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First Reading: Song of Songs Chapter 7 and 8

Song of Solomon 7

7:1 Expressions of Praise


How beautiful are your feet in sandals,O prince's daughter!The curves of your thighs are like jewels,The work of the hands of a skillful workman. 2 Your navel is a rounded goblet;It lacks no blended beverage.Your waist is a heap of wheat Set about with lilies. 3 Your two breasts are like two fawns,Twins of a gazelle. 4 Your neck is like an ivory tower,Your eyes like the pools in HeshbonBy the gate of Bath Rabbim.Your nose is like the tower of LebanonWhich looks toward Damascus. 5 Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel,And the hair of your head is like purple;A king is held captive by your tresses.
6 How fair and how pleasant you are,O love, with your delights! 7 This stature of yours is like a palm tree,And your breasts like its clusters. 8 I said, "I will go up to the palm tree,I will take hold of its branches."Let now your breasts be like clusters of the vine,The fragrance of your breath like apples, 9 And the roof of your mouth like the best wine.

The wine goes down smoothly for my beloved,Moving gently the lips of sleepers. 10 I am my beloved's,And his desire is toward me.
11 Come, my beloved,Let us go forth to the field;Let us lodge in the villages. 12 Let us get up early to the vineyards;Let us see if the vine has budded,Whether the grape blossoms are open,And the pomegranates are in bloom.There I will give you my love. 13 The mandrakes give off a fragrance,And at our gates are pleasant fruits,All manner, new and old,Which I have laid up for you, my beloved.

Song of Solomon 8

8:1 Lovers Reunited at Their Country Home

Oh, that you were like my brother,Who nursed at my mother's breasts!If I should find you outside,I would kiss you;I would not be despised. 2 I would lead you and bring you Into the house of my mother,She who used to instruct me.I would cause you to drink of spiced wine,Of the juice of my pomegranate.

3 His left hand is under my head,And his right hand embraces me. 4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases.
Love Renewed in Lebanon


5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness,Leaning upon her beloved?
I awakened you under the apple tree.There your mother brought you forth;There she who bore you brought you forth.

6 Set me as a seal upon your heart,As a seal upon your arm;For love is as strong as death,Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire,A most vehement flame.
7 Many waters cannot quench love,Nor can the floods drown it.If a man would give for love All the wealth of his house,It would be utterly despised.

8 We have a little sister,And she has no breasts.What shall we do for our sister In the day when she is spoken for? 9 If she is a wall,We will build upon her A battlement of silver;And if she is a door,We will enclose her With boards of cedar.

10 I am a wall,And my breasts like towers;Then I became in his eyes As one who found peace. 11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon;He leased the vineyard to keepers;Everyone was to bring for its fruit A thousand silver coins.

12 My own vineyard is before me.You, O Solomon, may have a thousand,And those who tend its fruit two hundred.

13 You who dwell in the gardens,The companions listen for your voice — Let me hear it!

14 Make haste, my beloved,And be like a gazelle Or a young stag On the mountains of spices.

Second Reading: Galatians Chapter 6

Galatians 6

6:1 Bear and Share the Burdens

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.
6 Be Generous and Do Good

Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
11 Glory Only in the Cross

See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! 12 As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
16 Blessing and a Plea

And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.


Bible Background

WHO IS JESUS?

Part 1 of 8

Jesus is a unique individual. The Bible is very clear that Jesus is both the Son of God and the Son of Man. If you believe the Bible, you cannot believe that Jesus was just a good man. Follow these verses:

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