Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
AUGUST
31
PSALMS: 31,
61, 91, 121
PROVERBS: 31
OLD
TESTAMENT: EZEKIEL 40:28 - 41:26
NEW
TESTAMENT: JAMES 4:1 - 17
PSALMS: 31
For
the director of music. A psalm of David.
1
In
you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let
me never be put to shame;
deliver
me in your righteousness.
2
Turn
your ear to me,
come
quickly to my rescue;
be
my rock of refuge,
a
strong fortress to save me.
3
Since
you are my rock and my fortress,
for
the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4
Free
me from the trap that is set for me,
for
you are my refuge.
5
Into
your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem
me, O LORD, the God of truth.
6
I
hate those who cling to worthless idols;
I
trust in the LORD.
7
I
will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for
you saw my affliction
and
knew the anguish of my soul.
8
You
have not handed me over to the enemy
but
have set my feet in a spacious place.
9
Be
merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my
eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my
soul and my body with grief.
10
My
life is consumed by anguish
and
my years by groaning;
my
strength fails because of my affliction, A
and
my bones grow weak. [1]
11
Because
of all my enemies,
I
am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I
am a dread to my friends--
those
who see me on the street flee from me.
12
I
am forgotten by them as though I were dead;
I
have become like broken pottery.
13
For
I hear the slander of many;
there
is terror on every side;
they
conspire against me
and
plot to take my life.
14
But
I trust in you, O LORD;
I
say, "You are my God."
15
My
times are in your hands;
deliver
me from my enemies
and
from those who pursue me.
16
Let
your face shine on your servant;
save
me in your unfailing love.
17
Let
me not be put to shame, O LORD,
for
I have cried out to you;
but
let the wicked be put to shame
and
lie silent in the grave. B
18
Let
their lying lips be silenced,
for
with pride and contempt
they
speak arrogantly against the righteous.
19
How
great is your goodness,
which
you have stored up for those who fear you,
which
you bestow in the sight of men
on
those who take refuge in you.
20
In
the shelter of your presence you hide them
from
the intrigues of men;
in
your dwelling you keep them safe [2]
from
accusing tongues.
21
Praise
be to the LORD,
for
he showed his wonderful love to me
when
I was in a besieged city.
22
In
my alarm I said,
"I
am cut off from your sight!"
Yet
you heard my cry for mercy
when
I called to you for help.
23
Love
the LORD, all his saints!
The
LORD preserves the faithful,
but
the proud he pays back in full.
24
Be
strong and take heart,
all
you who hope in the LORD. [3]
PSALMS: 61
For
the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of
David.
1
Hear
my cry, O God;
listen
to my prayer.
2
From
the ends of the earth I call to you,
I
call as my heart grows faint;
lead
me to the rock that is higher than I.
3
For
you have been my refuge,
a
strong tower against the foe.
4
I
long to dwell in your tent forever
and
take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Selah
5
For
you have heard my vows, O God;
you
have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
6
Increase
the days of the king's life,
his
years for many generations.
7
May
he be enthroned in God's presence forever;
appoint
your love and faithfulness to protect him.
8
Then
will I ever sing praise to your name
and
fulfill my vows day after day. [4]
PSALMS: 91
1
He
who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will
rest in the shadow of the Almighty. A
2
I
will say B of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my
fortress,
my
God, in whom I trust."
3
Surely
he will save you from the fowler's snare
and
from the deadly pestilence.
4
He
will cover you with his feathers,
and
under his wings you will find refuge;
his
faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5
You
will not fear the terror of night,
nor
the arrow that flies by day,
6
nor
the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor
the plague that destroys at midday.
7
A
thousand may fall at your side,
ten
thousand at your right hand,
but
it will not come near you.
8
You
will only observe with your eyes
and
see the punishment of the wicked.
9
If
you make the Most High your dwelling--
even
the LORD, who is my refuge--
10then
no harm will befall you,
no
disaster will come near your tent.
11
For
he will command his angels concerning you
to
guard you in all your ways;
12
they
will lift you up in their hands,
so
that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13
You
will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you
will trample the great lion and the serpent. [5]
14
"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I
will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He
will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I
will be with him in trouble,
I
will deliver him and honor him.
16 With
long life will I satisfy him
and
show him my salvation."
[6]
PSALMS: 121
A
song of ascents.
1
I
lift up my eyes to the hills--
where
does my help come from?
