John 2:1-11
[1]
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother
of Jesus was there. [2] Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his
disciples. [3] When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him,
“They have no wine.” [4] And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this
have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” [5] His mother said to
the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
[6]
Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of
purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. [7] Jesus said to
the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the
brim. [8] And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the
master of the feast.” So they took it. [9] When the master of the feast
tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from
(though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the
feast called the bridegroom [10] and said to him, “Everyone serves the
good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine.
But you have kept the good wine until now.” [11] This, the first of his
signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his
disciples believed in him.
James 3:1-12
[1]
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that
we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. [2] For we all
stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he
is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. [3] If we put
bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their
whole bodies as well. [4] Look at the ships also: though they are so
large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small
rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. [5] So also the tongue is
a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How
great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! [6] And the tongue
is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our
members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of
life, and set on fire by hell. [7] For every kind of beast and bird, of
reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,
[8] but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full
of deadly poison. [9] With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it
we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. [10] From the same
mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to
be so. [11] Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh
and salt water? [12] Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a
grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Ecclesiastes 4
[1]
Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And
behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them!
On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one
to comfort them. [2] And I thought the dead who are already dead more
fortunate than the living who are still alive. [3] But better than both
is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done
under the sun.
[4]
Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy
of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
[5] The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.
[6] Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
[7]
Again, I saw vanity under the sun: [8] one person who has no other,
either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes
are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I
toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an
unhappy business.
[9]
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their
toil. [10] For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him
who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! [11]
Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm
alone? [12] And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two
will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
[13]
Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no
longer knew how to take advice. [14] For he went from prison to the
throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. [15] I saw all
the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was
to stand in the king’s place. [16] There was no end of all the people,
all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him.
Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Jeremiah 12
[1] Righteous are you, O LORD,
when I complain to you;
yet I would plead my case before you.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all who are treacherous thrive?
[2] You plant them, and they take root;
they grow and produce fruit;
you are near in their mouth
and far from their heart.
[3] But you, O LORD, know me;
you see me, and test my heart toward you.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
and set them apart for the day of slaughter.
[4] How long will the land mourn
and the grass of every field wither?
For the evil of those who dwell in it
the beasts and the birds are swept away,
because they said, “He will not see our latter end.”
[5] “If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you,
how will you compete with horses?
And if in a safe land you are so trusting,
what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?
[6] For even your brothers and the house of your father,
even they have dealt treacherously with you;
they are in full cry after you;
do not believe them,
though they speak friendly words to you.”
[7] “I have forsaken my house;
I have abandoned my heritage;
I have given the beloved of my soul
into the hands of her enemies.
[8] My heritage has become to me
like a lion in the forest;
she has lifted up her voice against me;
therefore I hate her.
[9] Is my heritage to me like a hyena’s lair?
Are the birds of prey against her all around?
Go, assemble all the wild beasts;
bring them to devour.
[10] Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard;
they have trampled down my portion;
they have made my pleasant portion
a desolate wilderness.
[11] They have made it a desolation;
desolate, it mourns to me.
The whole land is made desolate,
but no man lays it to heart.
[12] Upon all the bare heights in the desert
destroyers have come,
for the sword of the LORD devours
from one end of the land to the other;
no flesh has peace.
[13] They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns;
they have tired themselves out but profit nothing.
They shall be ashamed of their harvests
because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”
[14] Thus says the LORD concerning all my evil neighbors who touch
the heritage that I have given my people Israel to inherit: “Behold, I
will pluck them up from their land, and I will pluck up the house of
Judah from among them. [15] And after I have plucked them up, I will
again have compassion on them, and I will bring them again each to his
heritage and each to his land. [16] And it shall come to pass, if they
will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, ‘As
the LORD lives,’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then
they shall be built up in the midst of my people. [17] But if any nation
will not listen, then I will utterly pluck it up and destroy it,
declares the LORD.”
Jeremiah 13
[1]
Thus says the LORD to me, “Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it
around your waist, and do not dip it in water.” [2] So I bought a
loincloth according to the word of the LORD, and put it around my waist.
[3] And the word of the LORD came to me a second time, [4] “Take the
loincloth that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise,
go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.” [5] So I
went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me. [6] And
after many days the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and
take from there the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there.” [7]
Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and I took the loincloth from the
place where I had hidden it. And behold, the loincloth was spoiled; it
was good for nothing.
[8]
Then the word of the LORD came to me: [9] “Thus says the LORD: Even so
will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. [10]
This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow
their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship
them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing. [11] For
as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole
house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the
LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory,
but they would not listen.
[12]
“You shall speak to them this word: ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of
Israel, “Every jar shall be filled with wine.”’ And they will say to
you, ‘Do we not indeed know that every jar will be filled with wine?’
[13] Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: Behold, I will
fill with drunkenness all the inhabitants of this land: the kings who
sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the
inhabitants of Jerusalem. [14] And I will dash them one against another,
fathers and sons together, declares the LORD. I will not pity or spare
or have compassion, that I should not destroy them.’”
[15] Hear and give ear; be not proud,
for the LORD has spoken.
[16] Give glory to the LORD your God
before he brings darkness,
before your feet stumble
on the twilight mountains,
and while you look for light
he turns it into gloom
and makes it deep darkness.
[17] But if you will not listen,
my soul will weep in secret for your pride;
my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears,
because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
[18] Say to the king and the queen mother:
“Take a lowly seat,
for your beautiful crown
has come down from your head.”
[19] The cities of the Negeb are shut up,
with none to open them;
all Judah is taken into exile,
wholly taken into exile.
[20] “Lift up your eyes and see
those who come from the north.
Where is the flock that was given you,
your beautiful flock?
[21] What will you say when they set as head over you
those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you?
Will not pangs take hold of you
like those of a woman in labor?
[22] And if you say in your heart,
‘Why have these things come upon me?’
it is for the greatness of your iniquity
that your skirts are lifted up
and you suffer violence.
[23] Can the Ethiopian change his skin
or the leopard his spots?
Then also you can do good
who are accustomed to do evil.
[24] I will scatter you like chaff
driven by the wind from the desert.
[25] This is your lot,
the portion I have measured out to you, declares the LORD,
because you have forgotten me
and trusted in lies.
[26] I myself will lift up your skirts over your face,
and your shame will be seen.
[27] I have seen your abominations,
your adulteries and neighings, your lewd whorings,
on the hills in the field.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
How long will it be before you are made clean?”
