being disappointed and will rejoice without fear; for they hasten to see the face of him whom they served when they were alive and from whom they are about to receive a reward now that they are glorified.
99 “This is the order of the souls of the just, as is announced immediately, and those previously mentioned are the ways of torment that those who paid no heed will suffer.”
**100** I answered: “Will time, therefore, be given to souls after they are separated from the bodies to see what you told me?”
**101** He said to me: “They will be free for seven days so that they may see in those seven days the things that have been foretold. After this, they will be gathered in their dwelling places.”
**102** I answered: “If you look on me with favor, show your servant further whether on the Judgment Day the just will be able to seek mercy for the wicked or intercede for them with the Most High. **103** Will parents be allowed to intercede for children, children for parents, siblings for each other, relatives for those close to them, faithful ones for those most dear to them?”
**104** He replied to me: “Because I do indeed favor you, I will also show you this. The Judgment Day is decisive. It reveals the seal of truth to all. Even in the here and now a parent doesn’t send a child, or a child the parent, or a master his servant, or a faithful friend a dear confidant, so that the one should understand or sleep or eat or be taken care of in the other person’s place. **105** Just so, no one will ever intercede for another; everyone will then bear his or her own deeds of justice or injustice.”
**106** I answered: “How then do we find that Abraham first interceded for the people of Sodom; and Moses for our ancestors who sinned in the desert; **107** and Joshua, who came after him, for Israel, in the days of Achan; **108** and Samuel in the days of Saul; and David for the plague; and Solomon for those in the sanctuary; **109** and Elijah for those who received the rain, and for a dead person that he might live; **110** and Hezekiah for the people in the days of Sennacherib, and many for many people? **111** If, therefore, the just prayed for the wicked when corruption had increased and injustice had multiplied, why won’t it be the same then?”
**112** He answered me: “The present world isn’t the end. Glory does not continuously remain in it, and so those who were able prayed for the weak. **113** But the Judgment Day will be the end of this time and the beginning of the future, endless time in which decay is no more, **114** indulgence is undone, unbelief is cut off, but justice is fully grown, and truth arisen. **115** Therefore, no one will then be able to have mercy on someone who has been condemned in the judgment, nor to overwhelm one who has conquered.”
**116** I answered: “This is my first and last word: It would have been better if the earth hadn’t brought forth Adam, or when it had brought him forth, that it had forced him not to sin. **117** What does it benefit everyone to live in sadness during the present time, and when dead to expect punishment? **118** Adam, what have you done?! If you sinned, the downfall wasn’t yours alone but also ours who are descended from you. **119** What benefit is it to us that we are promised an immortal time, but we have done works that bring death? **120** What good is it to us that everlasting hope has been predicted for us, but we have utterly failed? **121** What good is it that safe and healthy dwelling places are reserved, but we have behaved badly? **122** What good is it that the glory of the Most High will protect those who have conducted themselves decently, but we have conducted ourselves indecently? **123** What good is it that paradise will be revealed, whose fruit remains uncorrupted, in which there is plenty and healing, **124** but we won’t enter it, for we have visited unseemly places? **125** What good is it that the faces of those who practiced abstinence will shine brighter than stars when our faces are blacker than darkness? **126** While we were alive and doing evil, we didn’t think about what we would suffer after death.”
**127** He answered: “These are the rules for the contest in which everyone born on earth takes part: **128** Those who are defeated will suffer what you said, but those who conquer will receive what I say. **129** This is the path that Moses declared when he was alive, speaking to the people, *Choose life for yourself…* *so that you may live.* **130** But they didn’t believe him or the prophets who came after him. They didn’t even believe me when I spoke to them. **131** There won’t be sadness over their destruction, as there will be joy over those for whom salvation is sure.”
**132** I answered: “I know, Lord, that the Most High is now called merciful, since he has mercy on those who haven’t yet come into the world. He is called **133** gracious, since he has mercy on those who convert to his Law, **134** and patient, because he shows patience to those who have sinned, since they are his own creation. **135** I know that he is called generous, because he wants to give gifts rather than demand them, **136** and very merciful, because he multiplies mercies more and more to those now alive and those who went before and those who are to come in the future. **137** If, indeed, he hadn’t multiplied them, the world with those who live in it would not now exist. **138** He is called giver, because if he didn’t give out of his own goodness some relief from their sins to people who committed sins, not one ten-thousandth part of humanity could live. **139** He is called judge, because unless he forgave those created by his word and wiped out the multitude of their offenses, **140** perhaps only a very few would be left from the innumerable multitude.”
**CEB**

2 Esdras 7

**KJV Version**
1And when I had made an end of speaking these words, there was sent unto me the angel which had been sent unto me the nights afore:
2And he said unto me, Up, Esdras, and hear the words that I am come to tell thee.
3And I said, Speak on, my God. Then said he unto me, The sea is set in a wide place, that it might be deep and great.
4But put the case the entrance were narrow, and like a river;
5Who then could go into the sea to look upon it, and to rule it? if he went not through the narrow, how could he come into the broad?
6There is also another thing; A city is builded, and set upon a broad field, and is full of all good things:
7The entrance thereof is narrow, and is set in a dangerous place to fall, like as if there were a fire on the right hand, and on the left a deep water:
8And one only path between them both, even between the fire and the water, so small that there could but one man go there at once.
9If this city now were given unto a man for an inheritance, if he never shall pass the danger set before it, how shall he receive this inheritance?
10And I said, It is so, Lord. Then said he unto me, Even so also is Israel's portion.
11Because for their sakes I made the world: and when Adam transgressed my statutes, then was decreed that now is done.
12Then were the entrances of this world made narrow, full of sorrow and travail: they are but few and evil, full of perils,: and very painful.
13For the entrances of the elder world were wide and sure, and brought immortal fruit.
14If then they that live labour not to enter these strait and vain things, they can never receive those that are laid up for them.
15Now therefore why disquietest thou thyself, seeing thou art but a corruptible man? and why art thou moved, whereas thou art but mortal?
16Why hast thou not considered in thy mind this thing that is to come, rather than that which is present?
17Then answered I and said, O Lord that bearest rule, thou hast ordained in thy law, that the righteous should inherit these things, but that the ungodly should perish.
18Nevertheless the righteous shall suffer strait things, and hope for wide: for they that have done wickedly have suffered the strait things, and yet shall not see the wide.
19And he said unto me. There is no judge above God, and none that hath understanding above the Highest.
20For there be many that perish in this life, because they despise the law of God that is set before them.
21For God hath given strait commandment to such as came, what they should do to live, even as they came, and what they should observe to avoid punishment.
22Nevertheless they were not obedient unto him; but spake against him, and imagined vain things;
23And deceived themselves by their wicked deeds; and said of the most High, that he is not; and knew not his ways:
24But his law have they despised, and denied his covenants; in his statutes have they not been faithful, and have not performed his works.
25And therefore, Esdras, for the empty are empty things, and for the full are the full things.
26Behold, the time shall come, that these tokens which I have told thee shall come to pass, and the bride shall appear, and she coming forth shall be seen, that now is withdrawn from the earth.
27And whosoever is delivered from the foresaid evils shall see my wonders.
28For my son Jesus shall be revealed with those that be with him, and they that remain shall rejoice within four hundred years.
29After these years shall my son Christ die, and all men that have life.
30And the world shall be turned into the old silence seven days, like as in the former judgments: so that no man shall remain.
31And after seven days the world, that yet awaketh not, shall be raised up, and that shall die that is corrupt
32And the earth shall restore those that are asleep in her, and so shall the dust those that dwell in silence, and the secret places shall deliver those souls that were committed unto them.
33And the most High shall appear upon the seat of judgment, and misery shall pass away, and the long suffering shall have an end:
34But judgment only shall remain, truth shall stand, and faith shall wax strong:
35And the work shall follow, and the reward shall be shewed, and the good deeds shall be of force, and wicked deeds shall bear no rule.
36Then said I, Abraham prayed first for the Sodomites, and Moses for the fathers that sinned in the wilderness:
37And Jesus after him for Israel in the time of Achan:
38And Samuel and David for the destruction: and Solomon for them that should come to the sanctuary:
39And Helias for those that received rain; and for the dead, that he might live:
40And Ezechias for the people in the time of Sennacherib: and many for many.
41Even so now, seeing corruption is grown up, and wickedness increased, and the righteous have prayed for the ungodly: wherefore shall it not be so now also?
42He answered me, and said, This present life is not the end where much glory doth abide; therefore have they prayed for the weak.
43But the day of doom shall be the end of this time, and the beginning of the immortality for to come, wherein corruption is past,
44Intemperance is at an end, infidelity is cut off, righteousness is grown, and truth is sprung up.
45Then shall no man be able to save him that is destroyed, nor to oppress him that hath gotten the victory.
46I answered then and said, This is my first and last saying, that it had been better not to have given the earth unto Adam: or else, when it was given him, to have restrained him from sinning.
47For what profit is it for men now in this present time to live in heaviness, and after death to look for punishment?
48O thou Adam, what hast thou done? for though it was thou that sinned, thou art not fallen alone, but we all that come of thee.
49For what profit is it unto us, if there be promised us an immortal time, whereas we have done the works that bring death?
50And that there is promised us an everlasting hope, whereas ourselves being most wicked are made vain?
51And that there are laid up for us dwellings of health and safety, whereas we have lived wickedly?
52And that the glory of the most High is kept to defend them which have led a wary life, whereas we have walked in the most wicked ways of all?
53And that there should be shewed a paradise, whose fruit endureth for ever, wherein is security and medicine, since we shall not enter into it?
54(For we have walked in unpleasant places.)
55And that the faces of them which have used abstinence shall shine above the stars, whereas our faces shall be blacker than darkness?
56For while we lived and committed iniquity, we considered not that we should begin to suffer for it after death.
57Then answered he me, and said, This is the condition of the battle, which man that is born upon the earth shall fight;
58That, if he be overcome, he shall suffer as thou hast said: but if he get the victory, he shall receive the thing that I say.
59For this is the life whereof Moses spake unto the people while he lived, saying, Choose thee life, that thou mayest live.
60Nevertheless they believed not him, nor yet the prophets after him, no nor me which have spoken unto them,
61That there should not be such heaviness in their destruction, as shall be joy over them that are persuaded to salvation.
62I answered then, and said, I know, Lord, that the most High is called merciful, in that he hath mercy upon them which are not yet come into the world,
63And upon those also that turn to his law;
64And that he is patient, and long suffereth those that have sinned, as his creatures;
65And that he is bountiful, for he is ready to give where it needeth;
66And that he is of great mercy, for he multiplieth more and more mercies to them that are present, and that are past, and also to them which are to come.
67For if he shall not multiply his mercies, the world would not continue with them that inherit therein.
68And he pardoneth; for if he did not so of his goodness, that they which have committed iniquities might be eased of them, the ten thousandth part of men should not remain living.
69And being judge, if he should not forgive them that are cured with his word, and put out the multitude of contentions,
70There should be very few left peradventure in an innumerable multitude.
**KJV**

2 Esdras 8

KJV Version

1And he answered me, saying, The most High hath made this world for many, but the world to come for few.

