Select: First Reading Second Reading Bible Background
First Reading: Job Chapter 12 and 13Job 12
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 No doubt but ye are the people, And wisdom shall die with you.
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4 I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor, I who called upon God, and he answered: The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.
5 In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; It is ready for them whose foot slippeth.
6 The tents of robbers prosper, And they that provoke God are secure; Into whose hand God bringeth `abundantly'.
7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; And the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee:
8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
9 Who knoweth not in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this,
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?
11 Doth not the ear try words, Even as the palate tasteth its food?
12 With aged men is wisdom, And in length of days understanding.
13 With `God' is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.
14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 With him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leadeth counsellors away stripped, And judges maketh he fools.
18 He looseth the bond of kings, And he bindeth their loins with a girdle.
19 He leadeth priests away stripped, And overthroweth the mighty.
20 He removeth the speech of the trusty, And taketh away the understanding of the elders.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong.
22 He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
23 He increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive.
24 He taketh away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25 They grope in the dark without light; And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
Job 13
1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all `this', Mine ear hath heard and understood it.
2 What ye know, `the same' do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God.
4 But ye are forgers of lies; Ye are all physicians of no value.
5 Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom.
6 Hear now my reasoning, And hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will ye speak unrighteously for God, And talk deceitfully for him?
8 Will ye show partiality to him? Will ye contend for God?
9 Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceiveth a man, will ye deceive him?
10 He will surely reprove you If ye do secretly show partiality.
11 Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall upon you?
12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defences are defences of clay.
13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak; And let come on me what will.
14 Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand?
15 Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope: Nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him.
16 This also shall be my salvation, That a godless man shall not come before him.
17 Hear diligently my speech, And let my declaration be in your ears.
18 Behold now, I have set my cause in order; I know that I am righteous.
19 Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the ghost.
20 Only do not two things unto me; Then will I not hide myself from thy face:
21 Withdraw thy hand far from me; And let not thy terror make me afraid.
22 Then call thou, and I will answer; Or let me speak, and answer thou me.
23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, And holdest me for thine enemy?
25 Wilt thou harass a driven leaf? And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
26 For thou writest bitter things against me, And makest me to inherit the iniquities of my youth:
27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, And markest all my paths; Thou settest a bound to the soles of my feet:
28 Though I am like a rotten thing that consumeth, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
Second Reading: Luke Chapter 7
Luke 7
1 After he had ended all his sayings in the ears of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick and at the point of death.
3 And when he heard concerning Jesus, he sent unto him elders of the Jews, asking him that he would come and save his servant.
4 And they, when they came to Jesus, besought him earnestly, saying, He is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him;
5 for he loveth our nation, and himself built us our synagogue.
6 And Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof:
7 wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say the word, and my servant shall be healed.
8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
9 And when Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned and said unto the multitude that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole.
11 And it came to pass soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain; and his disciples went with him, and a great multitude.
12 Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, there was carried out one that was dead, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
14 And he came nigh and touched the bier: and the bearers stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.
16 And fear took hold on all: and they glorified God, saying, A great prophet is arisen among us: and, God hath visited his people.
17 And this report went forth concerning him in the whole of Judaea, and all the region round about.
18 And the disciples of John told him of all these things.
19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to the Lord, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?
20 And when the men were come unto him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?
21 In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and on many that were blind he bestowed sight.
22 And he answered and said unto them, Go and tell John the things which ye have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good tidings preached to them.
23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me.
24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?
25 But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.
26 But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
27 This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way before thee.
28 I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there is none greater than John: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
29 And all the people when they heard, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected for themselves the counsel of God, being not baptized of him.
31 Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation, and to what are they like?
32 They are like unto children that sit in the marketplace, and call one to another; who say, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not weep.
33 For John the Baptist is come eating no bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a demon.
34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold, a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
35 And wisdom is justified of all her children.
36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he entered into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
37 And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner; and when she knew that he was sitting at meat in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster cruse of ointment,
38 and standing behind at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee that had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Teacher, say on.
41 A certain lender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred shillings, and the other fifty.
42 When they had not `wherewith' to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?
43 Simon answered and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath wetted my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but she, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but she hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, `the same' loveth little.
48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that even forgiveth sins?
50 And he said unto the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
GOOD VS. EVIL
Part 1 of 7
The theme of good and evil runs throughout the Bible. It starts in Genesis 2:9 & 15-17 when the man is commanded not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The consequence for eating of this tree was death. What is good? What is evil? Here are two verses to help us define the Biblical concepts:
The standard for good is God. Even Jesus before his death did not claim to reach this standard. Evil is said to come out of the heart of mankind. This evil is also called sin--that which is opposed to God. And the result of this evil or sin is death.
Select: First Reading Second Reading Bible Background