Zephaniah 3
Woe to Jerusalem
1 Alas, the glorious and ransomed city! The dove†
2 did not listen to the voice, nor did she accept correction, nor did she trust in the Lord, and she did not draw near to her God.
3 Her rulers are in her as roaring lions, and her judges are as wolves of Arabia that remain until morning.
4 Her prophets borne by the wind, men who are scoffers, the bearers of the spirit, are men who are scorners. Her priests profane the holy things and live contrary to the law.
5 But the Lord in her midst is just and will never act unjustly. Morning by morning He will give His judgment in the light, and it is not concealed; He does not grant injustice by extortion nor injustice by strife.
6 “I have brought down the arrogant with destruction, and their cornerstones are destroyed. I will make their streets totally desolate, so that none can pass through. Their cities are destroyed because there is no one to live or dwell in them.
7 I said, ‘But fear Me and receive instruction, and you will not be completely uprooted from the face of it—for much vengeance I have taken against her.’ Prepare yourself, rise early in the morning, for every last small grape left for the gleaners has been spoiled.
8 “On account of this, wait for Me,” says the Lord, “until the day of My rising up as a testimony. For My judgment shall be for the gathering of the nations, to receive kings to pour out upon them all My fierce anger, for all the earth shall be consumed with the fire of My jealousy.
9 “For then I shall transform for the people a language for her generation, for all to call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him under one yoke.
10 From the boundaries of the rivers of Ethiopia they will bring offerings to Me.
11 In that day, you will not be ashamed of all your practices in which you acted profanely against Me. For at that time I will take away from you the contempt of your arrogance, and you shall no longer be haughty upon My holy mountain.
12 And I will leave among you a gentle and humble people, who will show reverence to the name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel will not commit unrighteousness nor speak vanities; neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they will feed and lie down, and there will be no one terrifying them.”
Promised Blessings for Jerusalem
14 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Cry aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Be glad and rejoice with your whole heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your iniquities and ransomed you from your enemies. The Lord, the King of Israel, is in your midst; you will no longer see any evil.
16 At that time the Lord shall say to Jerusalem, “O Zion, be of good courage; do not let your hands grow slack.
17 The Lord your God is with you. The Mighty One shall save you. He shall bring gladness upon you and will renew you with His love. He will delight over you with joy as in a day of feasting.
18 I shall gather together your broken ones. Alas! who has taken up a reproach against her?
19 “Behold, at that time I will act among you for your sake,” says the Lord. “I will save the oppressed and welcome those being rejected. I will make them a praise and renowned throughout the whole earth.
20 And they shall be put to shame in that day when I do well with you, at the time when I shall receive you, for I will make you praised and renowned among all the peoples of the earth when I return your captivity,” says the Lord.
Psalms 54
1 For the End; in hymns; concerning understanding; by David. †
2 Give ear to my prayer, O God, And do not despise my supplication;
3 Attend to me, and hear me. I am vexed in my prayer, and troubled
4 By the enemy’s voice and by the sinner’s affliction; For they turned their lawlessness upon me, And in wrath they were indignant with me.
5 My heart was troubled within me, And the terror of death fell on me.
6 Fear and trembling came upon me, And the darkness covered me.
7 I said, “Who will give me wings like a dove, And I will fly away, and be at rest?
8 Behold, I fled far away, And lodged in the wilderness.” (Pause)
9 I wait for the One who saves me From faintheartedness and storm.
10 Drown them in the sea, O Lord, and divide their tongues; For I see lawlessness and strife in the city.
11 Day and night, it shall surround her upon her walls; Lawlessness and trouble and wrongdoing are in her midst;
12 And usury and treachery Have not ceased from her squares.
Proverbs of Solomon 11
11 A double-tongued man reveals deliberations heard in council, But a man faithful in spirit conceals matters.
12 Those for whom there is no leadership fall like leaves, But there is salvation in much counsel.
13 A wicked man does evil whenever he meets a righteous man, And he hates the sound of stability.
14 A thankful woman raises up glory to her husband, But a throne of dishonor is a woman who hates righteousness.
15 Lazy men are in need of wealth, But courageous men support themselves with wealth.†
1 Corinthians 11
The Conduct of Women
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.†
3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.
5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.
8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man.
9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.
10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.
12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.
16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.