2I will tell thee a similitude, Esdras; As when thou askest the earth, it shall say unto thee, that it giveth much mould whereof earthen vessels are made, but little dust that gold cometh of: even so is the course of this present world.

3There be many created, but few shall be saved.

4So answered I and said, Swallow then down, O my soul, understanding, and devour wisdom.

5For thou hast agreed to give ear, and art willing to prophesy: for thou hast no longer space than only to live.

6O Lord, if thou suffer not thy servant, that we may pray before thee, and thou give us seed unto our heart, and culture to our understanding, that there may come fruit of it; how shall each man live that is corrupt, who beareth the place of a man?

7For thou art alone, and we all one workmanship of thine hands, like as thou hast said.

8For when the body is fashioned now in the mother's womb, and thou givest it members, thy creature is preserved in fire and water, and nine months doth thy workmanship endure thy creature which is created in her.

9But that which keepeth and is kept shall both be preserved: and when the time cometh, the womb preserved delivereth up the things that grew in it.

10For thou hast commanded out of the parts of the body, that is to say, out of the breasts, milk to be given, which is the fruit of the breasts,

11That the thing which is fashioned may be nourished for a time, till thou disposest it to thy mercy.

12Thou broughtest it up with thy righteousness, and nurturedst it in thy law, and reformedst it with thy judgment.

13And thou shalt mortify it as thy creature, and quicken it as thy work.

14If therefore thou shalt destroy him which with so great labour was fashioned, it is an easy thing to be ordained by thy commandment, that the thing which was made might be preserved.

15Now therefore, Lord, I will speak; touching man in general, thou knowest best; but touching thy people, for whose sake I am sorry;

16And for thine inheritance, for whose cause I mourn; and for Israel, for whom I am heavy; and for Jacob, for whose sake I am troubled;

17Therefore will I begin to pray before thee for myself and for them: for I see the falls of us that dwell in the land.

18But I have heard the swiftness of the judge which is to come.

19Therefore hear my voice, and understand my words, and I shall speak before thee. This is the beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up: and I said,

20O Lord, thou that dwellest in everlastingness which beholdest from above things in the heaven and in the air;

21Whose throne is inestimable; whose glory may not be comprehended; before whom the hosts of angels stand with trembling,

22Whose service is conversant in wind and fire; whose word is true, and sayings constant; whose commandment is strong, and ordinance fearful;

23Whose look drieth up the depths, and indignation maketh the mountains to melt away; which the truth witnesseth:

24O hear the prayer of thy servant, and give ear to the petition of thy creature.

25For while I live I will speak, and so long as I have understanding I will answer.

26O look not upon the sins of thy people; but on them which serve thee in truth.

27Regard not the wicked inventions of the heathen, but the desire of those that keep thy testimonies in afflictions.

28Think not upon those that have walked feignedly before thee: but remember them, which according to thy will have known thy fear.

29Let it not be thy will to destroy them which have lived like beasts; but to look upon them that have clearly taught thy law.

30Take thou no indignation at them which are deemed worse than beasts; but love them that always put their trust in thy righteousness and glory.

31For we and our fathers do languish of such diseases: but because of us sinners thou shalt be called merciful.

32For if thou hast a desire to have mercy upon us, thou shalt be called merciful, to us namely, that have no works of righteousness.

33For the just, which have many good works laid up with thee, shall out of their own deeds receive reward.

34For what is man, that thou shouldest take displeasure at him? or what is a corruptible generation, that thou shouldest be so bitter toward it?

35For in truth them is no man among them that be born, but he hath dealt wickedly; and among the faithful there is none which hath not done amiss.

36For in this, O Lord, thy righteousness and thy goodness shall be declared, if thou be merciful unto them which have not the confidence of good works.

37Then answered he me, and said, Some things hast thou spoken aright, and according unto thy words it shall be.

38For indeed I will not think on the disposition of them which have sinned before death, before judgment, before destruction:

39But I will rejoice over the disposition of the righteous, and I will remember also their pilgrimage, and the salvation, and the reward, that they shall have.

40Like as I have spoken now, so shall it come to pass.

41For as the husbandman soweth much seed upon the ground, and planteth many trees, and yet the thing that is sown good in his season cometh not up, neither doth all that is planted take root: even so is it of them that are sown in the world; they shall not all be saved.

42I answered then and said, If I have found grace, let me speak.

43Like as the husbandman's seed perisheth, if it come not up, and receive not thy rain in due season; or if there come too much rain, and corrupt it:

44Even so perisheth man also, which is formed with thy hands, and is called thine own image, because thou art like unto him, for whose sake thou hast made all things, and likened him unto the husbandman's seed.

45Be not wroth with us but spare thy people, and have mercy upon thine own inheritance: for thou art merciful unto thy creature.

46Then answered he me, and said, Things present are for the present, and things to cometh for such as be to come.

47For thou comest far short that thou shouldest be able to love my creature more than I: but I have ofttimes drawn nigh unto thee, and unto it, but never to the unrighteous.

48In this also thou art marvellous before the most High:

49In that thou hast humbled thyself, as it becometh thee, and hast not judged thyself worthy to be much glorified among the righteous.

50For many great miseries shall be done to them that in the latter time shall dwell in the world, because they have walked in great pride.

51But understand thou for thyself, and seek out the glory for such as be like thee.

52For unto you is paradise opened, the tree of life is planted, the time to come is prepared, plenteousness is made ready, a city is builded, and rest is allowed, yea, perfect goodness and wisdom.

53The root of evil is sealed up from you, weakness and the moth is hid from you, and corruption is fled into hell to be forgotten:

54Sorrows are passed, and in the end is shewed the treasure of immortality.

55And therefore ask thou no more questions concerning the multitude of them that perish.

56For when they had taken liberty, they despised the most High, thought scorn of his law, and forsook his ways.

57Moreover they have trodden down his righteous,

58And said in their heart, that there is no God; yea, and that knowing they must die.

59For as the things aforesaid shalt receive you, so thirst and pain are prepared for them: for it was not his will that men should come to nought:

60But they which be created have defiled the name of him that made them, and were unthankful unto him which prepared life for them.

61And therefore is my judgment now at hand.

62These things have I not shewed unto all men, but unto thee, and a few like thee. Then answered I and said,

63Behold, O Lord, now hast thou shewed me the multitude of the wonders, which thou wilt begin to do in the last times: but at what time, thou hast not shewed me.

KJV

2 Esdras 8

CEB Vesion

1 He answered me: “The Most High made this world for the sake of many but the future world for the sake of few. 2 But I will tell you a parable, Ezra. Just as when you ask the earth and it tells you that it provides much clay to make earthenware, but little dust from which gold comes to be, so the present world also works. 3 Many indeed are created, but few will be saved.”

4 I replied: “Therefore, take delight in understanding, my soul, and drink your fill of knowledge. 5 You came into the world unwillingly, and against your will you depart, and you are given but a little while to live. 6 Lord above us—if you will permit your servants to pray before you—give us seed for the heart and cultivation for the understanding that there may be fruit from which every mortal who bears the form of a human being may live. 7 You alone exist, and we are your handiwork, as you have said. 8 Because you give life to the body that is now fashioned in the womb and give it members, your creation is preserved in fire and water. For nine months the womb you have fashioned endures what is created in it. 9 But both the container and its contents will be conserved by your care. And when the womb at last gives forth what is created in it, 10 you have commanded that from the members themselves; that is, from the breasts, milk (the fruit of the breasts) should be provided. 11 By this means, that which is fashioned may be nourished for a time, and afterward you will dispose of this person in your mercy. 12 You nourished him with your justice, tutored him in your Law, and reproved him in your wisdom. 13 You will cause him to die as your creation and give him life as your work.

14 If, therefore, you will destroy with a simple command one who was fashioned at your command with so much labor, why was he made? 15 Now I will surely speak: You know best about the sum total of humanity, but what about your people who grieve me, 16 and about your inheritance because of which I lament, and about Israel, on whose account I am sad, and about the seed of Jacob because of which I am disturbed? 17 Therefore, I will pray before you for myself and for them, because I see the defects of we who live on earth, 18 but I have heard of the swiftness of the judgment that is to come. 19 Therefore, hear my voice and consider my words, and I will speak before you.”

20 The beginning of the words of Ezra’s prayer before he was taken up. He said:

Lord, you live in eternity. The highest heavens are yours, and your upper chambers are in the air. 21 Your authority is beyond estimation, and your glory is beyond our power to comprehend. The armies of angels wait on in fear, 22 and at your command they are changed into wind and fire. Your word is true, and what you say lasts forever. 23 Your command is powerful, and your precept is fearsome. Your gaze dries up the deeps, and your threat makes mountains melt. Your truth is acknowledged. 24 Hear your servant’s voice and listen to my request, the request of one whom you formed, and listen to my words. 25 But me! I will speak as long as I live, and while I still have understanding, I will respond.

