Today's Readings And Stuff --- Wednesday, 30 May 2018

Sad to report that today is the last Wednesday in May.  Sad because May is my very favorite month of the year, one of the few I like at all, and it's drawing to an end.  In like fashion, we have only a few weeks of Spring left.  Our "day" is now 14 hours 54 minutes long, gaining slightly over a minute by tomorrow.  I'd like it to remain there year-around, but we don't get to vote on that.

Wife was over next door with the great-niece and great-nephew.  Mom was at work.  Dad was doing some work, some under-the-table stuff I believe, since he lost his job (and insurance and all that) several weeks ago.  They're not in great shape financially; we're not great either but we're helping in other ways as we are able.

And a "song of the day" in mind all day.  Sitting At The Feet Of Jesus.  Yes, that is where we long to be.  And, in Eternity, will be.

Lyrics

Sitting at the feet of Jesus, 
Oh, what words I hear Him say! 
Happy place! so near, so precious! 
May it find me there each day; 

Sitting at the feet of Jesus, 
I would look upon the past; 
For His love has been so gracious, 
It has won my heart at last. 

Sitting at the feet of Jesus, 
Where can mortal be more blest? 
There I lay my sins and sorrows, 
And, when weary, find sweet rest; 

Sitting at the feet of Jesus, 
There I love to weep and pray; 
While I from His fullness gather 
Grace and comfort every day. 

Bless me, O my Savior, bless me, 
As I sit low at Thy feet 
Oh, look down in love upon me, 
Let me see Thy face so sweet; 

 Give me, Lord, the mind of Jesus, 
Keep me holy as He is; 
May I prove I’ve been with Jesus, 
Who is all my righteousness.

as the old preacher used to say, "Can I get an AMEN! on that?"  Sure can.

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Today, the beginning of the construction of the 1st Temple, sometimes called Solomon's Temple.

1st Kings 5

1  And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.

2  And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,

3  Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.

4  But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

5  And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.

6  Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

7  And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.

8  And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.

9  My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.

10  So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.

11  And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.

12  And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.

13  And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

14  And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.

15  And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;

16  Beside the chief of Solomon's officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.

17  And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

18  And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

1st Kings 6

1  And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord.

2  And the house which king Solomon built for the Lord, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits.

3  And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.

4  And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.

5  And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:

6  The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.

7  And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

8  The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.side: Heb. shoulder

9  So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.

10  And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.

11  And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying,

12  Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:

13  And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

14  So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

15  And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of the ceiling: and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.

16  And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place.

17  And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.

18  And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen

19  And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

20  And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.

21  So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.

22  And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.

23  And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.

24  And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.

25  And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size.

26  The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.

27  And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.

28  And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.

29  And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.

30  And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.

31  And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.

32  The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.

33  So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall.

34  And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.

35  And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.

36  And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.

37  In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the Lord laid, in the month Zif:

38  And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

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Psalm 108

A Song or Psalm of David.

 

1  O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

2  Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.

3  I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.

4  For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.clouds: or, skies

5  Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;

6  That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.

7  God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.

8  Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;

9  Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph.

10  Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?

11  Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?

12  Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.

13  Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

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Acts 19

1  And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

2  He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

3  And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

4  Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

5  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

7  And all the men were about twelve.

8  And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

9  But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

10  And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

11  And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

12  So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

13  Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

14  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

15  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

16  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

17  And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

18  And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

19  Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

20  So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

21  After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

22  So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timothy and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

23  And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.

24For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;

25  Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

26  Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:

27  So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

28  And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

29  And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

30  And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

31  And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.

32  Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

33  And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.

34  But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

35  And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

36  Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

37  For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

38  Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.

