Select: First Reading Second Reading Bible Background
First Reading: Job Chapter 20 and 21Job 20
1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2 Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, Even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3 I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.
4 Knowest thou `not' this of old time, Since man was placed upon earth,
5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 Though his height mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto the clouds;
7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: They that have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9 The eye which saw him shall see him no more; Neither shall his place any more behold him.
10 His children shall seek the favor of the poor, And his hands shall give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his youth, But it shall lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue,
13 Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;
14 Yet his food in his bowels is turned, It is the gall of asps within him.
15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly.
16 He shall suck the poison of asps: The viper's tongue shall slay him.
17 He shall not look upon the rivers, The flowing streams of honey and butter.
18 That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down; According to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.
19 For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.
20 Because he knew no quietness within him, He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.
21 There was nothing left that he devoured not; Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: The hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him.
23 When he is about to fill his belly, `God' will cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him, And will rain it upon him while he is eating.
24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, And the bow of brass shall strike him through.
25 He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall: Terrors are upon him.
26 All darkness is laid up for his treasures: A fire not blown `by man' shall devour him; It shall consume that which is left in his tent.
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house shall depart; `His goods' shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, And the heritage appointed unto him by God.
Job 21
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 Hear diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations.
3 Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.
4 As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?
5 Mark me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am troubled, And horror taketh hold on my flesh.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
8 Their seed is established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
12 They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
13 They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment they go down to Sheol.
14 And they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
16 Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That `God' distributeth sorrows in his anger?
18 That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away?
19 `Ye say', God layeth up his iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it:
20 Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what careth he for his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off?
22 Shall any teach God knowledge, Seeing he judgeth those that are high?
23 One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet:
24 His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moistened.
25 And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And never tasteth of good.
26 They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me.
28 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?
29 Have ye not asked wayfaring men? And do ye not know their evidences,
30 That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity? That they are led forth to the day of wrath?
31 Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?
32 Yet shall he be borne to the grave, And men shall keep watch over the tomb.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall draw after him, As there were innumerable before him.
34 How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there remaineth `only' falsehood?
Second Reading: Luke Chapter 10
Luke 10
1 Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come.
2 And he said unto them, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest.
3 Go your ways; behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves.
4 Carry no purse, no wallet, no shoes; and salute no man on the way.
5 And into whatsoever house ye shall enter, first say, Peace `be' to this house.
6 And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him: but if not, it shall turn to you again.
7 And in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
9 and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
10 But into whatsoever city ye shall enter, and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof and say,
11 Even the dust from your city, that cleaveth to our feet, we wipe off against you: nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh.
12 I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment, than for you.
15 And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt be brought down unto Hades.
16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that rejecteth you rejecteth me; and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me.
17 And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name.
18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven.
19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.
20 Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes: yea, Father; for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight.
22 All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth who the Son is, save the Father; and who the Father is, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal `him'.
23 And turning to the disciples, he said privately, Blessed `are' the eyes which see the things that ye see:
24 for I say unto you, that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.
25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 And he said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?
30 Jesus made answer and said, A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance a certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And in like manner a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion,
34 and came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on `them' oil and wine; and he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow he took out two shillings, and gave them to the host, and said, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, I, when I come back again, will repay thee.
36 Which of these three, thinkest thou, proved neighbor unto him that fell among the robbers?
37 And he said, He that showed mercy on him. And Jesus said unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
38 Now as they went on their way, he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at the Lord's feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving; and she came up to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister did leave me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 But the Lord answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things:
42 but one thing is needful: for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
GOOD VS. EVIL
Part 5 of 7
According to the dictionary "evil" is defined as:
We have seen several verses showing that the heart of man is evil. Another word for this evil is sin. This is referring to the first definition of evil: morally bad or wrong, wicked.
The next two meanings of "evil" are harmful, injurious, unlucky, disastrous. In the Bible there are references to God bringing "evil" on people. This evil refers to these secondary meanings of "evil." Look at these verses:
God does bring punishment on the wicked. He also allows suffering to those who love Him. There are many purposes to these actions of God. From the beginning we are told that there is one God and only one God. There is no other god whether good or evil.
Select: First Reading Second Reading Bible Background