26 Don’t pay attention to your people’s sins but to those who have served you in truth. 27 Don’t consider those who do evil by sinning but those who have kept your covenants in the midst of torments. 28 Don’t think about those who have conducted themselves wickedly in your presence but of those who have made it their purpose to know what it means to revere you. 29 Don’t set your mind to destroy those who have lived as mindlessly as cows, but look on those who showed forth your glorious Law. 30 Don’t be angry at those who are esteemed lower than animals, but love those who have constantly hoped to honor you.

31 We and those before us have followed ways that lead to death, but it’s on account of us sinners that you are said to be merciful. 32 If you desire to have pity on us who have no good deeds to our credit, then you will be called compassionate. 33 The righteous who have many works laid up with you will receive a reward for their own works. 34 What are human beings that you should be angry with them, or a corrupt race that you should be irate with them? 35 In truth, no one born has not violated your commands, and no one who grew up has not sinned. 36 But this shows your goodness, Lord, when you have pity on those who have no stockpile of good works.

37 He answered me: “You have said some things correctly, and according to your words it will be done. 38 Indeed, I won’t think about the formation of sinners or their death or judgment or damnation, 39 but I will rejoice over the creation of the righteous, their journey also, and their deliverance and receipt of a reward. 40 As I’ve said, then so it is. 41 Just as a farmer sows many seeds on the land, but in time not all seeds that are sown will be saved nor will all the planted things take root, so also not all of those who are sown in the world will be saved.”

42 I answered: “If I have found favor with you, let me speak, 43 because the farmer’s seed doesn’t grow up, perhaps because it didn’t receive your rain in season; or if it was spoiled by abundance of rain, it perishes. 44 But human beings, who are shaped by your hands and named in your image, because they are made in your likeness, for whom you created all things—have you compared them to a farmer’s seeds? 45 No, Lord above us, but spare your people and have mercy on your inheritance, for you have mercy on your own creation.”

46 He answered me: “The present things are for those who now are, and the future things for the future. 47 You are a long way from loving my creation more than I do. But you have often associated yourself with the wicked. Never do so! 48 But even in this respect the Most High will admire you, 49 because you have humbled yourself, as befits you, and didn’t count yourself among the righteous so that you may be glorified the more. 50 Many miseries will afflict those who inhabit the world in the last times because they will walk in great pride. 51 But think of yourself and ask about the glory of those like you. 52 For you, paradise is opened, the tree of life is planted, the future time is prepared, abundance is made ready, the city is built, rest is appointed, goodness is perfected, and wisdom is perfected in advance. 53 The root of evil is sealed off from you, weakness is abolished from you, and death is hidden; the netherworld and decay have fled into oblivion. 54 Sorrows have passed, and the treasure of immortality is displayed to the end. 55 Therefore, don’t continue to ask about the great many who perish. 56 They also received freedom, but they despised the Most High, spoke ill of his Law, and abandoned his ways. 57 Moreover, they also trampled his righteous ones. 58 They said in their heart that there is no God, even though they knew that they would have to die. 59 Just as the things that are predicted will receive you, so also the thirst and torment that are prepared will receive them. The Most High didn’t intend for human beings to be destroyed, 60 but those who were themselves created defiled the name of their creator and were ungrateful to him who prepared life for them. 61 Therefore, my judgment draws close, 62 which I haven’t disclosed to all, except to you and to a few like you.”

63 I answered, “Look now, Lord, you have shown me a multitude of signs that you are about to perform in the last times, but you haven’t shown me when they will take place.”

CEB

Word of The Day

**Exodus 2:8-11**
8 The king’s daughter said, “Yes, please.”
So the girl went and brought the baby’s own mother.
9 The king’s daughter said to the mother, “Take this baby and feed him for me. I’ll pay you to take care of him.”
So the woman took her baby and cared for him. 10 The baby grew, and after some time, the woman gave the baby to the king’s daughter. The king’s daughter accepted the baby as her own son. She named him Moses because she had pulled him from the water.
**Moses Helps His People**
11 Moses grew and became a man. He saw that his own people, the Hebrews, were forced to work very hard. One day he saw an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew man.
**Deuteronomy 5:13-14**
13 Work six days a week and do your job, 14 but the seventh day is a day of rest in honor of the Lord your God. So on that day no one should work—not you, your sons and daughters, foreigners living in your cities or your men and women slaves. Not even your cattle, donkeys, and other animals should do any work! Your slaves should be able to rest just as you do.
**Colossians 2:16-17**
**Don’t Follow Rules That People Make**
16 So don’t let anyone make rules for you about eating and drinking or about Jewish customs (festivals, New Moon celebrations, or Sabbath days). 17 In the past these things were like a shadow that showed what was coming. But the new things that were coming are found in Christ.
**Hebrews 4:9-10**
9 This shows that the seventh-day rest for God’s people is still to come. 10 God rested after he finished his work. So everyone who enters God’s place of rest will also have rest from their own work just as God did.
**Leviticus 23:3**
**Sabbath**
3 “Work for six days, but the seventh day, the Sabbath, will be a special day of rest, a holy meeting. You must not do any work. It is a day of rest to honor the Lord in all your homes.
**Luke 13:10-17**
**Jesus Heals a Woman on the Sabbath**
10 Jesus taught in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day. 11 A woman was there who had an evil spirit inside her. It had made the woman crippled for 18 years. Her back was always bent; she could not stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called to her, “Woman, you have been made free from your sickness!” 13 He laid his hands on her, and immediately she was able to stand up straight. She began praising God.
14 The synagogue leader was angry because Jesus healed on the Sabbath day. He said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come to be healed on one of those days. Don’t come for healing on the Sabbath day.”
15 The Lord answered, “You people are hypocrites! All of you untie your work animals and lead them to drink water every day—even on the Sabbath day. 16 This woman that I healed is a true descendant of Abraham. But Satan has held her for 18 years. Surely it is not wrong for her to be made free from her sickness on a Sabbath day!” 17 When Jesus said this, all those who were criticizing him felt ashamed of themselves. And all the people were happy for the wonderful things he was doing.
**Hebrews 4:11**
11 So let us try as hard as we can to enter God’s place of rest. We must try hard so that none of us will be lost by following the example of those who refused to obey God.
**Deuteronomy 5:15**
15 Don’t forget that you were slaves in the land of Egypt. The Lord your God brought you out of Egypt with his great power and made you free. That is why the Lord your God commands you to always make the Sabbath a special day.
**Matthew 12:12**
12 Surely a man is more important than a sheep. So it is right to do good on the Sabbath day.”
**Leviticus 26:2**
2 “Remember my special days of rest and honor my holy place. I am the Lord.
**Matthew 10:39**
39 Those who try to keep the life they have will lose it. But those who give up their life for me will find true life.
**Isaiah 40:29**
29 He helps tired people be strong.
    He gives power to those without it.
**Hebrews 10:24-25**
**Help Each Other Be Strong**
24 We should think about each other to see how we can encourage each other to show love and do good works. 25 We must not quit meeting together, as some are doing. No, we need to keep on encouraging each other. This becomes more and more important as you see the Day getting closer.
**Isaiah 41:10**
10 Don’t worry—I am with you.
    Don’t be afraid—I am your God.
I will make you strong and help you.
    I will support you with my right hand that brings victory.
**Proverbs 3:5-6**
5 Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. 6 With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way.
**Isaiah 46:4**
4 and I will still be carrying you when you are old. Your hair will turn gray, and I will still carry you. I made you, and I will carry you to safety.
**Romans 8:26**
26 Also, the Spirit helps us. We are very weak, but the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We don’t know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself speaks to God for us. He begs God for us, speaking to him with feelings too deep for words.
**1 Peter 5:10**
10 Yes, you will suffer for a short time. But after that, God will make everything right. He will make you strong. He will support you and keep you from falling. He is the God who gives all grace. He chose you to share in his glory in Christ. That glory will continue forever.
**Jeremiah 29:11**
11 I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future.
**Psalm 56:3**
3 When I am afraid,
    I put my trust in you.
**1 John 5:14**
14 We can come to God with no doubts. This means that when we ask God for things (and those things agree with what God wants for us), God cares about what we say.
**2 Corinthians 5:7**
7 We live by what we believe will happen, not by what we can see.
**Psalm 121:3**
3 He will not let you fall.
    Your Protector will not fall asleep.
**Psalm 145:18**
18 The Lord is near to everyone
    who sincerely calls to him for help.
**Proverbs 29:25**
25 Fear can be a trap, but if you trust in the Lord, you will be safe.
**Philippians 4:19**
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
**Psalm 37:5-6**
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
    your vindication like the noonday sun.
**Hebrews 13:5**
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.”
**1 Timothy 6:9**
9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
**Proverbs 10:22**
22 The blessing of the Lord brings wealth,
    without painful toil for it.
**Proverbs 23:4**
**Saying 8**
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
    do not trust your own cleverness.
**Ecclesiastes 5:10**
10 Whoever loves money never has enough;
    whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
    This too is meaningless.
**1 Timothy 6:7-8**
7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
**Luke 12:15**
15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
**Psalm 121:7-8**
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.
**Proverbs 2:6**
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
**Matthew 22:37**
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
**Deuteronomy 4:29**
29 But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.
**Matthew 11:28**
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
**Psalm 119:114**
New International Version
**114** You are my refuge and my shield;
    I have put my hope in your word.
**Micah 7:7**
7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
    I wait for God my Savior;
    my God will hear me.
**Romans 5:5**
5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
**1 Corinthians 13:4-5**
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
**Ephesians 4:26-27**
26 “In your anger do not sin” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
**Philippians 4:5**
5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
**ERV**

Shabbat sahalom, Greetings in The Name of The Most High!

Today is a New Moon and we are wishing you Happy New Beginnings!

