Baramhat 23, 1742

⁴For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. ⁵For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them." ⁶But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?"' (that is, to bring Christ down from above) ⁷or, ""Who will descend into the abyss?"' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

¹³Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. ¹⁶Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. ¹⁷Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. ¹⁸Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. ¹⁹So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; ²⁰for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. ²¹Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

²³And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. ²⁴For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. ²⁵He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: "Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. ²⁶Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands.

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

³⁵And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. ³⁶But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. ³⁷All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. ³⁹This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. ⁴⁰And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day." ⁴¹The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." ⁴²And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, "I have come down from heaven'?" ⁴³Jesus therefore answered and said to them, "Do not murmur among yourselves. ⁴⁴No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, "And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.

Proverbs 10

³²The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.

Proverbs 11

¹Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight. ²When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom. ³The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. ⁴Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death. ⁵The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. ⁶The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust. ⁷When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, And the hope of the unjust perishes. ⁸The righteous is delivered from trouble, And it comes to the wicked instead. ⁹The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. ¹⁰When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. ¹¹By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. ¹²He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, But a man of understanding holds his peace. ¹³A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.

Isaiah 58

¹"Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. ²Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God. ³"Why have we fasted,' they say, "and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?' "In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. ⁴Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high. ⁵Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the LORD? ⁶"Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? ⁷Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? ⁸Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. ⁹Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, "Here I am.' "If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, ¹⁰If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. ¹¹The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Job 40

¹Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said: ²"Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it." ³Then Job answered the LORD and said: ⁴"Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. ⁵Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further." ⁶Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: ⁷"Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me: ⁸"Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? ⁹Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His? ¹⁰Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, And array yourself with glory and beauty. ¹¹Disperse the rage of your wrath; Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. ¹²Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; Tread down the wicked in their place. ¹³Hide them in the dust together, Bind their faces in hidden darkness. ¹⁴Then I will also confess to you That your own right hand can save you. ¹⁵"Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you; He eats grass like an ox. ¹⁶See now, his strength is in his hips, And his power is in his stomach muscles. ¹⁷He moves his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit. ¹⁸His bones are like beams of bronze, His ribs like bars of iron. ¹⁹He is the first of the ways of God; Only He who made him can bring near His sword. ²⁰Surely the mountains yield food for him, And all the beasts of the field play there. ²¹He lies under the lotus trees, In a covert of reeds and marsh. ²²The lotus trees cover him with their shade; The willows by the brook surround him. ²³Indeed the river may rage, Yet he is not disturbed; He is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth, ²⁴Though he takes it in his eyes, Or one pierces his nose with a snare.

Job 41

¹"Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? ²Can you put a reed through his nose, Or pierce his jaw with a hook? ³Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak softly to you? ⁴Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him as a servant forever? ⁵Will you play with him as with a bird, Or will you leash him for your maidens? ⁶Will your companions make a banquet of him? Will they apportion him among the merchants? ⁷Can you fill his skin with harpoons, Or his head with fishing spears? ⁸Lay your hand on him; Remember the battle-- Never do it again! ⁹Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false; Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him? ¹⁰No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up. Who then is able to stand against Me? ¹¹Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine. ¹²"I will not conceal his limbs, His mighty power, or his graceful proportions. ¹³Who can remove his outer coat? Who can approach him with a double bridle? ¹⁴Who can open the doors of his face, With his terrible teeth all around? ¹⁵His rows of scales are his pride, Shut up tightly as with a seal; ¹⁶One is so near another That no air can come between them; ¹⁷They are joined one to another, They stick together and cannot be parted. ¹⁸His sneezings flash forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. ¹⁹Out of his mouth go burning lights; Sparks of fire shoot out. ²⁰Smoke goes out of his nostrils, As from a boiling pot and burning rushes. ²¹His breath kindles coals, And a flame goes out of his mouth. ²²Strength dwells in his neck, And sorrow dances before him. ²³The folds of his flesh are joined together; They are firm on him and cannot be moved. ²⁴His heart is as hard as stone, Even as hard as the lower millstone. ²⁵When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; Because of his crashings they are beside themselves. ²⁶Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail; Nor does spear, dart, or javelin. ²⁷He regards iron as straw, And bronze as rotten wood. ²⁸The arrow cannot make him flee; Slingstones become like stubble to him. ²⁹Darts are regarded as straw; He laughs at the threat of javelins. ³⁰His undersides are like sharp potsherds; He spreads pointed marks in the mire. ³¹He makes the deep boil like a pot; He makes the sea like a pot of ointment. ³²He leaves a shining wake behind him; One would think the deep had white hair. ³³On earth there is nothing like him, Which is made without fear. ³⁴He beholds every high thing; He is king over all the children of pride."