Isaiah 58
1 “Cry aloud with strength, and spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet, and declare to My people their sins, and to the house of Jacob their lawlessness.†
2 They seek Me day by day, and desire to know My ways. As a people who did righteousness, and did not forsake the judgment of their God, they now ask Me about righteous judgment, and desire to draw near to God,†
3 saying, ‘Why have we fasted, but You did not see it? Why have we humbled our souls, but You did not know it?’ Because in the days of your fasts, you seek your own wills, and mistreat those under your authority.
4 If you fast for condemnations and quarrels, and strike a humble man with your fists, why do you fast to Me as you do today, so your voice may be heard in crying?
5 I did not choose this fast, and such a day for a man to humble his soul; nor if you should bow your neck like a ring and spread sackcloth and ashes under yourself, could you thus call such a fast acceptable.
6 I did not choose such a fast,” says the Lord; “rather, loose every bond of wrongdoing; untie the knots of violent dealings; cancel the debts of the oppressed; and tear apart every unjust contract.
7 Break your bread for the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house. If you see a naked man, clothe him, nor shall you disregard your offspring in your own household.†
8 Then your light shall break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth quickly. Your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of God shall cover you.
9 Then you shall cry out, and God will hear you. While you are still speaking, He will say, ‘Behold, I am here.’ If you take away your fetter and the pointing of the finger, and the word of grumbling,†
10 and if you give bread to the hungry from your soul, and satisfy the humble soul, then your light shall rise up in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as midday.
11 God shall be with you continually, and you shall be satisfied as your soul desires. Your bones shall be enriched, and you shall be like a well-watered garden and like a spring of water that does not fail. Your bones will arise and be enriched like a green plant, and they shall inherit generations of generations.†
12 Your ancient deserts shall be built, and your ancient foundations shall be from generation to generation. You shall be called Builder of Walls, and will rest on the paths within them.†
13 If you turn away your foot from work because of the Sabbath, so as not to do your desires on the holy day, and if you shall call the Sabbath joyful, holy to your God, and not take away your foot for work, nor speak a word in wrath from your mouth,
14 then you shall trust in the Lord; and He will bring you to the good things of the land, and feed you with the inheritance of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken these things.”
Psalms 101
16 And the Gentiles shall fear the name of the Lord, And all the kings of the earth Your glory;
17 For the Lord shall build Zion, And He shall be seen in His glory.
18 He regarded the prayer of the humble, And He did not despise their supplication.
19 Let this be written for another generation, And the people who are created shall praise the Lord;
20 For He looked down from the height of His holy place; The Lord looked upon the earth from heaven,
21 To hear the groaning of those bound, To set free the sons of the slain,
22 To declare the Lord’s name in Zion, And His praise in Jerusalem,
23 When the peoples and the kingdoms Are gathered together to serve the Lord.
24 He replied to Him in the way of strength, “Declare to me the fewness of my days;
25 Take me not away in the midst of my days; Your years are throughout all generations.
26 In the beginning, O Lord, You founded the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands.
27 They shall perish, but You shall remain, And all things shall grow old like a garment, And like a cloak You shall change them, And they shall be changed;
28 But You are the same, and Your years shall not fail.
29 The children of Your servants shall dwell there, And their seed shall be led to prosperity forever.”
Proverbs of Solomon 21
21 A wise man assaults fortified cities And pulls down the stronghold the ungodly trust.†
22 He who guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from tribulation.
23 A troublemaker is called rash, arrogant, and boastful, And he who bears malice is called lawless.
24 Desires kill a slothful man, For his hands choose not to do anything.†
25 The ungodly man desires evil all day long, But the righteous man shows mercy and compassion unsparingly.
2 Timothy 2
Transmitting the Faith
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.†
Strengthening Others: Discipline and Suffering
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.†
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.
7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.
8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel,†
9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
Apostolic Teaching vs. Error
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.†
16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.†
17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,†
18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.
19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
Apostolic Conduct vs. Error
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.†
21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,†
25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.