Isaiah 3
1 For behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, takes away from Judah and from Jerusalem the strong man and the strong woman; the strength of bread and the strength of water;
2 the mighty man and the man of war; the judge, the prophet, the diviner, and the elder;
3 the captain of fifty, the wonderful counselor, the skillful artisan, and the prudent disciple.
4 “I will give children to be their princes, and mockers shall rule over them.
5 The people will collapse, every one on another and every one on his neighbor. The child will be arrogant toward the elder and vulgar toward the honorable.”
6 When a man takes hold of his brother or his father’s servant, saying, “You have clothing; you be our ruler and let my food be under your roof.”
7 In that day, he will protest, saying, “I will not be your ruler, for in my house there is neither food nor clothing. I will not be the ruler of this people.”
8 For Jerusalem is ruined and Judah is fallen, because their tongues are lawless and they are disobedient to the Lord. Now their glory is humbled.
9 The shame on their face witnesses against them. They declare and exhibit their sin as Sodom. Woe to their soul, for they planned evil upon themselves,
10 saying, “Let us hand over the righteous man, for he is burdensome to us.” They shall eat the fruit of their doings.†
11 Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
12 “O My people, your punishers gather you, and those who make demands of you rule over you. O My people, those who bless you lead you astray and trouble the path of your feet.”
13 The Lord stands up to plead and stands to judge His people.
14 The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of His people and His princes: “For you set fire to My vineyard and the plunder of the poor is in your houses.
15 What do you mean by crushing My people and grinding the faces of the poor?”
16 Moreover the Lord says, “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks and wanton eyes, because they walk and mince as they go, making a jingling with their feet,†
17 therefore the Lord will humble the chief daughters of Zion. The Lord will uncover their secret parts.”
18 In that day, the Lord will take away the glory of their garments and adornments: the hair-clasps, the tassels, the crescents,
19 the necklace, and the ornament on their faces;
20 even the collection of glorious adornment, the anklets and the armlets, the bracelets for the right arm and the finger-rings and the earrings,
21 the garments dyed and decorated with purple,
22 the house-coats and transparent Lyconian garments,
23 the fine linen—the hyacinthine and scarlet and flax interwoven with gold and hyacinth—and the flowing veils.
24 And so it shall be, instead of a sweet smell there will be dust; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of a golden ornament of the head, baldness; and for your deeds, instead of purple, you will have sackcloth.
25 Your most handsome son, whom you love, shall fall by the sword, and your mighty shall fall by the sword.
26 And your chests of adornments shall lament and mourn, and you shall be left to sit on the ground.
Psalms 61
1 For the End, for Jeduthun; a psalm by David. †
2 Shall not my soul be submissive to God? For from Him is my salvation.
3 For He is my God and my savior, My protector; I shall be shaken no more.
4 How long will you attack a man? All of you murder him; You attack him as you would a leaning wall and a broken hedge.
5 They also planned to remove my honor; They ran with a lie; They blessed with their mouth, and they cursed with their heart. (Pause)
6 However, be submissive to God, O my soul, For my patient endurance is from Him.
7 For He is my God and my savior, My protector; I shall never be moved.
8 In God is my salvation and my glory; He is the God of my help, and my hope is in God.
9 Hope in Him, all you congregation of people; Pour out your hearts before Him; God is our helper. (Pause)
10 But the sons of men are useless; The sons of men are liars with the yokes of wrongdoing; They are altogether useless.
11 Do not hope in wrongdoing, And do not hunger for booty; If riches flow in, Do not set your heart on them.
12 God spoke once; I heard these two things:
13 That power is of God, and to You, O Lord, is mercy; For You will repay every man according to his works.
Proverbs of Solomon 12
21 Truthful lips establish a testimony, But a hasty witness has an unrighteous tongue.
22 There is deceit in the heart of a man who devises evil things, But those who counsel peace shall be glad.†
23 Nothing unrighteous will ever be pleasing to the righteous, But the ungodly will be filled with evil things.
24 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But he who shows faithfulness is acceptable to Him.
25 A man of understanding is a throne of perception, But the heart of the undiscerning will meet with curses.†
1 Corinthians 16
Collection for Jerusalem
1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also:†
2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
3 And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem.
4 But if it is fitting that I go also, they will go with me.
Paul’s Plans
5 Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia).
6 And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go.
7 For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.
8 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost.
9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
10 And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.
11 Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren.
12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time; however, he will come when he has a convenient time.
Final Exhortations and Greetings
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
14 Let all that you do be done with love.
15 I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints—
16 that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us.
17 I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied.†
18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.
19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.†
20 All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 The salutation with my own hand—Paul’s.†
22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.