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First Reading: Proverbs Chapter 31Proverbs 31
1 The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which his mother taught him.
2 What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows?
3 Give not thy strength unto women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes `to say', Where is strong drink?
5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the justice `due' to any that is afflicted.
6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto the bitter in soul:
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb, In the cause of all such as are left desolate.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, And minister justice to the poor and needy.
10 A worthy woman who can find? For her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband trusteth in her, And he shall have no lack of gain.
12 She doeth him good and not evil All the days of her life.
13 She seeketh wool and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant-ships; She bringeth her bread from afar.
15 She riseth also while it is yet night, And giveth food to her household, And their task to her maidens.
16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it; With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, And maketh strong her arms.
18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is profitable: Her lamp goeth not out by night.
19 She layeth her hands to the distaff, And her hands hold the spindle.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household; For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She maketh for herself carpets of tapestry; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24 She maketh linen garments and selleth them, And delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing; And she laugheth at the time to come.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And the law of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up, and call her blessed; Her husband `also', and he praiseth her, `saying':
29 Many daughters have done worthily, But thou excellest them all.
30 Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; `But' a woman that feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; And let her works praise her in the gates.
Second Reading: Luke Chapter 3
Luke 3
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
2 in the highpriesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3 And he came into all the region round about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins;
4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, And every mountain and hill shall be brought low; And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
7 He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of him, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And even now the axe also lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
10 And the multitudes asked him, saying, What then must we do?
11 And he answered and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do likewise.
12 And there came also publicans to be baptized, and they said unto him, Teacher, what must we do?
13 And he said unto them, Extort no more than that which is appointed you.
14 And soldiers also asked him, saying, And we, what must we do? And he said unto them, Extort from no man by violence, neither accuse `any one' wrongfully; and be content with your wages.
15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ;
16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and `in' fire:
17 whose fan is in his hand, thoroughly to cleanse his threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.
18 With many other exhortations therefore preached he good tidings unto the people;
19 but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother's wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,
20 added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.
21 Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
22 and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, as a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
23 And Jesus himself, when he began `to teach', was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the `son' of Heli,
24 the `son' of Matthat, the `son' of Levi, the `son' of Melchi, the `son' of Jannai, the `son' of Joseph,
25 the `son' of Mattathias, the `son' of Amos, the `son' of Nahum, the `son' of Esli, the `son' of Naggai,
26 the `son' of Maath, the `son' of Mattathias, the `son' of Semein, the `son' of Josech, the `son' of Joda,
27 the `son' of Joanan, the `son' of Rhesa, the `son' of Zerubbabel, the `son' of Shealtiel, the `son' of Neri,
28 the `son' of Melchi, the `son' of Addi, the `son' of Cosam, the `son' of Elmadam, the `son' of Er,
29 the `son' of Jesus, the `son' of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the `son' of Matthat, the `son' of Levi,
30 the `son' of Symeon, the `son' of Judas, the `son' of Joseph, the `son' of Jonam, the `son' of Eliakim,
31 the `son' of Melea, the `son' of Menna, the `son' of Mattatha, the `son' of Nathan, the `son' of David,
32 the `son' of Jesse, the `son' of Obed, the `son' of Boaz, the `son' of Salmon, the `son' of Nahshon,
33 the `son' of Amminadab, the `son' of Arni, the `son' of Hezron, the `son' of Perez, the `son' of Judah,
34 the `son' of Jacob, the `son' of Isaac, the `son' of Abraham, the `son' of Terah, the `son' of Nahor,
35 the `son' of Serug, the `son' of Reu, the `son' of Peleg, the `son' of Eber, the `son' of Shelah,
36 the `son' of Cainan, the `son' of Arphaxad, the `son' of Shem, the `son' of Noah, the `son' of Lamech,
37 the `son' of Methuselah, the `son' of Enoch, the `son' of Jared, the `son' of Mahalaleel, the `son' of Cainan,
38 the `son' of Enos, the `son' of Seth, the `son' of Adam, the `son' of God.
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
LUKE
Part 2 of 3
The following is found in Luke:
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