The Wisdom of Solomon 3
The Hope of the Righteous
1 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, And no torture will ever touch them.†
2 In the eyes of the undiscerning they seemed to have died, And their departure was considered to be misfortune,
3 And their passage from us to be their destruction; But they are at peace.
4 For though in man’s view they were punished, Their hope is full of immortality.
5 Though chastened in a few things, Great kindness will be shown them, For God tested them and found them worthy of Himself.
6 He tested them like gold in a furnace And accepted them as a whole burnt offering.
7 In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, And they will run about like sparks through straw.
8 They will judge nations and rule over peoples, And the Lord shall reign over them unto the ages.
9 Those who trust in Him will understand truth, And the faithful shall continue with Him in love, Because grace and mercy are upon His elect.†
The Plight of the Ungodly
10 But the ungodly shall experience The punishment they themselves plotted, They who rejected the righteous man And rebelled against the Lord.†
11 For whoever despises wisdom and instruction is miserable, And their hope is vain, their labors are useless, And their works are worthless.
12 Their wives are foolish, And their children are evil, their existence accursed.
The Blessing of Virtue
13 Blessed is the undefiled barren woman Who has not known sexual promiscuity; She shall have fruit in the visitation of souls.†
14 Blessed also is the eunuch who has done no lawless deed, Nor thought evil things against the Lord; For a chosen grace of faith will be given to him, And a delightful portion in the temple of the Lord.
15 For the fruit of good labors is of good report, And the root of discernment is infallible.
Children of the Ungodly
16 But the children of adulterers shall not reach maturity, And the seed of a lawless bed shall perish.
17 For even if they live a long time They shall be considered as nothing, And in the end their old age will be accounted a dishonor.
18 But if they should die young, they would have no hope Nor consolation in the day of decision.
19 For the end of an unrighteous generation is grievous.
Psalms 139
1 For the End; a psalm by David. †
2 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man, Rescue me from the unjust man,
3 Who devised wrongdoing in their heart; They arrayed themselves for war all day long;
4 They sharpened their tongue like a serpent; The venom of asps was under their lips. (Pause)
5 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the sinner; Deliver me from unjust men Who plotted to trip up my steps;
6 The arrogant hid a trap for me, And they stretched out ropes as snares for my feet; They set a stumbling block for me near my path. (Pause)
7 I said to the Lord, “You are my God; Give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my supplication.
8 O Lord, O Lord, the power of my salvation, You overshadowed my head in the day of war.
9 Because of my desire, O Lord, do not hand me over to the sinner; They plotted against me; do not forsake me, lest they be exalted. (Pause)
10 “As for the head of those who encircle me, The toil of their lips shall cover them.
11 Coals shall fall upon them; You shall overthrow them with fire; Do not let them withstand hardships.”
12 A talkative man shall not prosper on earth; Evils shall hunt the unjust man to destruction.
13 I know the Lord will maintain the cause of the poor man And the justice of the needy.
14 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name, And the upright shall dwell in Your presence.
Proverbs of Solomon 30
6 Do not add to His words, That He might not reprove you, and you become a liar.
7 Two things I ask from You: Do not take away grace from me before I die;†
8 Make a vain word and a lie be far from me; But give me neither riches nor poverty, And appoint what is necessary and sufficient for me;
9 Lest being full, I become a liar and say, “Who sees me?” Or being poor, I steal, and swear by the name of God.
10 Do not deliver a servant into the hands of his master, Lest he curse you, and you be destroyed.
Acts 4
Prayer and Power
23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,†
25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.’
27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together
28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.†
Giving for the Common Good
32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.†
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.
36 And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus,
37 having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.