Wednesday, 12 June

1.   Now Moses, with the elders of Israel, commanded the people, saying: "Keep all the commandments which I command you today. 2.   "And it shall be, on the day when you cross over the Jordan to the land which the LORD your God is giving you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones, and whitewash them with lime. 3.   "You shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have crossed over, that you may enter the land which the LORD your God is giving you, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey,’ just as the LORD God of your fathers promised you. 4.   "Therefore it shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that on Mount Ebal you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, and you shall whitewash them with lime. 5.   "And there you shall build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones; you shall not use an iron tool on them. 6.   "You shall build with whole stones the altar of the LORD your God, and offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God. 7.   "You shall offer peace offerings, and shall eat there, and rejoice before the LORD your God. 8.   "And you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of this law." 9.   Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel, saying, "Take heed and listen, O Israel: This day you have become the people of the LORD your God. 10.   "Therefore you shall obey the voice of the LORD your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today." 11.   And Moses commanded the people on the same day, saying, 12.   "These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin; 13.   "and these shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14.   "And the Levites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel: 15.   ‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen!’ 16.   ‘Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 17.   ‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 18.   ‘Cursed is the one who makes the blind to wander off the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 19.   ‘Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 20.   ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 21.   ‘Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 22.   ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 23.   ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his mother–in–law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 24.   ‘Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 25.   ‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 26.   ‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

1.   Moreover the LORD said to me, "Take a large scroll, and write on it with a man’s pen concerning Maher–Shalal–Hash–Baz. 2.   "And I will take for Myself faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah." 3.   Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said to me, "Call his name Maher–Shalal–Hash–Baz; 4.   "for before the child shall have knowledge to cry ‘My father’ and ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be taken away before the king of Assyria." 5.   The LORD also spoke to me again, saying: 6.   "Inasmuch as these people refused The waters of Shiloah that flow softly, And rejoice in Rezin and in Remaliah’s son; 7.   Now therefore, behold, the Lord brings up over them The waters of the River, strong and mighty––The king of Assyria and all his glory; He will go up over all his channels And go over all his banks. 8.   He will pass through Judah, He will overflow and pass over, He will reach up to the neck; And the stretching out of his wings Will fill the breadth of Your land, O Immanuel. 9.   "Be shattered, O you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Give ear, all you from far countries. Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces; Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces. 10.   Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; Speak the word, but it will not stand, For God is with us." 11.   For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying: 12.   "Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. 13.   The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread. 14.   He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel, As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15.   And many among them shall stumble; They shall fall and be broken, Be snared and taken." 16.   Bind up the testimony, Seal the law among my disciples. 17.   And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him. 18.   Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel From the LORD of hosts, Who dwells in Mount Zion. 19.   And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? 20.   To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 21.   They will pass through it hard pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and curse their king and their God, and look upward. 22.   Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.

1.   And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power." 2.   Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. 3.   His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4.   And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5.   Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" –– 6.   because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. 7.   And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!" 8.   Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves. 9.   Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10.   So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant. 11.   And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" 12.   Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13.   "But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him." 14.   And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15.   Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him , greeted Him. 16.   And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" 17.   Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18.   "And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not." 19.   He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me." 20.   Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. 21.   So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. 22.   "And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." 23.   Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." 24.   Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" 25.   When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!" 26.   Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead." 27.   But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28.   And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" 29.   So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."