Psalm 18

1 I love you, Lord!
    You are my strength.
2 The Lord is my Rock, my fortress, my place of safety.
    He is my God, the Rock I run to for protection.
He is my shield; by his power I am saved.
    He is my hiding place high in the hills.
3 I called to the Lord for help,
    and he saved me from my enemies!
    He is worthy of my praise!
4 Death had its ropes wrapped around me.
    A deadly flood was carrying me away.
5 The ropes of the grave wrapped around me.
    Death set its trap right there in front of me.
6 In my trouble I called to the Lord.
    Yes, I cried out to my God for help.
There in his temple he heard my voice.
    He heard my cry for help.
7 The earth shook and shivered.
    The foundations of the mountains trembled.
    They shook because he was angry.
8 Smoke came from his nose.
    Burning flames came from his mouth.
    Red-hot coals fell from him.
9 He tore open the sky and came down!
    He stood on a thick, dark cloud.
10 He flew across the sky, riding on a Cherub angel
    racing on the wings of the wind.
11 He wrapped himself in darkness that covered him like a tent.
    He was hidden by dark clouds heavy with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him,
    hail broke through the clouds with flashes of lightning.
13 The Lord thundered from the sky;
    God Most High let his voice be heard.
14 He scattered his enemies with his arrows—
    the lightning bolts that threw them into confusion.
15 Lord, you shouted your command,
    and a powerful wind began to blow.
Then the bottom of the sea could be seen,
    and the earth’s foundations were uncovered.
16 He reached down from above and grabbed me.
    He pulled me from the deep water.
17 He saved me from my powerful enemies, who hated me.
    They were too strong for me, so he saved me.
18 They attacked me in my time of trouble,
    but the Lord was there to support me.
19 He was pleased with me, so he rescued me.
    He took me to a safe place.
20 The Lord rewarded me for doing what is right.
    He was good to me because I am innocent.
21 The Lord did this because I have obeyed him.
    I have not turned against my God.
22 I always remembered his laws.
    I never rejected his rules.
23 He knows I did nothing that was wrong.
    I have kept myself from sinning.
24 So the Lord rewarded me for doing what is right.
    He could see that I am innocent.
25 Lord, you are faithful to those who are faithful.
    You are good to those who are good.
26 You never do wrong to those who have done no wrong.
    But you outsmart the wicked, no matter how clever they are.
27 You help those who are humble,
    but you humiliate the proud.
28 Lord, you provide the flame for my lamp.
    You, God, turn the darkness around me into light.
29 With your help I can defeat an army.
    If my God is with me, I can climb over enemy walls.
30 God’s way is perfect.
    The Lord’s promise always proves to be true.
    He protects those who trust in him.
31 There is no God except the Lord.
    There is no Rock except our God.
32 God is the one who gives me strength.
    He clears the path I need to take.
33 He makes my feet as steady as those of a deer.
    Even on steep mountains he keeps me from falling.
34 He trains me for war
    so that my arms can bend the most powerful bow.
35 Lord, you have given me your shield to protect me.
    You support me with your right hand.
    It is your help that has made me great.
36 You cleared a path for my feet
    so that I could walk without stumbling.
37 I chased my enemies and caught them.
    I did not stop until they were destroyed.
38 I struck them down, and they could not get up again.
    They fell under my feet.
39 God, you made me strong in battle.
    You made my enemies fall before me.
40 You made my enemies turn and run away.
    I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried out for help,
    but there was no one to save them.
They cried out to the Lord,
    but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them to pieces like dust blown by the wind.
    I smashed them like mud in the streets.
43 You saved me from those who fought against me.
    You made me the ruler over nations.
    People I never knew now serve me.
44 As soon as they heard about me, they were ready to obey.
    Those foreigners fall helpless before me!
45 They lose all their courage
    and come out of their hiding places shaking with fear.
46 The Lord lives!
    I praise my Rock, the God who saves me.
    How great he is!
47 He is the God who punishes my enemies for me,
    the one who puts people under my control.
48 He saves me from my enemies!
You, Lord, help me defeat those who attack me.
    You save me from cruel people.
49 Lord, that is why I praise you among the nations.
    That is why I sing songs of praise to your name.
50 The Lord helps his king win battle after battle.
    He shows his faithful love to his chosen one,
    to David and his descendants forever.
ERV

2 Esdras 6

1 He said to me: “In the beginning of the earthly world—
before the world’s exits were made,
before the gathered winds blew,
2 before the voices
of the thunders sounded,
before the flashes of lightning shone,
before paradise’s foundations
were made firm,
3 before beautiful flowers were seen,
before the powers of movement
were established,
before the innumerable heavenly armies of angels were assembled,
4 before the heights of the air
were lifted up,
before the measures
of the firmament were named,
before Zion’s footstool was established,
5 before the present years
were reckoned,
before the imaginations of those
who now sin were alienated,
before those who stored up faith
as a treasure were sealed—
6 then I planned these things. As they were done by me and not by another, so also the end will come by me and not through another.”
7 I answered, “What separates the times? When is the end of the first and the beginning of that which follows?”
8 He said to me: “From Abraham to Abraham, because Jacob and Esau were born from him, but Jacob’s hand held Esau’s heel from the outset. 9 Esau represents the end of this age, and Jacob represents the beginning of the following. 10 The beginning of the one man is his hand, and the end of the other man is his heel. Don’t look for anything else between heel and hand, Ezra.”
11 I answered: “Supreme Lord, if only you looked so favorably upon me 12 that you would show your servant your final signs, which you showed me in part on a previous night.”
13 He answered: “Get up on your feet. You’ll hear a loud, echoing voice. 14 Don’t be afraid if the place on which you stand is greatly moved 15 while the voice is speaking. Since the word concerns the end, and since the foundations of the earth will understand 16 that the speech is about them, the place will tremble and shake, because it knows that it is destined to be transformed.”
17 When I heard, I rose on my feet and listened. There was a voice speaking, and its sound was like the sound of deep waters. 18 It said: “Look! The days are coming when I will begin to come near to visit those who live on earth, 19 when I will begin to examine those who unjustly inflicted harm in their cruelty. When the humiliation of Zion is complete, 20 when the seal is placed on the age that begins to pass away, I will perform these signs: Scrolls will be opened in view of the firmament, and all will see together. 21 Infants a year old will speak with their voices, and pregnant women will give birth to premature babies of three and four months, but they will live and dance. 22 Fields that were not sown will suddenly appear sown, and full warehouses will suddenly be found empty. 23 A trumpet will sound with a blast; when all hear it they will suddenly be terrified. 24 In that time friends will make war on friends like enemies, the earth along with those who live on it will be terrified, and the sources of rivers will stand still so that they don’t run for three hours. 25 Then everyone who is left after all these things that I have foretold to you will be saved. These will see my deliverance and the end of my age. 26 They will see the people who have been taken up and who haven’t tasted death from their birth. The hearts of those who live on earth will be changed and converted to a different spirit, 27 for evil will be erased and grief extinguished. 28 Faith will flourish, and corruption will be overcome. Truth that was without fruit for so long will be displayed.”
29 While he was still speaking with me, the place on which I stood was shaken, little by little. 30 He said to me: “I came to show you these things this night. 31 If you ask further and fast again for seven days, I will again declare daily to you greater things than these, 32 because the Most High has listened to your voice. The mighty one has seen your virtue and perceived the humility you have had from your youth. 33 Because of this he sent me to show you all these things and to say to you: Trust confidently, and don’t be afraid. 34 Don’t be hasty to think empty thoughts about the former times, lest you be hasty about the last times.”
**Third dialogue**
35 After all this I wept again and abstained from food for another seven days, to complete the three weeks that had been prescribed for me. 36 Then on the eighth night my heart was disturbed within me again, and I began to speak before the Most High. 37 My spirit was greatly agitated, and my soul was troubled.
38 Then I said: “Lord, you spoke from the beginning of creation on the first day, ‘Let heaven and earth be made,’ and your word accomplished the deed. 39 Then the spirit was hovering, darkness was spread around, and there was silence. There was as yet no sound of a human voice. 40 Then you commanded that a ray of light be brought forth from your treasuries so that your works might be seen.
41 “Then on the second day you created the spirit of the firmament and commanded that it divide and make a division between the waters so that a certain part might recede upward and another part remain below.
42 “On the third day you commanded the waters to be gathered together in a seventh part of the earth, but you made six parts dry and preserved them so that some of these might be sown and cultivated, to be of service before you. 43 Your word went forth, and the work was immediately accomplished. 44 Suddenly, fruit blossomed in great abundance in an infinite variety of flavors, and flowers with matchless color and scents of unspeakable fragrance. These things were done on the third day.
45 “On the fourth day you commanded the sun’s splendor to be made, the moon’s light, and the arrangement of the stars. 46 You commanded them to serve the human being who was about to be formed.
47 “On the fifth day you commanded the seventh part where the water was gathered to produce animals, birds, and fish. 48 The silent and lifeless water, as it was commanded, brought forth animals so that peoples might recount your wonders. 49 You kept two living creatures in reserve; one you named Behemoth, and the second you named Leviathan. 50 You separated them from each other, for the seventh part where the water was gathered couldn’t contain them. 51 You gave Behemoth one part of the land that had been dried on the third day, where there are a thousand mountains so that he might live there. 52 To Leviathan, however, you gave the watery seventh part. You kept them to be eaten by whomever you wish, and whenever you wish.
53 “On the sixth day you commanded the earth that it create before you cattle, beasts, and reptiles, 54 and over these you set Adam, the leader over all the things you had made. From him we all, the people you have chosen, have been brought forth.
55 “I have said all these things before you, Lord, because you have said that you created the oldest age for our sake. 56 You have said that the other nations born of Adam are nothing, that they are like spit, and you have compared their abundance to a drop from a pitcher. 57 But look now, Lord! These nations that are valued as nothing rule over us and devour us, 58 while we, your people, whom you have called your oldest offspring, your one and only child, those who are zealous for you, your dearest ones, are handed over to them. 59 If the world was created for our sake, why don’t we possess our world as an inheritance? How long will this situation last?”
CEB

