Daily Readings

[9] O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” [10] Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him. [11] He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. [12] Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? [13] Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has taught Him? [14] With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding? [15] Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. [16] And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. [17] All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.

[1] Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; [2] She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table. [3] She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city, [4] “Whoeveris simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, [5] “Come,eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed. [6] Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding. [7] “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. [8] Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. [9] Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. [10] “Thefear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. [11] For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you. [12] If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.” [13] A foolish woman is clamorous; She is simple, and knows nothing. [14] For she sits at the door of her house, On a seat by the highest places of the city, [15] To call to those who pass by, Who go straight on their way: [16] “Whoeveris simple, let him turn in here”; And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, [17] “Stolenwater is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” [18] But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of hell. [1] The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son makes a glad father, But a foolish son is the grief of his mother. [2] Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, But righteousness delivers from death. [3] The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away the desire of the wicked. [4] He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. [5] He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame. [6] Blessings are on the head of the righteous, But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

[1] Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. [2] And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” [3] Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” [4] And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. [5] For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. [6] And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. [7] For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. [8] All these are the beginning of sorrows. [9] “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. [10] And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. [11] Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. [12] And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. [13] But he who endures to the end shall be saved. [14] And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. [15] “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), [16] “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. [17] Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. [18] And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. [19] But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! [20] And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. [21] For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. [22] And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. [23] “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. [24] For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. [25] See, I have told you beforehand. [26] “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. [27] For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. [28] For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. [29] “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. [30] Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. [31] And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. [32] “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. [33] So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! [34] Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. [35] Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. [36] “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. [37] But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. [38] For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, [39] and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. [40] Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. [41] Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. [42] Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. [43] But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. [44] Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. [45] “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? [46] Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. [47] Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. [48] But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ [49] and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, [50] the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, [51] and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [1] “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. [2] Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. [3] Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, [4] but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. [5] But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. [6] “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ [7] Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. [8] And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ [9] But the wise answered, saying, ‘ No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ [10] And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. [11] “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ [12] But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ [13] “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. [14] “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. [15] And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. [16] Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. [17] And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. [18] But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. [19] After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. [20] “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ [21] His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ [22] He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ [23] His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ [24] “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. [25] And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ [26] “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. [27] So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. [28] Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. [29] ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. [30] And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ [31] “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. [32] All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. [33] And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. [34] Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: [35] for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; [36] I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ [37] “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? [38] When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? [39] Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ [40] And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ [41] “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: [42] for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; [43] I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ [44] “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ [45] Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ [46] And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” [1] Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, [2] “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

[13] Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. [14] When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? [15] Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it. ” [16] So they brought it. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” [17] And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at Him. [18] Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: [19] “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. [20] Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. [21] And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. [22] So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. [23] Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.” [24] Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? [25] For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. [26] But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? [27] He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.” [28] Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” [29] Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30] And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. [31] And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” [32] So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. [33] And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” [34] Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” But after that no one dared question Him. [35] Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? [36] For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ [37] Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’ ; how is He then his Son?” And the common people heard Him gladly. [38] Then He said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, [39] the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, [40] who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” [41] Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. [42] Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. [43] So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; [44] for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

[9] This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. [10] And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. [11] The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. [12] So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. [13] And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. [14] Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. [15] And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. [16] You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. [17] And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. [18] But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. [19] And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. [20] Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. [21] And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.” [22] Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. [1] Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. [2] You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; [3] also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. [4] For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.” [5] And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him. [6] Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth. [7] So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. [8] Of clean animals, of animals that are unclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, [9] two by two they went into the ark to Noah, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. [10] And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth. [11] In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. [12] And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights. [13] On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark— [14] they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. [15] And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. [16] So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in. [17] Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. [18] The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. [19] And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. [20] The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. [21] And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. [22] All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. [23] So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. [24] And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days. [1] Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. [2] The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. [3] And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. [4] Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. [5] And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen. [6] So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. [7] Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. [8] He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. [9] But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. [10] And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. [11] Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. [12] So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore. [13] And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. [14] And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried. [15] Then God spoke to Noah, saying, [16] “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. [17] Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” [18] So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. [19] Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark. [20] Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. [21] And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. [22] “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.” [1] So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. [2] And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. [3] Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. [4] But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. [5] Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. [6] “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man. [7] And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; Bring forth abundantly in the earth And multiply in it.” [8] Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: [9] “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, [10] and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. [11] Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” [12] And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: [13] I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. [14] It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; [15] and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. [16] The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” [17] And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”