2
My
help comes from the LORD,
the
Maker of heaven and earth.
3
He
will not let your foot slip--
he
who watches over you will not slumber;
4
indeed,
he who watches over Israel
will
neither slumber nor sleep.
5
The
LORD watches over you--
the
LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6
the
sun will not harm you by day,
nor
the moon by night.
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. [7]
PROVERBS: 31
31
1
The
sayings of King Lemuel--an oracle A his mother taught
him:
2
"O
my son, O son of my womb,
O
son of my vows, B
3
do
not spend your strength on women,
your
vigor on those who ruin kings.
4
"It
is not for kings, O Lemuel--
not
for kings to drink wine,
not
for rulers to crave beer,
5
lest
they drink and forget what the law decrees,
and
deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6
Give
beer to those who are perishing,
wine
to those who are in anguish;
7
let
them drink and forget their poverty
and
remember their misery no more.
8
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for
themselves,
for
the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Speak
up and judge fairly;
defend
the rights of the poor and needy."
[8]
10
C
A wife of noble character who can find?
She
is worth far more than rubies.
11
Her
husband has full confidence in her
and
lacks nothing of value.
12
She
brings him good, not harm,
all
the days of her life.
13
She
selects wool and flax
and
works with eager hands.
14
She
is like the merchant ships,
bringing
her food from afar.
15
She
gets up while it is still dark;
she
provides food for her family
and
portions for her servant girls.
16
She
considers a field and buys it;
out
of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17
She
sets about her work vigorously;
her
arms are strong for her tasks.
18
She
sees that her trading is profitable,
and
her lamp does not go out at night.
19
In
her hand she holds the distaff
and
grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20
She
opens her arms to the poor
and
extends her hands to the needy.
21
When
it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for
all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22
She
makes coverings for her bed;
she
is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23
Her
husband is respected at the city gate,
where
he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24
She
makes linen garments and sells them,
and
supplies the merchants with sashes.
25
She
is clothed with strength and dignity;
she
can laugh at the days to come.
26
She
speaks with wisdom, [9]
and
faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27
She
watches over the affairs of her household
and
does not eat the bread of idleness.
28
Her
children arise and call her blessed;
her
husband also, and he praises her:
29
"Many
women do noble things,
but
you surpass them all."
30
Charm
is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but
a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31
Give
her the reward she has earned,
and
let her works bring her praise at the city gate.[10]
OLD
TESTAMENT: EZEKIEL 40:28 - 41:26
28
Then
he brought me into the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the
south gate; it had the same measurements as the others. 29 Its
alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the
others. The gateway and its portico had openings all around. It was fifty cubits
long and twenty-five cubits wide.
30
(The
porticoes of the gateways around the inner court were twenty-five cubits wide
and five cubits deep.) 31 Its portico faced the outer court; palm
trees decorated its jambs, and eight steps led up to it.
32
Then
he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gateway;
it had the same measurements as the others. 33 Its alcoves, its
projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The
gateway and its portico had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and
twenty-five cubits wide. 34 Its portico faced the outer court; palm
trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.
35
Then
he brought me to the north gate and measured it. It had the same measurements as
the others, 36 as did its alcoves, its projecting walls and its
portico, and it had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and
twenty-five cubits wide.
37
Its
portico G faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on
either side, and eight steps led up to it.
38
A
room with a doorway was by the portico in each of the inner gateways, where the
burnt offerings were washed. 39 In the portico of the gateway were
two tables on each side, on which the burnt offerings, sin offerings and guilt
offerings were slaughtered.
40
By
the outside wall of the portico of the gateway, near the steps at the entrance
to the north gateway were two tables, and on the other side of the steps were
two tables. 41 So there were four tables on one side of the gateway
and four on the other--eight tables in all--on which the sacrifices were
slaughtered. 42 There were also four tables of dressed stone for the
burnt offerings, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide and a
cubit high. On them were placed the utensils for slaughtering the burnt
offerings and the other sacrifices. 43 And double-pronged hooks, each
a handbreadth long, were attached to the wall all around. The tables were for
the flesh of the offerings.
44
Outside
the inner gate, within the inner court, were two rooms, one H at the
side of the north gate and facing south, and another at the side of the south
I gate and facing north. 45 He said to me, "The room
facing south is for the priests who have charge of the temple, 46 and
the room facing north is for the priests who have charge of the altar. These are
the sons of Zadok, who are the only Levites who may draw near to the LORD to
minister before him."
