the Week of Proper 17 / Ordinary 22
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
July 1 - Old & New Testament
csb
Ecclesiastes 10,11,12
The Burden of Folly
1 Dead flies make a perfumer's oil ferment and stink;(a)
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 A wise man's heart goes to the[a] right,
but a fool's heart to the[b] left.
3 Even when the fool walks along the road, his heart lacks sense,
and he shows everyone he is a fool.(b)
4 If the ruler's anger rises against you, don't leave your place,(c)
for calmness puts great offenses to rest.(d)
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error proceeding from the presence of the ruler:
6 The fool is appointed to great heights,(e)
but the rich remain in lowly positions.
7 I have seen slaves on horses,(f)
but princes walking on the ground like slaves.(g)
8 The one who digs a pit may fall into it,(h)
and the one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.(i)
9 The one who quarries stones may be hurt by them;
the one who splits trees may be endangered by them.
10 If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen its edge,
then one must exert more strength;
however, the advantage of wisdom is that it brings success.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed,(j)
then there is no advantage for the charmer.[c]
12 The words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious,(k)
but the lips of a fool consume him.(l)
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly,
but the end of his speaking is evil madness.
14 Yet the fool multiplies words.
No one knows what will happen,
and who can tell anyone what will happen after him?(m)
15 The struggles of fools weary them,
for they don't know how to go to the city.
16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a youth(n)
and your princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, land, when your king is a son of nobles
and your princes feast at the proper time—
for strength and not for drunkenness.(o)
18 Because of laziness the roof caves in,
and because of negligent hands the house leaks.
19 A feast is prepared for laughter,
and wine makes life happy,(p)
and money is the answer for everything.(q)
20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts,(r)
and do not curse a rich person even in your bedroom,(s)
for a bird of the sky may carry the message,
and a winged creature may report the matter.
Invest in Life
1 Send your bread on the surface of the waters,(a)
for after many days you may find it.
2 Give a portion to seven or even to eight,(b)
for you don't know what disaster may happen on earth.
3 If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain on the earth;
whether a tree falls to the south or the north,
the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
4 One who watches the wind will not sow,
and the one who looks at the clouds will not reap.
5 Just as you don't know the path of the wind,
or how bones develop in[a] the womb of a pregnant woman,
so you don't know the work of God who makes everything.(c)
6 In the morning sow your seed,
and at evening do not let your hand rest,
because you don't know which will succeed,
whether one or the other,
or if both of them will be equally good.
7 Light is sweet,
and it is pleasing for the eyes to see the sun.(d)
8 Indeed, if a man lives many years,
let him rejoice in them all,
and let him remember the days of darkness,(e) since they will be many.
All that comes is futile.
9 Rejoice, young man, while you are young,
and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.
And walk in the ways of your heart
and in the sight of your eyes;(f)
but know that for all of these things God will bring you to judgment.
10 Remove sorrow from your heart,
and put away pain from your flesh,(g)
because youth and the prime of life are fleeting.
The Twilight of Life
1 So remember your Creator in the days of your youth:
Before the days of adversity come,
and the years approach when you will say,(a)
"I have no delight in them";
2 before the sun and the light are darkened,(b)
and the moon and the stars,
and the clouds return after[a] the rain;
3 on the day when the guardians of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
the women who grind cease because they are few,
and the ones who watch through the windows see dimly,(c)
4 the doors at the street are shut
while the sound of the mill fades;(d)
when one rises at the sound of a bird,
and all the daughters of song grow faint.
5 Also, they are afraid of heights and dangers on the road;
the almond tree blossoms,
the grasshopper loses its spring,[b]
and the caper berry has no effect;
for man is headed to his eternal home,(e)
and mourners will walk around in the street;(f)
6 before the silver cord is snapped,[c]
and the gold bowl is broken,(g)
and the jar is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel is broken into the well;
7 and the dust returns to the earth as it once was,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.(h)
8 "Absolute futility," says the Teacher. "Everything is futile."(i)
The Teacher's Objectives and Conclusion
9 In addition to the Teacher being a wise man, he constantly taught the people knowledge; he weighed, explored, and arranged many proverbs.(j) 10 The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and write words of truth accurately. 11 The sayings of the wise are like goads,(k) and those from masters of collections are like firmly embedded nails.(l) The sayings are given by one Shepherd.[d]
12 But beyond these, my son, be warned: there is no end to the making of many books,(m) and much study wearies the body.(n) 13 When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear God(o) and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity.(p) 14 For God will bring every act to judgment,(q) including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
Acts 10:24-48
Chapter 10
24 The following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him.
26 But Peter helped him up and said, "Stand up! I myself am also a man."(o) 27 While talking with him, he went on in and found that many had come together there. 28 Peter said to them, "You know it's forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner.(p) But God has shown me that I must not call any person common or unclean.(q) 29 That's why I came without any objection when I was sent for. So I ask: Why did you send for me?"
30 Cornelius replied, "Four days ago at this hour, at three in the afternoon,[d] I was[e] praying in my house. Just then a man in a dazzling robe stood before me(r) 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your acts of charity have been remembered in God's sight. 32 Therefore send someone to Joppa and invite Simon here, who is also named Peter. He is lodging in Simon the tanner's house by the sea.'[f] 33 Therefore I immediately sent for you, and you did the right thing in coming. So we are all present before God, to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord."
Good News for Gentiles
34 Then Peter began to speak: "Now I really understand that God doesn't show favoritism,(s) 35 but in every nation the person who fears Him and does righteousness is acceptable to Him. 36 He sent the message to the Israelites, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all.(t) 37 You know the events[g] that took place throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were under the tyranny of the Devil, because God was with Him.(u) 39 We ourselves are witnesses of everything He did in both the Judean country and in Jerusalem, yet they killed Him by hanging Him on a tree.(v) 40 God raised up this man on the third day and permitted Him to be seen, 41 not by all the people, but by us, witnesses appointed beforehand by God, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.(w) 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to solemnly testify that He is the One appointed by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead.(x) 43 All the prophets testify(y) about Him that through His name(z) everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins."(aa)
Gentile Conversion and Baptism
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down(ab) on all those who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers[h] who had come with Peter were astounded because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.(ac) 46 For they heard them speaking in other languages and declaring the greatness of[i] God.
Then Peter responded, 47 "Can anyone withhold water and prevent these people from being baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"(ad) 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.(ae) Then they asked him to stay for a few days.
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