GENESIS 11:1- 13:4
MATTHEW 5:1- 26
PSALM 5:1- 12
PROVERBS 1:24- 28
At one time the whole world spoke a single language and used the same words. 2 As the people migrated eastward, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there. 3 They began to talk about construction projects. "Come," they said, "let's make great piles of burnt brick and collect natural asphalt to use as mortar. 4 Let's build a great city with a tower that reaches to the skies-- a monument to our greatness! This will bring us together and keep us from scattering all over the world." 5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 "Look!" he said. "If they can accomplish this when they have just begun to take advantage of their common language and political unity, just think of what they will do later. Nothing will be impossible for them! 7 Come, let's go down and give them different languages. Then they won't be able to understand each other." 8 In that way, the LORD scattered them all over the earth; and that ended the building of the city. 9 That is why the city was called Babel, because it was there that the LORD confused the people by giving them many languages, thus scattering them across the earth. 10 This is the history of Shem's family. When Shem was 100 years old, his son Arphaxad was born. This happened two years after the Flood. 11 After the birth of Arphaxad, Shem lived another 500 years and had other sons and daughters. 12 When Arphaxad was 35 years old, his son Shelah was born. 13 After the birth of Shelah, Arphaxad lived another 403 years and had other sons and daughters. 14 When Shelah was 30 years old, his son Eber was born. 15 After the birth of Eber, Shelah lived another 403 years and had other sons and daughters. 16 When Eber was 34 years old, his son Peleg was born. 17 After the birth of Peleg, Eber lived another 430 years and had other sons and daughters. 18 When Peleg was 30 years old, his son Reu was born. 19 After the birth of Reu, Peleg lived another 209 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 When Reu was 32 years old, his son Serug was born. 21 After the birth of Serug, Reu lived another 207 years and had other sons and daughters. 22 When Serug was 30 years old, his son Nahor was born. 23 After the birth of Nahor, Serug lived another 200 years and had other sons and daughters. 24 When Nahor was 29 years old, his son Terah was born. 25 After the birth of Terah, Nahor lived another 119 years and had other sons and daughters. 26 When Terah was 70 years old, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 27 This is the history of Terah's family. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran had a son named Lot. 28 But while Haran was still young, he died in Ur of the Chaldeans, the place of his birth. He was survived by Terah, his father. 29 Meanwhile, Abram married Sarai, and his brother Nahor married Milcah, the daughter of their brother Haran. (Milcah had a sister named Iscah.) 30 Now Sarai was not able to have any children. 31 Terah took his son Abram, his daughter- in- law Sarai, and his grandson Lot (his son Haran's child) and left Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. But they stopped instead at the village of Haran and settled there. 32 Terah lived for 205 years and died while still at Haran. 12:1 THEN the LORD told Abram, "Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." 4 So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy- five years old when he left Haran. 5 He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth-- his livestock and all the people who had joined his household at Haran-- and finally arrived in Canaan. 6 Traveling through Canaan, they came to a place near Shechem and set up camp beside the oak at Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites. 7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "I am going to give this land to your offspring." And Abram built an altar there to commemorate the LORD's visit. 8 After that, Abram traveled southward and set up camp in the hill country between Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar and worshiped the LORD. 9 Then Abram traveled south by stages toward the Negev. 10 At that time there was a severe famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to wait it out. 11 As he was approaching the borders of Egypt, Abram said to Sarai, "You are a very beautiful woman. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, `This is his wife. Let's kill him; then we can have her! '13 But if you say you are my sister, then the Egyptians will treat me well because of their interest in you, and they will spare my life." 14 And sure enough, when they arrived in Egypt, everyone spoke of her beauty. 15 When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to their king, the pharaoh, and she was taken into his harem. 16 Then Pharaoh gave Abram many gifts because of her-- sheep, cattle, donkeys, male and female servants, and camels. 17 But the LORD sent a terrible plague upon Pharaoh's household because of Sarai, Abram's wife. 18 So Pharaoh called for Abram and accused him sharply. "What is this you have done to me?" he demanded. "Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? 19 Why were you willing to let me marry her, saying she was your sister? Here is your wife! Take her and be gone!" 20 Pharaoh then sent them out of the country under armed escort-- Abram and his wife, with all their household and belongings. 13:1 SO they left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev-- Abram with his wife and Lot and all that they owned, 2 for Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. 3 Then they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where they had camped before. 4 This was the place where Abram had built the altar, and there he again worshiped the LORD.
One day as the crowds were gathering, Jesus went up the mountainside with his disciples and sat down to teach them. 2 This is what he taught them:3 "God blesses those who realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.
4 God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are gentle and lowly,
for the whole earth will belong to them.
6 God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice,
for they will receive it in full.
7 God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11" God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too. 13 "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. 14 You are the light of the world-- like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. 15 Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. 17" Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them. 18 I assure you, until heaven and earth disappear, even the smallest detail of God's law will remain until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you break the smallest commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God's laws and teaches them will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20 "But I warn you-- unless you obey God better than the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees do, you can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all! 21" You have heard that the law of Moses says, `Do not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.' 22 But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, *you are in danger of being brought before the high council. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. 23 "So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. 25 Come to terms quickly with your enemy before it is too late and you are dragged into court, handed over to an officer, and thrown in jail. 26 I assure you that you won't be free again until you have paid the last penny."
For the choir director:A psalm of David, to be accompanied by the flute.
1 O LORD, hear me as I pray;
pay attention to my groaning.
2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
for I will never pray to anyone but you.
3 Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD.
Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
4 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
you cannot tolerate the slightest sin.
5 Therefore, the proud will not be allowed to stand in your presence,
for you hate all who do evil.
6 You will destroy those who tell lies.
The LORD detests murderers and deceivers.
7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
with deepest awe I will worship at your Temple.
8 Lead me in the right path, O LORD,
or my enemies will conquer me.
Tell me clearly what to do,
and show me which way to turn.
9 My enemies cannot speak one truthful word.
Their deepest desire is to destroy others.
Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their speech is filled with flattery.
10 O God, declare them guilty.
Let them be caught in their own traps.
Drive them away because of their many sins,
for they rebel against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Protect them,
so all who love your name may be filled with joy.
12 For you bless the godly, O LORD,
surrounding them with your shield of love.
"I [wisdom] called you so often, but you didn't come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you-- when calamity overcomes you like a storm, when you are engulfed by trouble, and when anguish and distress overwhelm you. I will not answer when they cry for help. Even though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me
