Today's Reading

¹"You shall not spread a false report. Do not join your hand with the wicked to be an unjust witness.

²You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; neither shall you testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice;

³neither shall you favor a poor man in his cause.

⁴"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.

⁵If you see the donkey of him who hates you fallen down under his burden, do not leave him, you shall surely help him with it.

⁶"You shall not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.

⁷"Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous: for I will not justify the wicked.

⁸"You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.

⁹"You shall not oppress a foreigner, for you know the heart of a foreigner, seeing you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

¹⁰"For six years you shall sow your land, and shall gather in its increase,

¹¹but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the animal of the field shall eat. In like manner you shall deal with your vineyard and with your olive grove.

¹²"Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your handmaid, and the alien may be refreshed.

¹³"Be careful to do all things that I have said to you; and do not invoke the name of other gods, neither let them be heard out of your mouth.

¹⁴"You shall observe a feast to me three times a year.

¹⁵You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib (for in it you came out from Egypt), and no one shall appear before me empty.

¹⁶And the feast of harvest, the first fruits of your labors, which you sow in the field: and the feast of harvest, at the end of the year, when you gather in your labors out of the field.

¹⁷Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord God.

¹⁸"You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread, neither shall the fat of my feast remain all night until the morning.

¹⁹The first of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. "You shall not boil a kid in its mother's milk.

²⁰"Behold, I send an angel before you, to keep you by the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.

²¹Pay attention to him, and listen to his voice. Do not provoke him, for he will not pardon your disobedience, for my name is in him.

²²But if you indeed listen to his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries.

²³For my angel shall go before you, and bring you in to the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I will cut them off.

²⁴You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor follow their practices, but you shall utterly overthrow them and demolish their pillars.

²⁵You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from your midst.

²⁶No one will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will fulfill the number of your days.

²⁷I will send my terror before you, and will confuse all the people to whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.

²⁸I will send the hornet before you, which will drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before you.

²⁹I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate, and the animals of the field multiply against you.

³⁰Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and inherit the land.

³¹I will set your border from the Red Sea even to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you.

³²You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.

³³They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me, for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you."

¹He said to Moses, "Come up to the Lord, you, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship from a distance.

²Moses alone shall come near to the Lord, but they shall not come near, neither shall the people go up with him."

³Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, "All the words which the Lord has spoken will we do."

⁴Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and built an altar under the mountain, and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.

⁵He sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of cattle to the Lord.

⁶Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.

⁷He took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people, and they said, "All that the Lord has spoken will we do, and be obedient."

⁸Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, "Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you concerning all these words."

⁹Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up.

¹⁰They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was like a paved work of sapphire stone, like the skies for clearness.

¹¹He did not lay his hand on the nobles of the children of Israel. They saw God, and ate and drank.

¹²The Lord said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain, and stay here, and I will give you the tables of stone with the law and the commands that I have written, that you may teach them."

¹³Moses rose up with Joshua, his servant, and Moses went up onto God's Mountain.

¹⁴He said to the elders, "Wait here for us, until we come again to you. Behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever is involved in a dispute can go to them."

¹⁵Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.

¹⁶The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. The seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

¹⁷The appearance of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.

¹⁸Moses entered into the midst of the cloud, and went up on the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

¹The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

²"Speak to the children of Israel, that they take an offering for me. From everyone whose heart makes him willing you shall take my offering.

³This is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, brass,

⁴blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats' hair,

⁵rams' skins dyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood,

⁶oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense,

⁷onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate.

⁸Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.

⁹According to all that I show you, the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all of its furniture, even so you shall make it.

¹⁰"They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Its length shall be two and a half cubits, its breadth a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height.

¹¹You shall overlay it with pure gold. You shall overlay it inside and outside, and you shall make a gold molding around it.

¹²You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four feet. Two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.

¹³You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.

¹⁴You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark.

¹⁵The poles shall be in the rings of the ark. They shall not be taken from it.

¹⁶You shall put the testimony which I shall give you into the ark.

¹⁷You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two and a half cubits shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.

¹⁸You shall make two cherubim of hammered gold. You shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat.

¹⁹Make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end. You shall make the cherubim on its two ends of one piece with the mercy seat.

²⁰The cherubim shall spread out their wings upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward one another. The faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.

²¹You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I will give you.

²²There I will meet with you, and I will tell you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the testimony, all that I command you for the children of Israel.

²³"You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth, and one and a half cubits its height.

²⁴You shall overlay it with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it.

²⁵You shall make a rim of a handbreadth around it. You shall make a golden molding on its rim around it.

