Wisdom of Sirach 35
Acceptable Offerings
1 The man who keeps the law will abound in offerings; He who heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace offering.†
2 He who returns a kindness offers fine wheat flour, And he who does alms sacrifices a praise offering.†
3 To forsake evil is pleasing to the Lord, And to forsake wrongdoing is atonement.
4 Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed, For all these offerings are made because of the commandment.
5 A righteous offering anoints the altar, And its fragrance rises before the Most High.
6 The sacrifice of a righteous man is acceptable, And its remembrance shall not be forgotten.
7 Glorify the Lord with your generosity, And do not reduce the firstfruits of your hands.
8 In every gift let your face be cheerful, And sanctify your tithe with gladness.†
9 Give to the Most High as He has given to you, And give to Him with generosity, according to your windfall.
10 For the Lord is He who repays, And He will repay you sevenfold.†
God’s Justice and Mercy
11 Do not bribe Him, for He will not accept it; And do not offer an unrighteous sacrifice.
12 For the Lord is the judge, And there is no partiality with Him.
13 He will not show partiality to a poor man, But He will hear the petition of him who is wronged.†
14 He will not overlook the supplication of an orphan, Nor a widow when she pours out her story.
15 Do not the tears of a widow run down her cheeks As she cries out against him who caused them?
16 He whose service is pleasing to the Lord Will be accepted by Him, And his prayer will reach to the clouds.
17 The prayer of a humble man passes through the clouds, And he will not be comforted until it reaches the Lord;†
18 And he will not withdraw it until the Most High visits him, Provides justice for the righteous, And executes judgment.
19 So the Lord will not delay, Neither will He be slow to help them,†
20 Until He crushes the loins of the unmerciful And repays vengeance upon the nations,
21 Until He destroys the multitude of the insolent And crushes the scepter of the unrighteous,
22 Until He renders to a man according to his practices And the works of men according to their devices,
23 Until He judges the cause of His people And brings them joy with His mercy.
24 Mercy is beautiful in the time of His affliction, Like rain in the time of drought.†
Psalms 36
21 The sinner borrows, but will not repay; However, the righteous man is compassionate, and gives;
22 For those who bless Him shall inherit the earth, But those who curse Him shall be utterly destroyed.
23 The steps of a man are guided aright by the Lord, And he shall desire His way.
24 When he falls, he shall not be broken to pieces, For the Lord supports him with His hand.
25 I was young, but indeed I grew old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread.
26 Day in and out, he is merciful and lends, And his seed shall be a blessing.
27 Turn away from evil, and do good, And dwell unto ages of ages;
28 For the Lord loves judgment, And He will not abandon His holy ones; They shall be kept forever. But the lawless shall be banished, And the seed of the ungodly shall be utterly destroyed.
29 The righteous shall inherit the earth And dwell upon it unto ages of ages.
30 The mouth of the righteous shall meditate on wisdom, And his tongue shall speak of judgment;
31 The law of God is in his heart, And his steps shall not be tripped up.
32 The sinner observes the righteous man And seeks to put him to death;
33 But the Lord will not leave him in his hands, Nor condemn him, when He judges him.
34 Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the earth; You shall see the sinners when they are utterly destroyed.
35 I saw the ungodly greatly exalted And lifting himself up like the cedars of Lebanon;
36 And I passed by, and behold, he was not; And I sought for him, But his place was not found.
37 Keep innocence, and behold uprightness, For this is the remnant for the peaceful man.
38 But transgressors shall be utterly destroyed together; The remnants of the ungodly shall be utterly destroyed.
39 Now the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, And He is their protector in time of affliction;
40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them; And He shall deliver them from sinners, And save them, because they hope in Him.
Proverbs of Solomon 7
25 Now therefore, my son, hear me, And hold fast to the words of my mouth;†
26 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, For she wounded and cast down many, And those whom she slew are innumerable;
27 Her house is the road to Hades, Leading down to the chambers of death.
Romans 10
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.†
2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.†
God’s Righteousness Is by Faith
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” †
6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above )
7 or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.†
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” †
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
Israel Rejects, Gentiles Receive the Gospel
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?†
15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our report?”
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.”
19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”
20 But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”
21 But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.”