Baramhat 22, 1742

⁵I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. ⁶But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? ⁷Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? ⁸For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? ⁹So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. ¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. ¹¹Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. ¹²Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. ¹³Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. ¹⁵What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. ¹⁶Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? ¹⁷For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

⁸But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. ¹¹Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, ¹²looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? ¹³Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. ¹⁴Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; ¹⁵and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation--as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,

¹⁷"Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance ¹⁸and saw Him saying to me, "Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.' ¹⁹So I said, "Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. ²⁰And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.' ²¹Then He said to me, "Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles."' ²²And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!" ²³Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air, ²⁴the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him.

²Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. ³For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.

³⁶While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them. ³⁷But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, ³⁸that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?" ³⁹Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: ⁴⁰"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them." ⁴¹These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him. ⁴²Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Proverbs 10

¹⁷He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, But he who refuses correction goes astray. ¹⁸Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, And whoever spreads slander is a fool. ¹⁹In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. ²⁰The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little. ²¹The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom. ²²The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it. ²³To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom. ²⁴The fear of the wicked will come upon him, And the desire of the righteous will be granted. ²⁵When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation. ²⁶As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, So is the lazy man to those who send him. ²⁷The fear of the LORD prolongs days, But the years of the wicked will be shortened. ²⁸The hope of the righteous will be gladness, But the expectation of the wicked will perish. ²⁹The way of the LORD is strength for the upright, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity. ³⁰The righteous will never be removed, But the wicked will not inhabit the earth. ³¹The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, But the perverse tongue will be cut out. ³²The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.

Isaiah 49

⁶Indeed He says, "It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth."' ⁷Thus says the LORD, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the LORD who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You." ⁸Thus says the LORD: "In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; ⁹That You may say to the prisoners, "Go forth,' To those who are in darkness, "Show yourselves.' "They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. ¹⁰They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them.

Job 38

³⁷Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven, ³⁸When the dust hardens in clumps, And the clods cling together? ³⁹"Can you hunt the prey for the lion, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, ⁴⁰When they crouch in their dens, Or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait? ⁴¹Who provides food for the raven, When its young ones cry to God, And wander about for lack of food?

Job 39

¹"Do you know the time when the wild mountain goats bear young? Or can you mark when the deer gives birth? ²Can you number the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they bear young? ³They bow down, They bring forth their young, They deliver their offspring. ⁴Their young ones are healthy, They grow strong with grain; They depart and do not return to them. ⁵"Who set the wild donkey free? Who loosed the bonds of the onager, ⁶Whose home I have made the wilderness, And the barren land his dwelling? ⁷He scorns the tumult of the city; He does not heed the shouts of the driver. ⁸The range of the mountains is his pasture, And he searches after every green thing. ⁹"Will the wild ox be willing to serve you? Will he bed by your manger? ¹⁰Can you bind the wild ox in the furrow with ropes? Or will he plow the valleys behind you? ¹¹Will you trust him because his strength is great? Or will you leave your labor to him? ¹²Will you trust him to bring home your grain, And gather it to your threshing floor? ¹³"The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, But are her wings and pinions like the kindly stork's? ¹⁴For she leaves her eggs on the ground, And warms them in the dust; ¹⁵She forgets that a foot may crush them, Or that a wild beast may break them. ¹⁶She treats her young harshly, as though they were not hers; Her labor is in vain, without concern, ¹⁷Because God deprived her of wisdom, And did not endow her with understanding. ¹⁸When she lifts herself on high, She scorns the horse and its rider. ¹⁹"Have you given the horse strength? Have you clothed his neck with thunder? ²⁰Can you frighten him like a locust? His majestic snorting strikes terror. ²¹He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; He gallops into the clash of arms. ²²He mocks at fear, and is not frightened; Nor does he turn back from the sword. ²³The quiver rattles against him, The glittering spear and javelin. ²⁴He devours the distance with fierceness and rage; Nor does he come to a halt because the trumpet has sounded. ²⁵At the blast of the trumpet he says, "Aha!' He smells the battle from afar, The thunder of captains and shouting. ²⁶"Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, And spread its wings toward the south? ²⁷Does the eagle mount up at your command, And make its nest on high? ²⁸On the rock it dwells and resides, On the crag of the rock and the stronghold. ²⁹From there it spies out the prey; Its eyes observe from afar. ³⁰Its young ones suck up blood; And where the slain are, there it is."