Genesis 49

**Jacob Blesses His Sons**
1 Then Jacob called all his sons to him. He said, “My sons, come here to me. I will tell you what will happen in the future.
2 “Children of Jacob, gather around.
    Come listen to Israel, your father.
**Reuben**
3 “Reuben, my first son, you are my strength,
    the first proof of my manhood.
You were the most honored
    and powerful of all my sons.
4 But your passion was like a flood you couldn’t control.
    So you will not remain my most honored son.
You climbed into your father’s bed
    and slept with one of his wives.
You brought shame to my bed,
    to the bed you lay on.
**Simeon and Levi**
5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers.
    They are violent with their swords.
6 I will not join their secret meetings.
    I will not take part in their evil plans.
They have killed people out of anger
    and crippled animals for fun.
7 Their anger is so strong that it is a curse.
    They are too cruel when they are angry.
They will not get their own land in the land of Jacob.
    They will be spread throughout Israel.
**Judah**
8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you.
    You will defeat your enemies.
    Your brothers will bow down to you.
9 Judah is like a young lion.
    My son, you are like a lion standing over the animal it killed.
Like a lion, Judah lies down to rest,
    and no one is brave enough to disturb him.
10 Men from Judah’s family will be kings.
    The sign that his family rules
will not leave his family before the real king comes.
    Then many people will obey and serve him.
11 He ties his donkeys to the best grapevines.
    He washes his clothes in the best wine.
12 His eyes are red from drinking wine.
    His teeth are white from drinking milk.
**Zebulun**
13 “Zebulun will live near the sea.
    His seacoast will be a safe place for ships.
    His land will continue as far as the city of Sidon.
**Issachar**
14 “Issachar is like a donkey that has worked too hard.
    He will lie down under his heavy load.
15 He will see his land is pleasant
    and that his resting place is good.
But he will agree to carry heavy loads;
    he will agree to work as a slave.
**Dan**
16 “Dan will rule his people
    as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan will be like a snake at the side of the road.
    He will be like a dangerous snake lying near the path.
That snake bites a horse’s foot,
    and the rider falls to the ground.
18 “Lord, I am waiting for your salvation.
**Gad**
19 “A group of robbers will attack Gad,
    but Gad will chase them away.
**Asher**
20 “Asher’s land will grow much good food.
    He will have food fit for a king!
**Naphtali**
21 “Naphtali is like a deer running free,
    and his words are beautiful.
**Joseph**
22 “Joseph is like a wild donkey,
    like a young donkey by a spring,
    like colts grazing in a pasture.
23 People attacked him and made life hard for him.
    Men with arrows became his enemies.
24 But he won the fight
    with his mighty bow and his skillful arms.
He gets power from the Mighty One of Jacob,
    from the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
25 the God of your father who helps you.
    May God All-Powerful bless you
and give you blessings
    from the sky above and from the deep below.
May he give you blessings
    from breast and womb.
26 My parents had many good things happen to them.
    And I, your father, was blessed even more.
Your brothers left you with nothing.
    But now I pile all my blessings on you,
    as high as a mountain.
**Benjamin**
27 “Benjamin is like a hungry wolf.
    In the morning he kills and eats.
    In the evening he shares what is left.”
28 These are the twelve families of Israel. And this is what their father said to them. He gave each son a blessing that was right for him. 29 Then Israel gave them a command. He said, “When I die, I want to be with my people. I want to be buried with my ancestors in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. 30 That cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre in the land of Canaan. Abraham bought that field from Ephron so that he could have a burying place. 31 Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried in that cave. Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried in that cave. I buried my wife Leah in that cave. 32 That cave is in the field that was bought from the Hittites.” 33 After Jacob finished talking to his sons, he lay down, put his feet back on the bed, and died.
ERV

Golden Text

**(The Book of Ecclesiasticus is also known as Sirach)**
**Ecclesiasticus 34:9**
**Travel**
9 A well-traveled person with wide experience knows many things and talks sense.
**Ecclesiasticus 34:13**
**Fear the Lord**
13 Those who fear the Lord will live, because they have put their trust in the one who can save them.
**Ecclesiasticus 34:15-26**
15 People who fear the Lord are fortunate, because they know where they can look for help. 16 The Lord watches over those who love him; he is their strong protection and firm support. He shelters them from the heat, shades them from the noonday sun, and keeps them from stumbling and falling. 17 He makes them cheerful and puts a sparkle in their eyes. He blesses them with life and health.
**Offering Sacrifices**
18 If you offer as a sacrifice an animal that you have obtained dishonestly, it is defective and unacceptable. 19 The Most High gets no pleasure from sacrifices made by ungodly people; no amount of sacrifices can make up for their sins. 20 Anyone who steals an animal from the poor to offer as a sacrifice is like someone who kills a boy before his father's eyes. 21 Food means life itself to poor people, and taking it away from them is murder. 22 It is murder to deprive someone of his living or to cheat an employee of his wages.
23 When one person builds and somebody else tears down, has anything been accomplished but hard work? 24 When one person blesses and somebody else curses, which one is the Lord going to listen to? 25 If you touch a dead body and then purify yourself by washing, but then go and touch it again, what good did the washing do? 26 If you fast because of your sins, and then go out and commit the same sins over again, what have you gained by going without food? Who do you think is going to listen to your prayers?
GNT

Golden Text

**(The Book of Ecclesiasticus is also known as Sirach)**
**Ecclesiasticus 35:1**
1 Keeping the Law is worth many offerings; it is a fellowship offering in itself.
**Ecclesiasticus 35:7-20**
7 The Lord will accept the offerings made by a righteous person and will not forget them. 8 Praise the Lord by making generous offerings to him; don't be stingy with the first of your crops. 9 Be cheerful with every gift you make, and when you pay your tithes, do it gladly. 10 Give to the Most High as he has given to you, just as generously as you can. 11 The Lord always repays and will do it many times over. 12 But don't try to bribe him or rely on offerings that you have obtained dishonestly. He will not accept them.
**God's Justice**
The Lord is fair and does not show partiality. 13 He is not prejudiced against the poor; when someone prays who has been wronged, the Lord listens. 14 When orphans and widows pour out their prayers, he does not ignore them. 15 The tears running down a widow's cheek cry out in accusation against the one who has caused her distress.
16 Serve the Lord willingly, and the Lord will accept you; your prayers will reach the skies. 17 The prayer of a humble person goes past the clouds and keeps on going until it reaches the Lord Most High, where it stays until he answers by seeing that justice is done and that the guilty are punished.
18 And the Lord will act quickly. He will show no patience with wicked people. He will take vengeance by crushing the heathen. He will completely wipe out the merciless and the arrogant, and will destroy the authority of the wicked. 19 He will give each of us what our thoughts and actions deserve. Because of the Lord's mercy, his people will be happy when he has judged their case. 20 In times of trouble his mercy is as welcome as rain after a long drought.
GNT

Golden Text

**(The Book of Ecclesiasticus is also known as Sirach)**
**Ecclesiasticus 37:1-11**
**False Friends**
1 Anyone can claim to be your friend, but some people are friends in name only. 2 The grief caused when a close friendship turns sour is as bad as death. 3 This evil impulse we have! Why was it ever formed? How did it manage to cover the earth with deceit? 4 Some people will be your friend as long as things are going well, but they will turn against you when trouble comes. 5 A real friend will help you against your enemies and protect you in the fight. 6 Never forget such companions in battle; share the results of your victory with them.
**Caution in Taking Advice**
7 Anyone can give advice, but some people do so only in their own interest. 8 Be careful when somebody offers you advice. Find out first what his interest in the matter is, because you can be sure that he is thinking primarily of himself. Why should he come out on top instead of you? 9 He will assure you that things look good, and then stand back to watch what happens to you.
10 Don't ask advice of anyone who doesn't trust you, and don't give advice to anyone who is jealous of you.
11 Don't ask a woman for advice about a rival of hers,
    a coward about war,
    a merchant about a bargain,
    a buyer about selling,
    a stingy person about gratitude,
    a cruel person about kindness,
    a lazy person about work,
    a casual worker about finishing a job,
    a lazy slave about a difficult task.
**Ecclesiasticus 37:13-18**
13 And trust your own judgment; no one's advice is more reliable. 14 Sometimes your own intuition can tell you more than seven watchmen on a high tower. 15 Above all, pray to the Most High that he will show you the right thing to do.
**Wisdom and Confidence**
16 Planning and thought lie behind everything that is done. **17-18** The mind concerns itself with four things: these are good and evil, life and death. They all begin in the mind, but the tongue is their absolute ruler.
**Ecclesiasticus 37:24**
24 Everyone will praise such a person and speak of him as fortunate.
**Ecclesiasticus 37:27**
**Controlling the Appetite**
27 My child, as you go through life, keep your appetite under control, and don't eat anything that you know is bad for you.
**Ecclesiasticus 37:28-29**
28 All food doesn't agree with everyone, and everyone doesn't like the same kinds of food. 29 Don't feel that you just have to have all sorts of fancy food, and don't be a glutton over any food.
GNT

Golden Text

**(The Book of Ecclesiasticus is also known as Sirach)**
**Ecclesiasticus 38:1-4**
**Sickness and Medicine**
1 Give doctors the honor they deserve, for the Lord gave them their work to do. 2 Their skill came from the Most High, and kings reward them for it. 3 Their knowledge gives them a position of importance, and powerful people hold them in high regard.
4 The Lord created medicines from the earth, and a sensible person will not hesitate to use them.
**Ecclesiasticus 38:9-15**
9 My child, when you get sick, don't ignore it. Pray to the Lord, and he will make you well. 10 Confess all your sins and determine that in the future you will live a righteous life. 11 Offer incense and a grain offering, as fine as you can afford. 12 Then call the doctor—for the Lord created him—and keep him at your side; you need him. 13 There are times when you have to depend on his skill. 14 The doctor's prayer is that the Lord will make him able to ease his patients' pain and make them well again. 15 As for the person who sins against his Creator, he deserves to be sick.
**Ecclesiasticus 38:18-23**
18 Grief can undermine your health and even lead to your own death. 19 Grief lingers on after the death of a loved one, but it is not wise to let it lead you into poverty.
20 Don't lose yourself in sorrow; drive it away. Remember that we must all die sometime. 21 There is no way to bring the dead person back. All your sorrow does him no good, and it hurts you. Don't forget that. 22 You will die, just as he did. Today it was his turn; tomorrow it will be yours. 23 When the dead have been laid to rest, let the memory of them fade. Once they are gone, take courage.
GNT

Golden Text

2 Esdras 6:31-32
31 If you ask further and fast again for seven days, I will again declare daily to you greater things than these, 32 because the Most High has listened to your voice. The mighty one has seen your virtue and perceived the humility you have had from your youth.
2 Corinthians 9:3
**…..I want you to be ready just as I said you would be.**

1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

2 And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:

6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!

