August 1

Luke 13:1-9

Repent or Perish

[1] There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. [2] And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? [3] No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. [4] Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? [5] No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

[6] And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. [7] And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ [8] And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. [9] Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

1 Timothy 1:1-11

Greeting

[1] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,

[2] To Timothy, my true child in the faith: 

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Warning Against False Teachers

[3] As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, [4] nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. [5] The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. [6] Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, [7] desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

[8] Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, [9] understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, [10] the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, [11] in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

Proverbs 1

The Beginning of Knowledge

[1] The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

    [2] To know wisdom and instruction,

        to understand words of insight, 

    [3] to receive instruction in wise dealing,

        in righteousness, justice, and equity; 

    [4] to give prudence to the simple,

        knowledge and discretion to the youth—

    [5] Let the wise hear and increase in learning,

        and the one who understands obtain guidance, 

    [6] to understand a proverb and a saying,

        the words of the wise and their riddles.

    [7] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;

        fools despise wisdom and instruction.

    The Enticement of Sinners

    [8] Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,

        and forsake not your mother’s teaching, 

    [9] for they are a graceful garland for your head

        and pendants for your neck. 

    [10] My son, if sinners entice you,

        do not consent. 

    [11] If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;

        let us ambush the innocent without reason; 

    [12] like Sheol let us swallow them alive,

        and whole, like those who go down to the pit; 

    [13] we shall find all precious goods,

        we shall fill our houses with plunder; 

    [14] throw in your lot among us;

        we will all have one purse”—

    [15] my son, do not walk in the way with them;

        hold back your foot from their paths, 

    [16] for their feet run to evil,

        and they make haste to shed blood. 

    [17] For in vain is a net spread

        in the sight of any bird, 

    [18] but these men lie in wait for their own blood;

        they set an ambush for their own lives. 

    [19] Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;

        it takes away the life of its possessors.

    The Call of Wisdom

    [20] Wisdom cries aloud in the street,

        in the markets she raises her voice; 

    [21] at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;

        at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: 

    [22] “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?

    How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing

        and fools hate knowledge? 

    [23] If you turn at my reproof,

    behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;

        I will make my words known to you. 

    [24] Because I have called and you refused to listen,

        have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, 

    [25] because you have ignored all my counsel

        and would have none of my reproof, 

    [26] I also will laugh at your calamity;

        I will mock when terror strikes you, 

    [27] when terror strikes you like a storm

        and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

        when distress and anguish come upon you. 

    [28] Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;

        they will seek me diligently but will not find me. 

    [29] Because they hated knowledge

        and did not choose the fear of the LORD, 

    [30] would have none of my counsel

        and despised all my reproof, 

    [31] therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,

        and have their fill of their own devices. 

    [32] For the simple are killed by their turning away,

        and the complacency of fools destroys them; 

    [33] but whoever listens to me will dwell secure

        and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

Ezra 1

The Proclamation of Cyrus

[1] In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

[2] “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. [3] Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. [4] And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”

[5] Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem. [6] And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. [7] Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. [8] Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. [9] And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, [10] 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; [11] all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.

Ezra 2

The Exiles Return

[1] Now these were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. [2] They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. 

The number of the men of the people of Israel:  [3] the sons of Parosh, 2,172. [4] The sons of Shephatiah, 372. [5] The sons of Arah, 775. [6] The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812. [7] The sons of Elam, 1,254. [8] The sons of Zattu, 945. [9] The sons of Zaccai, 760. [10] The sons of Bani, 642. [11] The sons of Bebai, 623. [12] The sons of Azgad, 1,222. [13] The sons of Adonikam, 666. [14] The sons of Bigvai, 2,056. [15] The sons of Adin, 454. [16] The sons of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, 98. [17] The sons of Bezai, 323. [18] The sons of Jorah, 112. [19] The sons of Hashum, 223. [20] The sons of Gibbar, 95. [21] The sons of Bethlehem, 123. [22] The men of Netophah, 56. [23] The men of Anathoth, 128. [24] The sons of Azmaveth, 42. [25] The sons of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743. [26] The sons of Ramah and Geba, 621. [27] The men of Michmas, 122. [28] The men of Bethel and Ai, 223. [29] The sons of Nebo, 52. [30] The sons of Magbish, 156. [31] The sons of the other Elam, 1,254. [32] The sons of Harim, 320. [33] The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725. [34] The sons of Jericho, 345. [35] The sons of Senaah, 3,630.

[36] The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, 973. [37] The sons of Immer, 1,052. [38] The sons of Pashhur, 1,247. [39] The sons of Harim, 1,017.

[40] The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, 74. [41] The singers: the sons of Asaph, 128. [42] The sons of the gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, and the sons of Shobai, in all 139.

[43] The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, [44] the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon, [45] the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub, [46] the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shamlai, the sons of Hanan, [47] the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, [48] the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, [49] the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, [50] the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephisim, [51] the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, [52] the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, [53] the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, [54] the sons of Neziah, and the sons of Hatipha.

[55] The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda, [56] the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, [57] the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the sons of Ami.

[58] All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants were 392.

[59] The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, though they could not prove their fathers’ houses or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: [60] the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda, 652. [61] Also, of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name). [62] These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but they were not found there, and so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. [63] The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food, until there should be a priest to consult Urim and Thummim.

[64] The whole assembly together was 42,360, [65] besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337, and they had 200 male and female singers. [66] Their horses were 736, their mules were 245, [67] their camels were 435, and their donkeys were 6,720.

[68] Some of the heads of families, when they came to the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem, made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site. [69] According to their ability they gave to the treasury of the work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priests’ garments.

[70] Now the priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel in their towns.