Sunday, 26 May

1.   "Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers. 2.   "And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3.   "So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. 4.   "Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. 5.   "You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you. 6.   "Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. 7.   "For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; 8.   "a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; 9.   "a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10.   "When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. 11.   "Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12.   "lest–– when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them ; 13.   "and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14.   "when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15.   "who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16.   "who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end–– 17.   "then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ 18.   "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19.   "Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20.   "As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God.

1.   The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him: 2.   What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows? 3.   Do not give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings. 4.   It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink; 5.   Lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted. 6.   Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart. 7.   Let him drink and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more. 8.   Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. 9.   Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy. 10.   Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. 11.   The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. 12.   She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. 13.   She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands. 14.   She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar. 15.   She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants. 16.   She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard. 17.   She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms. 18.   She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night. 19.   She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle. 20.   She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. 21.   She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet. 22.   She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. 23.   Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land. 24.   She makes linen garments and sells them , And supplies sashes for the merchants. 25.   Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come. 26.   She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness. 27.   She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. 28.   Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also , and he praises her: 29.   "Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all." 30.   Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. 31.   Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.

1.   It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: 2.   I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago––whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows––such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3.   And I know such a man––whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows–– 4.   how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5.   Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. 6.   For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. 7.   And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8.   Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9.   And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10.   Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 11.   I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. 12.   Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. 13.   For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong! 14.   Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15.   And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. 16.   But be that as it may , I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! 17.   Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? 18.   I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him . Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps? 19.   Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. 20.   For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; 21.   lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.