²⁶You shall make four rings of gold for it, and put the rings in the four corners that are on its four feet.

²⁷The rings shall be close to the rim, for places for the poles to carry the table.

²⁸You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be carried with them.

²⁹You shall make its dishes, its spoons, its ladles, and its bowls to pour out offerings with. You shall make them of pure gold.

³⁰You shall set bread of the presence on the table before me always.

³¹"You shall make a menorah of pure gold. Of hammered work shall the menorah be made, even its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it.

³²There shall be six branches going out of its sides: three branches of the menorah out of its one side, and three branches of the menorah out of its other side;

³³three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower; and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower, so for the six branches going out of the menorah;

³⁴and in the menorah four cups made like almond blossoms, its buds and its flowers;

³⁵and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of the menorah.

³⁶Their buds and their branches shall be of one piece with it, all of it one beaten work of pure gold.

³⁷You shall make its lamps seven, and they shall light its lamps to give light to the space in front of it.

³⁸Its snuffers and its snuff dishes shall be of pure gold.

³⁹It shall be made of a talent of pure gold, with all these accessories.

⁴⁰See that you make them after their pattern, which has been shown to you on the mountain.

¹"Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.

²Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

³For the foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them,

⁴but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

⁵Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

⁶But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold! The bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

⁷Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

⁸The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'

⁹But the wise answered, saying, 'What if there is not enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

¹⁰While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

¹¹Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.'

¹²But he answered, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.'

¹³Watch therefore, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

¹⁴"For it is like a man, going on a journey, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.

¹⁵To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.

¹⁶Immediately the one who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

¹⁷In like manner he who got the two gained another two.

¹⁸But he who received the one went away and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

¹⁹"Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reconciled accounts with them.

²⁰He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents.'

²¹"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

²²"He also who got the two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents.'

²³"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

²⁴"He also who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter.

²⁵I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.'

²⁶"But his lord answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter.

²⁷You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.

²⁸Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.

²⁹For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who does not have, even that which he has will be taken away.

³⁰Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

³¹"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

³²Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

³³He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

³⁴Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

³⁵for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.

³⁶I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.'

³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink?

³⁸When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you?

³⁹When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'

⁴⁰"The King will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

⁴¹Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;

⁴²for I was hungry, and you did not give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;

⁴³I was a stranger, and you did not take me in; naked, and you did not clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me.'

⁴⁴"Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not help you?'

⁴⁵"Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly I tell you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'

⁴⁶These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

¹ ALEPH To you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.

²My God, I have trusted in you. Do not let me be shamed. Do not let my enemies triumph over me.

³Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. They shall be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.

⁴Show me your ways, Lord. Teach me your paths.

⁵Guide me in your truth, and teach me, For you are the God of my salvation, I wait for you all day long.

⁶Lord, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, for they are from old times.

⁷Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness' sake, Lord.

⁸Good and upright is the Lord, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.

⁹He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.

¹⁰All the paths of the Lord are loving kindness and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

¹¹For your name's sake, Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

¹²What man is he who fears the Lord? He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose.

¹³His soul shall dwell at ease. His seed shall inherit the land.

¹⁴The friendship of the Lord is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant.

¹⁵My eyes are ever on the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

¹⁶Turn to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted.

¹⁷The troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh bring me out of my distresses.

¹⁸Consider my affliction and my travail. Forgive all my sins.

¹⁹Consider my enemies, for they are many. They hate me with cruel hatred.

²⁰Oh keep my soul, and deliver me. Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you.

²¹Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

²²Redeem Israel, God, from all of his troubles.

¹These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

²It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

³As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

⁴Take away the dross from the silver, and material comes out for the refiner;

⁵Take away the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

⁶Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, or claim a place among great men;

⁷for it is better that it be said to you, "Come up here," than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.

⁸Do not be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you?

⁹Debate your case with your neighbor, and do not betray the confidence of another;

¹⁰lest one who hears it put you to shame, and your bad reputation never depart.

¹¹A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

¹²As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear.

¹³As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.

¹⁴As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively.

¹⁵By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone.

¹⁶Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it.

¹⁷Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he be weary of you, and hate you.

¹⁸A man who gives false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.

¹⁹Confidence in someone unfaithful in time of trouble is like a bad tooth, or a lame foot.

²⁰As one who takes away a garment in cold weather, or vinegar on soda, so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink:

²²for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

²³The north wind brings forth rain: so a backbiting tongue brings an angry face.

²⁴It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman.

²⁵Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

²⁶Like a muddied spring, and a polluted well, so is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

²⁷It is not good to eat much honey; nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor.

²⁸Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint.