Luke 20:27-40
[27] There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, [28] and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. [29] Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. [30] And the second [31] and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. [32] Afterward the woman also died. [33] In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.”
[34] And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, [35] but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, [36] for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. [37] But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. [38] Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.” [39] Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” [40] For they no longer dared to ask him any question.
Hebrews 1:1-9
[1] Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, [2] but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. [3] He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, [4] having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
[5] For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son”?
[6] And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
[7] Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his ministers a flame of fire.”
[8] But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
[9] You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
Proverbs 18
[1] Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.
[2]
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing his opinion.
[3]
When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.
[4]
The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
[5]
It is not good to be partial to the wicked
or to deprive the righteous of justice.
[6]
A fool’s lips walk into a fight,
and his mouth invites a beating.
[7]
A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.
[8]
The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
[9]
Whoever is slack in his work
is a brother to him who destroys.
[10]
The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
[11]
A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
and like a high wall in his imagination.
[12]
Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.
[13]
If one gives an answer before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.
[14]
A man’s spirit will endure sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?
[15]
An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
[16]
A man’s gift makes room for him
and brings him before the great.
[17]
The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.
[18]
The lot puts an end to quarrels
and decides between powerful contenders.
[19]
A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
[20]
From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
[21]
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.
[22]
He who finds a wife finds a good thing
and obtains favor from the LORD.
[23]
The poor use entreaties,
but the rich answer roughly.
[24]
A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Isaiah 1
[1] The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
[2] Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;
for the LORD has spoken:
“Children have I reared and brought up,
but they have rebelled against me.
[3] The ox knows its owner,
and the donkey its master’s crib,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.”
[4] Ah, sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the LORD,
they have despised the Holy One of Israel,
they are utterly estranged.
[5] Why will you still be struck down?
Why will you continue to rebel?
The whole head is sick,
and the whole heart faint.
[6] From the sole of the foot even to the head,
there is no soundness in it,
but bruises and sores
and raw wounds;
they are not pressed out or bound up
or softened with oil.
[7] Your country lies desolate;
your cities are burned with fire;
in your very presence
foreigners devour your land;
it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.
[8] And the daughter of Zion is left
like a booth in a vineyard,
like a lodge in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.
[9] If the LORD of hosts
had not left us a few survivors,
we should have been like Sodom,
and become like Gomorrah.
[10] Hear the word of the LORD,
you rulers of Sodom!
Give ear to the teaching of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!
[11] “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the LORD;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of goats.
[12] “When you come to appear before me,
who has required of you
this trampling of my courts?
[13] Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
[14] Your new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
[15] When you spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.
[16] Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
[17] learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow’s cause.
[18] “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
[19] If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
[20] but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
[21] How the faithful city
has become a whore,
she who was full of justice!
Righteousness lodged in her,
but now murderers.
[22] Your silver has become dross,
your best wine mixed with water.
[23] Your princes are rebels
and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe
and runs after gifts.
They do not bring justice to the fatherless,
and the widow’s cause does not come to them.
[24] Therefore the Lord declares,
the LORD of hosts,
the Mighty One of Israel:
“Ah, I will get relief from my enemies
and avenge myself on my foes.
[25] I will turn my hand against you
and will smelt away your dross as with lye
and remove all your alloy.
[26] And I will restore your judges as at the first,
and your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,
the faithful city.”
[27] Zion shall be redeemed by justice,
and those in her who repent, by righteousness.
[28] But rebels and sinners shall be broken together,
and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
[29] For they shall be ashamed of the oaks
that you desired;
and you shall blush for the gardens
that you have chosen.
[30] For you shall be like an oak
whose leaf withers,
and like a garden without water.
[31] And the strong shall become tinder,
and his work a spark,
and both of them shall burn together,
with none to quench them.
Isaiah 2
[1] The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
[2] It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the LORD
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and all the nations shall flow to it,
[3] and many peoples shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
[4] He shall judge between the nations,
and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.
[5] O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the LORD.
[6] For you have rejected your people,
the house of Jacob,
because they are full of things from the east
and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines,
and they strike hands with the children of foreigners.
[7] Their land is filled with silver and gold,
and there is no end to their treasures;
their land is filled with horses,
and there is no end to their chariots.
[8] Their land is filled with idols;
they bow down to the work of their hands,
to what their own fingers have made.
[9] So man is humbled,
and each one is brought low—
do not forgive them!
[10] Enter into the rock
and hide in the dust
from before the terror of the LORD,
and from the splendor of his majesty.
[11] The haughty looks of man shall be brought low,
and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled,
and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
[12] For the LORD of hosts has a day
against all that is proud and lofty,
against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low;
[13] against all the cedars of Lebanon,
lofty and lifted up;
and against all the oaks of Bashan;
[14] against all the lofty mountains,
and against all the uplifted hills;
[15] against every high tower,
and against every fortified wall;
[16] against all the ships of Tarshish,
and against all the beautiful craft.
[17] And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled,
and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low,
and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
[18] And the idols shall utterly pass away.
[19] And people shall enter the caves of the rocks
and the holes of the ground,
from before the terror of the LORD,
and from the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to terrify the earth.
[20] In that day mankind will cast away
their idols of silver and their idols of gold,
which they made for themselves to worship,
to the moles and to the bats,
[21] to enter the caverns of the rocks
and the clefts of the cliffs,
from before the terror of the LORD,
and from the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to terrify the earth.
[22] Stop regarding man
in whose nostrils is breath,
for of what account is he?
