Wednesday, 22 May

22.   ‘You must not fear them, for the LORD your God Himself fights for you.’ 23.   "Then I pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying: 24.   ‘O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds ? 25.   ‘I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.’ 26.   "But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me. So the LORD said to me: ‘Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter. 27.   ‘Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift your eyes toward the west, the north, the south, and the east; behold it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. 28.   ‘But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see.’ 29.   "So we stayed in the valley opposite Beth Peor.

1.   "Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you. 2.   "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. 3.   "Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal Peor; for the LORD your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor. 4.   "But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive today, every one of you. 5.   "Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. 6.   "Therefore be careful to observe them ; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7.   "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? 8.   "And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? 9.   "Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren, 10.   " especially concerning the day you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’ 11.   "Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. 12.   "And the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice. 13.   "So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. 14.   "And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might observe them in the land which you cross over to possess. 15.   "Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, 16.   "lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female, 17.   "the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, 18.   "the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth. 19.   "And take heed , lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. 20.   "But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day. 21.   "Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I would not cross over the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance. 22.   "But I must die in this land, I must not cross over the Jordan; but you shall cross over and possess that good land. 23.   "Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you. 24.   "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. 25.   "When you beget children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land, and act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do evil in the sight of the LORD your God to provoke Him to anger, 26.   "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed. 27.   "And the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD will drive you. 28.   "And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. 29.   "But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30.   "When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice 31.   ‘(for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them. 32.   "For ask now concerning the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard. 33.   "Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? 34.   "Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? 35.   "To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD Himself is God; there is none other besides Him. 36.   "Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire. 37.   "And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power, 38.   "driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is this day. 39.   "Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. 40.   "You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time."

1.   As snow in summer and rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool. 2.   Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight. 3.   A whip for the horse, A bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the fool’s back. 4.   Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him. 5.   Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes. 6.   He who sends a message by the hand of a fool Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. 7.   Like the legs of the lame that hang limp Is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 8.   Like one who binds a stone in a sling Is he who gives honor to a fool. 9.   Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard Is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 10.   The great God who formed everything Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages. 11.   As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly. 12.   Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. 13.   The lazy man says, " There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!" 14.   As a door turns on its hinges, So does the lazy man on his bed. 15.   The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. 16.   The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can answer sensibly. 17.   He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears. 18.   Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, 19.   Is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, "I was only joking!" 20.   Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases. 21.   As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife. 22.   The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body. 23.   Fervent lips with a wicked heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross. 24.   He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself; 25.   When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, For there are seven abominations in his heart; 26.   Though his hatred is covered by deceit, His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly. 27.   Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. 28.   A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.

1.   Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth. 2.   Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips. 3.   A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them. 4.   Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy? 5.   Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed. 6.   Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 7.   A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. 8.   Like a bird that wanders from its nest Is a man who wanders from his place. 9.   Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel. 10.   Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away. 11.   My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him who reproaches me. 12.   A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished. 13.   Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger, And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress. 14.   He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will be counted a curse to him. 15.   A continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike; 16.   Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand. 17.   As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. 18.   Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; So he who waits on his master will be honored. 19.   As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man. 20.   Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied. 21.   The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, And a man is valued by what others say of him. 22.   Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him. 23.   Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds; 24.   For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations. 25.   When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in, 26.   The lambs will provide your clothing, And the goats the price of a field; 27.   You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food, For the food of your household, And the nourishment of your maidservants.

1.   Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; 2.   for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. 3.   Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; 4.   lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting. 5.   Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. 6.   But this I say : He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7.   So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8.   And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things , may have an abundance for every good work. 9.   As it is written: "He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever." 10.   Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11.   while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12.   For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13.   while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men , 14.   and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15.   Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!