Baramhat 16, 1742

¹²For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law ¹³(for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; ¹⁴for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, ¹⁵who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) ¹⁶in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. ¹⁷Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, ¹⁸and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, ¹⁹and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, ²⁰an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. ²¹You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? ²²You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? ²⁴For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written.

2 Peter 1

²⁰knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, ²¹for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 2

¹But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. ²And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. ³By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. ⁴For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; ⁵and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; ⁶and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;

¹Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: ²"I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, ³especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently. ⁴"My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. ⁵They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. ⁶And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. ⁷To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. ⁸Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?

¹I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. ²I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. ³When my enemies turn back, They shall fall and perish at Your presence. ⁴For You have maintained my right and my cause; You sat on the throne judging in righteousness. ⁵You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever. ⁶O enemy, destructions are finished forever! And you have destroyed cities; Even their memory has perished. ⁷But the LORD shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment. ⁸He shall judge the world in righteousness, And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness. ⁹The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. ¹⁰And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You. ¹¹Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people. ¹²When He avenges blood, He remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the humble. ¹³Have mercy on me, O LORD! Consider my trouble from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death, ¹⁴That I may tell of all Your praise In the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in Your salvation. ¹⁵The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught. ¹⁶The LORD is known by the judgment He executes; The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. ¹⁷The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God. ¹⁸For the needy shall not always be forgotten; The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. ¹⁹Arise, O LORD, Do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judged in Your sight. ²⁰Put them in fear, O LORD, That the nations may know themselves to be but men.Selah

⁴⁵Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, "Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also." ⁴⁶And He said, "Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. ⁴⁷Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. ⁴⁸In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. ⁴⁹Therefore the wisdom of God also said, "I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,' ⁵⁰that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, ⁵¹from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation. ⁵²"Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered."

Exodus 10

¹Now the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, ²and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD." ³So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, "Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: "How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. ⁴Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. ⁵And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field. ⁶They shall fill your houses, the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians--which neither your fathers nor your fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day."' And he turned and went out from Pharaoh. ⁷Then Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?" ⁸So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go, serve the LORD your God. Who are the ones that are going?" ⁹And Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the LORD." ¹⁰Then he said to them, "The LORD had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. ¹¹Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the LORD, for that is what you desired." And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence. ¹²Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land--all that the hail has left." ¹³So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. ¹⁴And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt. They were very severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them. ¹⁵For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt. ¹⁶Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. ¹⁷Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that He may take away from me this death only." ¹⁸So he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD. ¹⁹And the LORD turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of Egypt. ²⁰But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go. ²¹Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt." ²²So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. ²³They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. ²⁴Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, "Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you." ²⁵But Moses said, "You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. ²⁶Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the LORD our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there." ²⁷But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. ²⁸Then Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!" ²⁹So Moses said, "You have spoken well. I will never see your face again."

Exodus 11

¹And the LORD said to Moses, "I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. ²Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold." ³And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people. ⁴Then Moses said, "Thus says the LORD: "About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; ⁵and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. ⁶Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. ⁷But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.' ⁸And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, "Get out, and all the people who follow you!' After that I will go out." Then he went out from Pharaoh in great anger. ⁹But the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not heed you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt." ¹⁰So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

Isaiah 44

²¹"Remember these, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me! ²²I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, And like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you." ²³Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, And glorified Himself in Israel. ²⁴Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, And He who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; ²⁵Who frustrates the signs of the babblers, And drives diviners mad; Who turns wise men backward, And makes their knowledge foolishness; ²⁶Who confirms the word of His servant, And performs the counsel of His messengers; Who says to Jerusalem, "You shall be inhabited,' To the cities of Judah, "You shall be built,' And I will raise up her waste places; ²⁷Who says to the deep, "Be dry! And I will dry up your rivers'; ²⁸Who says of Cyrus, "He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built," And to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid."'

Proverbs 8

²²"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. ²³I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. ²⁴When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. ²⁵Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; ²⁶While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primal dust of the world. ²⁷When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, ²⁸When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, ²⁹When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, ³⁰Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, ³¹Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men. ³²"Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. ³³Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. ³⁴Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. ³⁵For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD; ³⁶But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death."

Job 34

¹Elihu further answered and said: ²"Hear my words, you wise men; Give ear to me, you who have knowledge. ³For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food. ⁴Let us choose justice for ourselves; Let us know among ourselves what is good. ⁵"For Job has said, "I am righteous, But God has taken away my justice; ⁶Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.' ⁷What man is like Job, Who drinks scorn like water, ⁸Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men? ⁹For he has said, "It profits a man nothing That he should delight in God.' ¹⁰"Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to commit iniquity. ¹¹For He repays man according to his work, And makes man to find a reward according to his way. ¹²Surely God will never do wickedly, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice. ¹³Who gave Him charge over the earth? Or who appointed Him over the whole world? ¹⁴If He should set His heart on it, If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath, ¹⁵All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust. ¹⁶"If you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words: ¹⁷Should one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just? ¹⁸Is it fitting to say to a king, "You are worthless,' And to nobles, "You are wicked'? ¹⁹Yet He is not partial to princes, Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; For they are all the work of His hands. ²⁰In a moment they die, in the middle of the night; The people are shaken and pass away; The mighty are taken away without a hand. ²¹"For His eyes are on the ways of man, And He sees all his steps. ²²There is no darkness nor shadow of death Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. ²³For He need not further consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment. ²⁴He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place. ²⁵Therefore He knows their works; He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed. ²⁶He strikes them as wicked men In the open sight of others, ²⁷Because they turned back from Him, And would not consider any of His ways, ²⁸So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him; For He hears the cry of the afflicted. ²⁹When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when He hides His face, who then can see Him, Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?-- ³⁰That the hypocrite should not reign, Lest the people be ensnared. ³¹"For has anyone said to God, "I have borne chastening; I will offend no more; ³²Teach me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will do no more'? ³³Should He repay it according to your terms, Just because you disavow it? You must choose, and not I; Therefore speak what you know. ³⁴"Men of understanding say to me, Wise men who listen to me: ³⁵"Job speaks without knowledge, His words are without wisdom.' ³⁶Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost, Because his answers are like those of wicked men! ³⁷For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God."

Sirach 10