7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?

8 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.

11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.

12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!

13 Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?

14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

16 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the Lord's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.

17 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?

19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

20 But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

1 What’s God going to say to my questions? I’m braced for the worst.
I’ll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon.
I’ll wait to see what God says,
how he’ll answer my complaint.

Full of Self, but Soul-Empty

2-3 And then God answered: “Write this.
    Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters
    so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness
    pointing to what’s coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait!
    And it doesn’t lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait.
    It’s on its way. It will come right on time.

* * *

4 “Look at that man, bloated by self-importance—
    full of himself but soul-empty.
But the person in right standing before God
    through loyal and steady believing
    is fully alive, really alive.

5-6 “Note well: Money deceives.
    The arrogant rich don’t last.
They are more hungry for wealth
    than the grave is for cadavers.
Like death, they always want more,
    but the ‘more’ they get is dead bodies.
They are cemeteries filled with dead nations,
    graveyards filled with corpses.
Don’t give people like this a second thought.
    Soon the whole world will be taunting them:

6-8 “‘Who do you think you are—
    getting rich by stealing and extortion?
How long do you think
    you can get away with this?’
Indeed, how long before your victims wake up,
    stand up and make you the victim?
You’ve plundered nation after nation.
    Now you’ll get a taste of your own medicine.
All the survivors are out to plunder you,
    a payback for all your murders and massacres.

9-11 “Who do you think you are—
    recklessly grabbing and looting,
Living it up, acting like king of the mountain,
    acting above it all, above trials and troubles?
You’ve engineered the ruin of your own house.
    In ruining others you’ve ruined yourself.
You’ve undermined your foundations,
    rotted out your own soul.
The bricks of your house will speak up and accuse you.
    The woodwork will step forward with evidence.

12-14 “Who do you think you are—
    building a town by murder, a city with crime?
Don’t you know that God-of-the-Angel-Armies
    makes sure nothing comes of that but ashes,
Makes sure the harder you work
    at that kind of thing, the less you are?
Meanwhile the earth fills up
    with awareness of God’s glory
    as the waters cover the sea.

15-17 “Who do you think you are—
    inviting your neighbors to your drunken parties,
Giving them too much to drink,
    roping them into your sexual orgies?
You thought you were having the time of your life.
    Wrong! It’s a time of disgrace.
All the time you were drinking,
    you were drinking from the cup of God’s wrath.
You’ll wake up holding your throbbing head, hung over—
    hung over from Lebanon violence,
Hung over from animal massacres,
    hung over from murder and mayhem,
From multiple violations
    of place and people.

18-19 “What’s the use of a carved god
    so skillfully carved by its sculptor?
What good is a fancy cast god
    when all it tells is lies?
What sense does it make to be a pious god-maker
    who makes gods that can’t even talk?
Who do you think you are—
    saying to a stick of wood, ‘Wake up,’
Or to a dumb stone, ‘Get up’?
    Can they teach you anything about anything?
There’s nothing to them but surface.
    There’s nothing on the inside.

20 “But oh! God is in his holy Temple!
Quiet everyone—a holy silence. Listen!”

Nahum 3

1 Woe to the city of blood,
    full of lies,
full of plunder,
    never without victims!
2 The crack of whips,
    the clatter of wheels,
galloping horses
    and jolting chariots!
3 Charging cavalry,
    flashing swords
    and glittering spears!
Many casualties,
    piles of dead,
bodies without number,
    people stumbling over the corpses—
4 all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute,
    alluring, the mistress of sorceries,
who enslaved nations by her prostitution
    and peoples by her witchcraft.
5 “I am against you,” declares the Lord Almighty.
    “I will lift your skirts over your face.
I will show the nations your nakedness
    and the kingdoms your shame.
6 I will pelt you with filth,
    I will treat you with contempt
    and make you a spectacle.
7 All who see you will flee from you and say,
    ‘Nineveh is in ruins—who will mourn for her?’
    Where can I find anyone to comfort you?”
8 Are you better than Thebes,
    situated on the Nile,
    with water around her?
The river was her defense,
    the waters her wall.
9 Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength;
    Put and Libya were among her allies.
10 Yet she was taken captive
    and went into exile.
Her infants were dashed to pieces
    at every street corner.
Lots were cast for her nobles,
    and all her great men were put in chains.
11 You too will become drunk;
    you will go into hiding
    and seek refuge from the enemy.
12 All your fortresses are like fig trees
    with their first ripe fruit;
when they are shaken,
    the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.
13 Look at your troops—
    they are all weaklings.
The gates of your land
    are wide open to your enemies;
    fire has consumed the bars of your gates.
14 Draw water for the siege,
    strengthen your defenses!
Work the clay,
    tread the mortar,
    repair the brickwork!
15 There the fire will consume you;
    the sword will cut you down—
    they will devour you like a swarm of locusts.
Multiply like grasshoppers,
    multiply like locusts!
16 You have increased the number of your merchants
    till they are more numerous than the stars in the sky,
but like locusts they strip the land
    and then fly away.
17 Your guards are like locusts,
    your officials like swarms of locusts
    that settle in the walls on a cold day—
but when the sun appears they fly away,
    and no one knows where.
18 King of Assyria, your shepherds slumber;
    your nobles lie down to rest.
Your people are scattered on the mountains
    with no one to gather them.
19 Nothing can heal you;
    your wound is fatal.
All who hear the news about you
    clap their hands at your fall,
for who has not felt
    your endless cruelty?

2 Esdras 13

1 After seven days, I had a dream during the night. 2 I looked and saw a wind rising from the sea and stirring up all its waves. 3 As I watched, this wind made something like the figure of a man come up out of the heart of the sea. That man was flying among the clouds of heaven. Wherever he turned his face to look, everything that fell under his gaze trembled. 4 Wherever an utterance came from his mouth, all who heard his voice melted as wax melts when it feels the fire.
**5 I kept watching these things, and an innumerable multitude of people came together from the four winds of heaven to fight against the man who had come up from the sea**. 6 I watched as he carved a great mountain for himself and flew onto it. 7 I tried to see the region or place from which the mountain was carved, but I couldn’t.
**8 After this I looked and I saw that all who had gathered to do battle against him were sorely afraid, yet they dared to fight.** 9 When he saw the rush of the multitude coming, he didn’t raise his hand or hold a spear or any weapon of war. Rather, I saw 10 something like a wave of fire shoot forth from his mouth, and a breath of flame from his lips, and a storm of sparks from his tongue. All these things—the wave of fire, the breath of flame, and the mighty storm—mixed together 11 and fell upon the crowd that was rushing forward, prepared to fight. It burned them all up so that suddenly nothing was seen of the innumerable mob except the dust of ashes and the smell of smoke. I saw this and was amazed.
12 After these things I saw the same man coming down from the mountain and calling to himself another crowd—a peaceful one. 13 Many people came to him. Some were rejoicing and some were sad, some were even tied up, while some were bringing other people as an offering.
I woke up in great fear and pleaded with the Most High. I said, 14 “From the beginning you showed your servant these wonders, and you considered me worthy that you should receive my prayer. 15 Now show me also the interpretation of this dream. **16 As I turn it over in my mind, I think: How terrible it will be for those who will be left in those days, and how much worse for those who aren’t left!** 17 Those who aren’t left will be full of sorrow, **18 since they now know what lies in store for the last days, but they won’t live to see them. But how terrible it will be also for those who are left,** 19 for that very reason! They will see great dangers, and there will be many kinds of distress, as these dreams show. 20 Yet it is better to encounter these things, even incurring danger, than to pass from the world like a cloud and not see what happens at the end.”
21 He answered me, “I will tell you the interpretation of the dream as well, and I will explain to you the things you spoke about. **22 As to what you said about those who are left, this is the interpretation:** 23 He who brings the danger at that time will himself guard those who fall into danger, who have works and faith in the most mighty one. **24 Know, therefore, that those who are left enjoy greater privilege than those who have died.** 25 The interpretations of the vision are as follows:
“In that you saw a man going up from the heart of the sea, **26 that is the one whom the Most High has been keeping for many ages. He will liberate God’s creation all by himself, and he will put in order those who are left.**
27 “In that you saw something like wind and fire and storm go out of his mouth, 28 and that he didn’t hold a spear or weapon of war, yet destroyed the rush of that multitude that had come to fight him, here is the interpretation: 29 Look, the days are coming when the Most High will begin to rescue those who are on the earth. 30 Those who live on earth will go out of their minds. 31 They will plan to wage war against each other, city against city, place against place, nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 32 When these things happen, and the signs that I showed you before take place, then my Son will be revealed, whom you saw as a man rising up. 33 When all the nations hear his voice, then each one will leave its own region and will leave off the wars they were waging against each other. **34 An innumerable mob will be gathered together, as you saw, wanting to come and fight against him.** 35 But he will take his stand on the summit of Mount Zion. 36 Zion will come and will appear to all, built and ready, as you saw a mountain carved without hands. 37 My Son himself will indict the assembled nations for their impious deeds—these things were indicated by the storm. He will scold them for their evil plans and reveal the torments with which they are about to be tortured. These things correspond to the flame. 38 He will destroy them without effort by the Law, which was indicated by the fire.
**39 “As to the fact that you saw him collecting to himself another peaceful multitude,** 40 these are the ten tribes that were taken captive from their land in the days of King Hoshea, whom King Shalmaneser of the Assyrians took across the river as a captive. They were taken into another land, 41 but they made this plan for themselves: They would leave the multitude of the nations and go into a more remote region, where the human race had never lived. 42 There they would be able to observe their customs, which they hadn’t kept in their own region. 43 They went in through the narrow passages of the Euphrates River. 44 Then the Most High gave them signs and stopped the flow of the river until they had passed. 45 They made a long journey through that region for a year and a half, and that region is called Arzareth. 46 They lived there until the last time, and now they begin again to return. 47 The Most High will once again stop the flow of the river so that they can cross. These people make up the multitude gathered in peace, **48 along with those who are left of your people, who are found within my hol**y **boundaries.** 49 Then when he begins to destroy the multitude of the nations that are gathered, he will protect the people who have survived. 50 Then he will show them many more signs.”
51 I said, “Supreme Lord, show me why I saw a man rising up from the heart of the sea.”
He said to me, 52 “Just as no one can seek out or know what is in the depth of the sea, so no one on earth can see my Son or those who are with him, except in that time when his day has come. 53 This is the interpretation of the dream that you saw, which has enlightened you alone of all people. 54 You have abandoned your own affairs and occupied yourself with mine, and you have sought out my Law. 55 You have given your life to wisdom, and have called understanding your mother. 56 Because of this, I have shown you these things, for you have a reward with the Most High. After three days I will tell you more and explain to you weighty and wonderful things.”
57 I went out from there into a large field, glorifying and praising the Most High for the wonders he performed over time, 58 and because he governs the times and all that comes about in its time. I stayed there for three days.
**CEB**

