Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 11 September 2020

 I had numerous intended projects today.  But I feel lousy.  A few things that must be done, by me, and then go horizontal.  Perhaps tomorrow will be better.  I hope.

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ISAIAH 23

1The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Kittim it is revealed to them.

2Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.

3And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.

4Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.

5As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.

6Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.

7Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.

8Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?

9The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.

10Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength.

11He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the Lord hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.

12And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Kittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.

13Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

14Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.

15And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.

16Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.

17And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.

18And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

ISAIAH 24

1Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

2And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.

3The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.

4The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

5The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

6Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

7The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.

8The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.

9They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.

10The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

11There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

12In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.

13When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.

14They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea.

15Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea.

16From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.

17Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

18And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.

19The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.

20The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

21And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

22And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

23Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

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PROVERBS 12

1Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.

2A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

3A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

4A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

5The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.

6The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

7The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

8A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

9He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.

10A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

11He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.

12The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.

13The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

14A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.

15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

16A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.

17He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.

18There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

19The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

20Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.

21There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

22Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.

23A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.

24The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

25Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

26The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

27The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.

28In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

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1 THESSALONIANS 1

1Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

3Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

4Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

5For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

6And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

7So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

8For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

9For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

10And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.