Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Ezra 6:13–22
13Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent,
Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates
carried it out with diligence. 14So the elders of the Jews continued
to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a
descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command
of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of
Persia. 15The temple was completed on the third day of the month
Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
16Then the people of Israel--the priests, the Levites
and the rest of the exiles--celebrated the dedication of the house of God with
joy. 17For the dedication of this house of God they offered a
hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering
for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel. 18And
they installed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their groups
for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book
of Moses.
19On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles
celebrated the Passover. 20The priests and Levites had purified
themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered the
Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their brothers the priests and for
themselves. 21So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate
it, together with all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices
of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the LORD, the God of Israel. 22For
seven days they celebrated with joy the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because the
LORD had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria,
so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.
Psalm
111
1Praise the
LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and
in the assembly. 2Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered
by all who delight in them. 3Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever. 4He has caused his wonders to
be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate. 5He provides
food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. 6He
has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other
nations. 7The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his
precepts are trustworthy. 8They are steadfast for ever and ever,
done in faithfulness and uprightness. 9He provided redemption for
his people; he ordained his covenant forever-- holy and awesome is his name. 10The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have
good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
James
3
1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my
brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We
all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a
perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make
them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an
example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are
steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise
the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider
what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue
also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the
whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on
fire by hell.
7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures
of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man
can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and
with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of
the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can
both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My
brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a
salt spring produce fresh water.
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him
show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts,
do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom"
does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For
where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every
evil practice.
17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of
all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good
fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a
harvest of righteousness.
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