Isaiah 53

1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
**KVJ**

Revelations 16

1 I heard a shout of command from the Temple to the Seven Angels: “Begin! Pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on earth!”
2 The first Angel stepped up and poured his bowl out on earth: Loathsome, stinking sores erupted on all who had taken the mark of the Beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second Angel poured his bowl on the sea: The sea coagulated into blood, and everything in it died.
**4-7** The third Angel poured his bowl on rivers and springs: The waters turned to blood. I heard the Angel of Waters say,
Righteous you are, and your judgments are righteous,
    The Is, The Was, The Holy.
They poured out the blood of saints and prophets
    so you’ve given them blood to drink—
    they’ve gotten what they deserve!
Just then I heard the Altar chime in,
Yes, O God, the Sovereign-Strong!
Your judgments are true and just!
**8-9** The fourth Angel poured his bowl on the sun: Fire blazed from the sun and scorched men and women. Burned and blistered, they cursed God’s Name, the God behind these disasters. They refused to repent, refused to honor God.
**10-11** The fifth Angel poured his bowl on the throne of the Beast: Its kingdom fell into sudden eclipse. Mad with pain, men and women bit and chewed their tongues, cursed the God-of-Heaven for their torment and sores, and refused to repent and change their ways.
**12-14** The sixth Angel poured his bowl on the great Euphrates River: It dried up to nothing. The dry riverbed became a fine roadbed for the kings from the East. From the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet I saw three foul demons crawl out—they looked like frogs. These are demon spirits performing signs. They’re after the kings of the whole world to get them gathered for battle on the Great Day of God, the Sovereign-Strong.
15 “Keep watch! I come unannounced, like a thief. You’re blessed if, awake and dressed, you’re ready for me. Too bad if you’re found running through the streets, naked and ashamed.”
16 The frog-demons gathered the kings together at the place called in Hebrew *Armageddon*.
**17-21** The seventh Angel poured his bowl into the air: From the Throne in the Temple came a shout, “Done!” followed by lightning flashes and shouts, thunder crashes and a colossal earthquake—a huge and devastating earthquake, never an earthquake like it since time began. The Great City split three ways, the cities of the nations toppled to ruin. Great Babylon had to drink the wine of God’s raging anger—God remembered to give her the cup! Every island fled and not a mountain was to be found. Hailstones weighing close to a hundred pounds plummeted, crushing and smashing men and women as they cursed God for the hail, the epic disaster of hail.
**MSG**

Revelations 9

**1-2** The fifth Angel trumpeted. I saw a Star plummet from Heaven to earth. The Star was handed a key to the Well of the Abyss. He unlocked the Well of the Abyss—smoke poured out of the Well, billows and billows of smoke, sun and air in blackout from smoke pouring out of the Well.
**3-6** Then out of the smoke crawled locusts with the venom of scorpions. They were given their orders: “Don’t hurt the grass, don’t hurt anything green, don’t hurt a single tree—only men and women, and then only those who lack the seal of God on their foreheads.” They were ordered to torture but not kill, torture them for five months, the pain like a scorpion sting. When this happens, people are going to prefer death to torture, look for ways to kill themselves. But they won’t find a way—death will have gone into hiding.
**7-11** The locusts looked like horses ready for war. They had gold crowns, human faces, women’s hair, the teeth of lions, and iron breastplates. The sound of their wings was the sound of horse-drawn chariots charging into battle. Their tails were equipped with stings, like scorpion tails. With those tails they were ordered to torture the human race for five months. They had a king over them, the Angel of the Abyss. His name in Hebrew is *Abaddon*, in Greek, *Apollyon*—“Destroyer.”
12 The first doom is past. Two dooms yet to come.
**13-14** The sixth Angel trumpeted. I heard a voice speaking to the sixth Angel from the horns of the Golden Altar before God: “Let the Four Angels loose, the Angels confined at the great River Euphrates.”
**15-19** The Four Angels were untied and let loose, Four Angels all prepared for the exact year, month, day, and even hour when they were to kill a third of the human race. The number of the army of horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard the count and saw both horses and riders in my vision: fiery breastplates on the riders, lion heads on the horses breathing out fire and smoke and brimstone. With these three weapons—fire and smoke and brimstone—they killed a third of the human race. The horses killed with their mouths and tails; their serpentlike tails also had heads that wreaked havoc.
**20-21** The remaining men and women who weren’t killed by these weapons went on their merry way—didn’t change their way of life, didn’t quit worshiping demons, didn’t quit centering their lives around lumps of gold and silver and brass, hunks of stone and wood that couldn’t see or hear or move. There wasn’t a sign of a change of heart. They plunged right on in their murderous, occult, promiscuous, and thieving ways.
**MSG**

Psalm 99

1 The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
2 The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.
3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
4 The king's strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.
7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
8 Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.
KJV

Spirits to Avoid!

The deaf and dumb spirit: Mark 9:17-29
The evil spirit: Luke 7:21 and Acts 19:12-13
The familiar spirit: 1 Samuel 28:7
The foul spirit Mark: 9:25
The lying spirit: 2 Chronicles 18:20-22
The perverted spirit: Isaiah 19:14 and Romans 1:17-32
The seducing spirit: 1 Timothy 4:1
The spirit of the unclean devil: Luke 4:33
The spirit of the antichrist: 1 John 4:3
The spirit of bondage Romans: 8:15
The spirit of death: 1 Corinthians 10:10, 15.26
The spirit of divination (the boss of fear): Acts 16:16
The spirit of error: 1 John 4:6
The spirit of fear: 2 Timothy 1:7
The spirit of haughtiness: Proverbs 16:18-19
The spirit of heaviness: Isaiah 61:3
The spirit of infirmity Luke: 13:11-13
The spirit of jealousy: Genesis 4:5-8 and Numbers 5:14
The spirit of slumber: Isaiah 29:10 and Romans 11:8
The spirit of the world: 1 Corinthians 2:12
The spirit of whoredoms: Hosea 4:12, 5:4
The unclean spirit: Mark 6:7 and Luke 11:24-26

Word of The Day

Ephesians 2:2
2 Yes, in the past your lives were full of those sins. You lived the way the world lives, following the ruler of the evil powers that are above the earth. That same spirit is now working in those who refuse to obey God.
ERV
Ephesians 2:2
*ruler of the evil powers* See “*Satan*” in the Word List.
ERV
James 3:17-18
17 But the wisdom that comes from God is like this: First, it is pure. It is also peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help people who have trouble and to do good for others. This wisdom is always fair and honest. 18 People who work for peace in a peaceful way get the blessings that come from right living.
ERV
Matthew 12:45
45 Then the evil spirit goes out and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself. They all go and live there, and that person has even more trouble than before. It is the same way with the evil people who live today.”
ERV
James 4:7
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
KJV

Galatians 5:19-26

**19-21** It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.
This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.
**22-23** But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
**23-24** Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.
**25-26** Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.
MSG

St. John 15

**1-3** “I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.
4 “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.
**5-8** “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.
**9-10** “I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.
**11-15** “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.
16 “You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.
17 “But remember the root command: Love one another.
**Hated by the World**
**18-19** “If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world’s terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God’s terms and no longer on the world’s terms, the world is going to hate you.
20 “When that happens, remember this: Servants don’t get better treatment than their masters. If they beat on me, they will certainly beat on you. If they did what I told them, they will do what you tell them.
**21-25** “They are going to do all these things to you because of the way they treated me, because they don’t know the One who sent me. If I hadn’t come and told them all this in plain language, it wouldn’t be so bad. As it is, they have no excuse. Hate me, hate my Father—it’s all the same. If I hadn’t done what I have done among them, works no one has *ever* done, they wouldn’t be to blame. But they saw the God-signs and hated anyway, both me and my Father. Interesting—they have verified the truth of their own Scriptures where it is written, ‘They hated me for no good reason.’
**26-27** “When the Friend I plan to send you from the Father comes—the Spirit of Truth issuing from the Father—he will confirm everything about me. You, too, from your side must give your confirming evidence, since you are in this with me from the start.”
MSG

Golden Text

**2 Esdras 14:13-14**
**13 Now therefore set thine house in order, and reprove thy people, comfort such of them as be in trouble, and now renounce corruption,**
**14 Let go from thee mortal thoughts, cast away the burdens of man, put off now the weak nature,**

Golden Text of The Day!

To all The Israelites:

Isaiah 56:8

8. The Lord God, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

Warning/Caution!

A Clean Hands and a Pure Heart Shall see God!

Golden Text

Psalm 56:11

11 I trust God, so I am not afraid
of what people can do to me!

Jeremiah 39:17-18

“When it happens, you will be there to see it. But I’ll deliver you on that doomsday. You won’t be handed over to those men whom you have good reason to fear. Yes, I’ll most certainly save you. You won’t be killed. You’ll walk out of there safe and sound because you trusted Me.’” God’s Decree.
MSG

Bending the knee of your Heart!

Word of The Day!

The Twins above our heads are The Lamp of Precepts and The Light of The Torah

Precision Prayer: Be precise in your prayer and supplications

Word of The Day

Word of The Day

Revelations 20:6

6 Great blessings belong to those who share in this first resurrection. They are God’s holy people. The second death has no power over them. They will be Priests for God and for Christ. They will rule with Him for 1000 years.