47
Then
he measured the court: It was square--a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits
wide. And the altar was in front of the temple.
48
He
brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the jambs of the portico;
they were five cubits wide on either side. The width of the entrance was
fourteen cubits and its projecting walls were J three cubits wide on
either side. 49 The portico was twenty cubits wide, and twelve
K cubits from front to back. It was reached by a flight of stairs,
L and there were pillars on each side of the jambs. [11]
41
1
Then
the man brought me to the outer sanctuary and measured the jambs; the width of
the jambs was six cubits A on each side. B 2 The entrance
was ten cubits wide, and the projecting walls on each side of it were five
cubits wide. He also measured the outer sanctuary; it was forty cubits long and
twenty cubits wide.
3
Then
he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the jambs of the entrance; each
was two cubits wide. The entrance was six cubits wide, and the projecting walls
on each side of it were seven cubits wide. 4 And he measured the
length of the inner sanctuary; it was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty
cubits across the end of the outer sanctuary. He said to me, "This is the Most Holy Place."
5
Then
he measured the wall of the temple; it was six cubits thick, and each side room
around the temple was four cubits wide. 6 The side rooms were on
three levels, one above another, thirty on each level. There were ledges all
around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that
the supports were not inserted into the wall of the temple. 7 The
side rooms all around the temple were wider at each successive level. The
structure surrounding the temple was built in ascending stages, so that the
rooms widened as one went upward. A stairway went up from the lowest floor to
the top floor through the middle floor.
8
I
saw that the temple had a raised base all around it, forming the foundation of
the side rooms. It was the length of the rod, six long cubits. 9 The
outer wall of the side rooms was five cubits thick. The open area between the
side rooms of the temple 10 and the priests' rooms was twenty cubits
wide all around the temple. 11 There were entrances to the side rooms
from the open area, one on the north and another on the south; and the base
adjoining the open area was five cubits wide all around.
12
The
building facing the temple courtyard on the west side was seventy cubits wide.
The wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length was
ninety cubits.
13
Then
he measured the temple; it was a hundred cubits long, and the temple courtyard
and the building with its walls were also a hundred cubits long. 14
The width of the temple courtyard on the east, including the front of the
temple, was a hundred cubits.
15
Then
he measured the length of the building facing the courtyard at the rear of the
temple, including its galleries on each side; it was a hundred cubits.
The
outer sanctuary, the inner sanctuary and the portico facing the court, 16
as well as the thresholds and the narrow windows and galleries around the
three of them--everything beyond and including the threshold was covered with
wood. The floor, the wall up to the windows, and the windows were covered.
17 In the space above the outside of the entrance to the inner
sanctuary and on the walls at regular intervals all around the inner and outer
sanctuary 18 were carved cherubim and palm trees. Palm trees
alternated with cherubim. Each cherub had two faces: 19 the face of a
man toward the palm tree on one side and the face of a lion toward the palm tree
on the other. They were carved all around the whole temple. 20 From
the floor to the area above the entrance, cherubim and palm trees were carved on
the wall of the outer sanctuary. [12]
21 The outer sanctuary had a
rectangular doorframe, and the one at the front of the Most Holy Place was
similar. 22 There was a wooden altar three cubits high and two cubits
square C; its corners, its base D and its sides were of
wood. The man said to me, "This is the table that is before the LORD." 23
Both the outer sanctuary and the Most Holy Place had double doors. 24
Each door had two leaves--two hinged leaves for each door. 25
And on the doors of the outer sanctuary were carved cherubim and palm
trees like those carved on the walls, and there was a wooden overhang on the
front of the portico. 26 On the sidewalls of the portico were narrow
windows with palm trees carved on each side. The side rooms of the temple also
had overhangs. [13]
NEW
TESTAMENT: JAMES 4:1 - 17
4
1
What
causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that
battle within you? 2 You want something but don't get it. You kill
and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not
have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive,
because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your
pleasures.
4
You
adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred
toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of
God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit
he caused to live in us envies intensely? A 6But he gives
us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud
but
gives grace to the humble."B
7
Submit
yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you
sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn
and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
11
Brothers,
do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him
speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not
keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one
Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are
you to judge your neighbor?
13
Now
listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a
year there, carry on business and make money." 14 Why, you do not
even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that
appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought
to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16
As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
[14]
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John 3:16-21 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, F that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.G 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." H
