Ezekiel 19
A Song of Lament
1 “As for you, son of man, take up a lamentation for the prince of Israel.†
2 You shall say, ‘Why did your mother became a young lion in the midst of lions? Among the lions she multiplied her young lions.
3 Then one of her young lions leaped off. He became a lion, and learned to catch prey—he devoured men.
4 The nations also heard of him. He was taken in their pit, and they brought him in a muzzle to the land of Egypt.
5 So she saw he was driven away from her, and her assurance perished. ‘Then she took another of her young lions and made him a lion.
6 He lived among the lions and became a lion. He learned to catch prey—he devoured men.
7 He prowled in his boldness, laid waste their cities, and destroyed the land with its fullness by the noise of his roaring.
8 Then the nations came against him from the countries all around, and spread their nets over him. He was taken in their pit.
9 They put him in a muzzle, and he came to the king of Babylon in a cage for wild animals. So they led him into a prison so his voice would not be heard on the mountains of Israel.
10 ‘Your mother was like a vine, like a blossom on a pomegranate tree, planted in water. Her fruit and branches grew because of much water.
11 She became a rod of strength for a tribe of leaders. She was exalted in her greatness in the midst of the stems, and saw her greatness in the multitude of her branches.
12 But she was broken to pieces in anger, for she was thrown down on the ground, and the wind and burning heat dried her chosen branches. She was punished, and the rod of her strength withered—fire consumed it.
13 So now they have planted her in the desert, in a waterless land.
14 Fire went out from the rod of her chosen branches and devoured her. There was no rod of strength in her. Her tribe is a parable of lamentation, and it shall be for a lamentation.’ ”
Psalms 118
65 O Lord, You dealt with Your servant in goodness, According to Your word.
66 Teach me goodness, instruction, and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments.
67 Before I was humbled, I transgressed; Therefore, I kept Your teaching.
68 You are good, O Lord, and in Your goodness Teach me Your ordinances.
69 The unrighteousness of the arrogant multiplied against me, But I will search out Your commandments with my whole heart.
70 Their heart was curdled like milk, But I meditated on Your law.
71 It is good for me that You humbled me, That I might learn Your ordinances.
72 The law of Your mouth is good for me, Rather than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
73 Your hands made and fashioned me; Instruct me, and I will learn Your commandments.
74 Those who fear You will see me and be glad, Because I hope in Your words.
75 I know, O Lord, Your judgments are righteousness, And You humbled me with truth.
76 Let Your mercy be for my comfort, According to Your teaching to Your servant.
77 Let Your compassions come to me, and I shall live; For Your law is my meditation.
78 Let the arrogant be shamed, for they transgressed unjustly against me; But I shall meditate on Your commandments.
79 Let those who fear You turn to me, And those who know Your testimonies.
80 Let my heart be blameless in Your ordinances, That I may not be disappointed.
Proverbs of Solomon 26
6 He shall drink reproach at his own feet Who sends a word through an undiscerning messenger.
7 Remove the motion of the legs And a proverb from the mouth of men without discernment.
8 He who binds a stone in a sling Is like one who gives glory to a man without discernment.
9 Thorny plants grow in the hand of a drunkard And slavery in the hand of men without discernment.
1 Peter 3
Wives: Submissive to Husbands
1 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,†
2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.
3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—
4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,
6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
Husbands: Honor Your Wives
7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
Christians: Bless Others
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;†
9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
10 For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”
Suffering for Righteousness
13 And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?†
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.”
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;†
16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.†
Involved in Christ’s Suffering
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,†
19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,
20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,†
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.