Ameeeeeen!

First Flight Flyers!

2 Esdras 2:30

**Golden Text💙**
“Be joyful, O thou mother, with thy children; for I will deliver thee, saith The Lord.”
KJV

Psalm 117

1 O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.

The Word of The Day!

The legacy of slavery lives on.

A virtue of a slave is trustworthiness.

Yet we believe that God has no need for our trustworthiness, yet we say we're God’s Servants.

Word of the Day is Trustworthiness

God Trusted Abraham to Leave.

He Trusted Moses when he took off his shoes. Moses was trusted to hear the Father. God trusted Moses, that Moses would go and deliver The Children of Israel under the oppression of Pharaoh.

He Trusted Joseph, that Joseph would tell the truth about what he saw about the Kings dreams.

He trusted Hosea to go get his wife and to bring a coat.

He trusted Solomon with wisdom and look what he did.

He Trusted Samson with strength and beauty, he anointed Samson's hair and look what he did.

He Trusted Jonah with a direct order and look what he did.

The Father also requires us as His servants, He requires our trustworthiness.

Spiritual distinctions:

Have it in your hearts,

Work ye the works of God!

Be Mindful of His Commandments and Promises which He Promise and believe Him that He will perform them to you if You shall keep His Commands.

What you shall do, do for The Name of God and you shall have joy without heaviness and fear.

Do NOT adulterate!

Covet after your own work, and you shall be saved.

The rich bring very little prayer to The Lord.

The poor are Rich in Prayer and have Great Power in The Lord.

Pray for the rich for they afford the poor their riches.

They are consults of their good works; God only blesses the rich for their good works, but we wake up blessed!

Do these things and live, live for God and you shall not be deserted by The Lord, and you shall be written in The Book of Life.

The Disciples saw the withered tree in the Spirit and the Angels said those trees are as those left in the world.

Neither do the just or the unjust be known.

To the just this world is like winter.

All leaves fall to the ground, and they look the same, they fall from the withered tree.

All Green Trees, the Angel said, these are like those waiting to dwell in the world to come, for that world to come is your summer.

But to sinners your summer is their winter.

We arise early to report to our stations, the fast, God saw The PURE FAST.

1 Do nothing wicked in life

2 With a Pure mind serve God

3 Keep His Commandments

4 Go in His Precepts

5 Admit no harmful hurtful desire in your mind

6 Believe The Lord

7 Do these things

8 Have His Fear

9 Abstain from evil business

10 Live to God

This is a GREAT FAST.

See you keep it and beware of wicked filthy words, and it will be a JUST FAST.

This station so acted is acceptable to The Lord, an ACCEPTABLE FAST.

In My Commandments walk and you shall live, live to God. For they parish that depart from The Living God, they depart from God giving themselves up to the word that says they converse in vain luxury and in vain delights.

Will you not purify your Mind, Said The Lord.

Serve God with a pure mind and be successful in employments.

Seek and you shall find people of God.

It is The Good News!

DO RIGHT

The Word of The Day!

The Prayer of Manasseh

Prayer of Manasseh
Common English Bible
1 Lord Almighty, God of our ancestors,
        God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
        and their righteous children,
2     you made heaven and earth
        with all their beauty.
3 You set limits for the sea
    by speaking your command.
You closed the bottomless pit,
    and sealed it by your powerful
    and glorious name.
4 All things fear you and tremble
in your presence,
5     because no one can endure
    the brightness of your glory.
    No one can resist the fury
    of your threat against sinners.
6 But your promised mercies
are beyond measure and imagination,
7     because you are the highest, Lord,
        kind, patient, and merciful,
    and you feel sorry over human troubles.
**Syriac**
You, Lord, according to
your gentle grace,
    promised forgiveness to those
    who are sorry for their sins.
In your great mercy,
    you allowed sinners to turn
    from their sins and find salvation.
8 Therefore, Lord,
God of those who do what is right,
    you didn’t offer
    Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
    who didn’t sin against you,
    a chance to change their hearts and lives.
But you offer me, the sinner,
the chance to change my heart and life,
9 because my sins outnumbered
the grains of sand by the sea.
My sins are many, Lord; they are many.
I am not worthy to look up,
to gaze into heaven
    because of my many sins.
**Syriac**
9 Now, Lord, I suffer justly.
    I deserve the troubles I encounter.
    Already I’m caught in a trap.
10 I’m held down by iron chains
    so that I can’t lift up my head
    because of my sins.
There’s no relief for me,
    because I made you angry,
    doing wrong in front of your face,
    setting up false gods
    and committing offenses.
11 Now I bow down before you
    from deep within my heart,
    begging for your kindness.
12 I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned,
    and I know the laws I’ve broken.
13 I’m praying, begging you:
    Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.
    Don’t destroy me along with my sins.
    Don’t keep my bad deeds
    in your memory forever.
    Don’t sentence me to the earth’s depths,
        for you, Lord, are the God
        of those who turn from their sins.
14 In me you’ll show how kind you are.
    Although I’m not worthy,
        you’ll save me according
        to your great mercy.
15 I will praise you continuously
    all the days of my life,
    because all of heaven’s forces praise you,
    and the glory is yours
    forever and always. Amen.
CEB

Word of The Day!

Worship!

How Great Thou Art!!!!
You are a Great God of
Great Grace, Great Mercy,
Great Forgiveness, and
Great Pardon!!!!!

The Love of God

Forgiveness comes with the Love of God. Grace and Mercy comes with Forgiveness.

The 10 Commandments

**(FOUND IN EXODUS 20)**

And God spoke all these words, saying, I am The Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage

1 Thou shalt have no other gods before me

2 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I The Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments

3 Thou shalt not take the name of The Lord thy God in vain; for The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain

4 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of The Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore The Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

5 Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which The Lord thy God giveth thee

6 Thou shalt not kill

7 Thou shalt not commit adultery

8 Thou shalt not steal

9 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor

10 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s

Word of The Day

~

Word of The Day ~ Word of The Day ~

Word of The Day

Shalom & Greetings in The Name of The Most High God

🕊️

New Video Coming soon

🕊️

Shalom & Greetings in The Name of The Most High God 🕊️ New Video Coming soon 🕊️ Shalom & Greetings in The Name of The Most High God 🕊️ New Video Coming soon 🕊️

Greetings in The Might Name of The Most High God!

We are now out of The Feast of Weeks!

Shalom and Greetings in

The Might Name of The Most High.

Our Leader has taught us that we aught to find someone to show an act of kindness to in such a wicked world.

Why aren’t they Reading This!

Isaiah 66:22-24

Shabbat Shalom,

Shabbat Shalom World and Greetings from The Remnant Bible School Church,

Our Leader was awoken by a hamstring cramp, it hit her twice to bring her out The Vallery of Dreams.

He said I have searched around, and I have found none, I looked around and found now. Our Leader said, huh, and He said both The 53s are yours.

Psalm 53 and Isaiah 53

Psalm 53

Isaiah 53

ARE YOU READY TO LEAVE ON THE SPACESHIP, WITH SPNNING WHEELS!😊

Psalm 16

Psalm 16

Sirach 3

Sirach 3

Humility and charity

Isaiah 52

Isaiah 52

Isaiah 42

Isaiah 42

2 Esdras 8

2 Esdras 8

1 What’s God going to say to my questions? I’m braced for the worst. I’ll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon.I’ll wait to see what God says, how he’ll answer my complaint.

Full of Self, but Soul-Empty

* * *

4 “Look at that man, bloated by self-importance— full of himself but soul-empty.But the person in right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive.

20 “But oh! God is in his holy Temple! Quiet everyone—a holy silence. Listen!”

Golden Text of The Day!

To all The Israelites:

Isaiah 56:8

8. The Lord God, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

Warning/Caution!

A Clean Hands and a Pure Heart Shall see God!

Golden Text

Psalm 56:11

Word of The Day

Revelations 20:6

Ameeeeeen!

First Flight Flyers!

The Word of The Day!

The Word of The Day!

The legacy of slavery lives on.

A virtue of a slave is trustworthiness.

Yet we believe that God has no need for our trustworthiness, yet we say we're God’s Servants.

Word of the Day is Trustworthiness

God Trusted Abraham to Leave.

He Trusted Moses when he took off his shoes. Moses was trusted to hear the Father. God trusted Moses, that Moses would go and deliver The Children of Israel under the oppression of Pharaoh.

He Trusted Joseph, that Joseph would tell the truth about what he saw about the Kings dreams.

He trusted Hosea to go get his wife and to bring a coat.

He trusted Solomon with wisdom and look what he did.

He Trusted Samson with strength and beauty, he anointed Samson's hair and look what he did.

He Trusted Jonah with a direct order and look what he did.

The Father also requires us as His servants, He requires our trustworthiness.

Spiritual distinctions:

Have it in your hearts,

Work ye the works of God!

Be Mindful of His Commandments and Promises which He Promise and believe Him that He will perform them to you if You shall keep His Commands.

What you shall do, do for The Name of God and you shall have joy without heaviness and fear.

Do NOT adulterate!

Covet after your own work, and you shall be saved.

The rich bring very little prayer to The Lord.

The poor are Rich in Prayer and have Great Power in The Lord.

Pray for the rich for they afford the poor their riches.

They are consults of their good works; God only blesses the rich for their good works, but we wake up blessed!

Do these things and live, live for God and you shall not be deserted by The Lord, and you shall be written in The Book of Life.

The Disciples saw the withered tree in the Spirit and the Angels said those trees are as those left in the world.

Neither do the just or the unjust be known.

Word of The Day ~

Shalom & Greetings in The Name of The Most High God 🕊️ New Video Coming soon 🕊️

1 What’s God going to say to my questions? I’m braced for the worst.
I’ll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon.
I’ll wait to see what God says,
how he’ll answer my complaint.

4 “Look at that man, bloated by self-importance—
full of himself but soul-empty.
But the person in right standing before God
through loyal and steady believing
is fully alive, really alive.

20 “But oh! God is in his holy Temple!
Quiet everyone—a holy silence. Listen!”