39  But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.

40  For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.

41  And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 29 May 2018 w/slight update

Back to a more "normal" schedule I guess.  The events of the 3-day weekend are behind us.  I haven't seen all the "body count" figures from around the country, but my limited scans so far confirm what most of us know.  That irresponsible lifestyles, including but not limited to alcohol in vast quantities, "recreational pharmaceuticals", sexual misbehaviors of all kinds, and general bad attitudes, spill over any "normal" attempts at containment and affect people who attempt to live responsibly.  You'll see a fraction of it on the news.  Much of it, the news people choose to conceal.  Not "overlook".   Conceal.  The implications of making more widely known what those immediately affected might call into question some of the strongly held beliefs the LSM hold.  (We used to abbreviate that as "MSM" for "Main Stream Media", but "LSM" for "Lame Stream Media" is more nearly correct.  "FSM", for "Fake Stream Media" has its fans as well).  For example, just over the weekend, and just in Chicago, gangs of "youths" (need I translate that?  I thought not.) went on numerous rampages in the various areas, setting fires, destroying property, assaults -- including sexual assaults -- on  passers-by, and generally acting like wild beasts.  Hence the occasional term, "wilding".  But the MSM largely chose to suppress the news.  Might put certain demographic groups in a bad light.  And make the corrupt mayor and power structure there look bad.  The same goes on all over the place, not just in Chicago or other "privy pits".  Look around.
==>>  slight update here:
As noted, the "respectable" media type choose to ignore or deny this sort of "inconvenient truth".  So, as one should expect,  other means of getting the word out have been created; 
Second City Cop is a blog site maintained by police (with some other first responders contributing) in Chicago, often referred to as America's second city.  They can and do get downright specific and definitely anything but "politically correct" in getting the word out on what the real situations are in their city.   On this particular issue, they've publicized some of the truth that is otherwise hidden.  Check the item entitled "Wilding Weekend".
Also, there's one entitled CWB Chicago.  A post to check is entitled

Downtown: Overworked Cops Battling Mag Mile Fights, Mayhem Through Weekend

 Betcha it won't be on CNN or ABC.  Or in the Chicago newspapers either.
Now, do you think  your local newspapers or TV stations are any better? 

===============>>  slight update ends
So I see mention, sometimes concealed, sometimes not, of "domestic disputes" that lead to violence, sometimes with injuries, sometimes with one or more deaths.  I see mention of some ghastly traffic accidents, again too  often accompanied by injury or death, sometimes the dead are those who were simply going about their normal business, sometimes even sitting on their porch or in their living room.  I know, from work I've done in the past, that some of these alcohol-lubricated parties will lead to adulterous affairs or sexual escapades between persons who may not even know their partner's legal name.  Don't scoff: I've seen it, sometimes literally.  (again, in the distant past, but some things don't change).
Yet, as ever, I hear from some who loudly denounce the church's stance on these things as being "judgmental" or "hateful" or "behind the times'.  I overheard several such conversations in last week's trip to the nearby Big Box store, and have heard much the same refrain for many many years across more then half the country.  No, it's not restricted to little pockets of bad behavior and it's not limited to certain age, income, or demographic groups.  I've even know of cases of my distant Amish cousins being involved in drunk driving incidents, though the damage a horse and buggy can cause is limited.  But injury and death can and sometimes does occur.






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1st Kings 3

1  And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

2  Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord, until those days.

3  And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.

4  And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

5  In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

6  And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

7  And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

8  And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

9  Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

10  And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

11  And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

12  Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

13  And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

14  And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

15  And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

16  Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.

17  And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.

18  And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.

19  And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it.

20  And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

21  And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.

22  And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.

23  Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.

24  And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.

25  And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

26  Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

27  Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.

28  And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

1st Kings 4

1  So king Solomon was king over all Israel.

2  And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,

3  Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.

4  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:

5  And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend:

6  And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.tribute: or, levy

7  And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.

8  And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:

9  The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth–shemesh, and Elon–beth–hanan:

10  The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Soco, and all the land of Hepher:

11  The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:

12  Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth–shean, which is by Zarethan beneath Jezreel, from Beth–shean to Abel–meholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokmeam:

13  The son of Geber, in Ramoth–gilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars:

14  Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:

15  Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife:

16  Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth:

17  Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:

18  Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:

19  Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer which was in the land.

20  Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.

21  And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

22  And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,

23  Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.

24  For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.

25  And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer–sheba, all the days of Solomon.

26  And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

27  And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.

28  Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.

29  And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

30  And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

31  For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.

32  And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.

33  And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

34  And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.

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I think verse 2 is a good "life verse".

Psalm 107

1  O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

2  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

3  And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

4  They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

5  Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

6  Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

7  And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

8  Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

9  For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

10  Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;

11  Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

12  Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.

13  Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

14  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

15  Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

16  For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

17  Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

18  Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.

19  Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.

20  He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

21  Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

22  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

23  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;

24  These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.

25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.

27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.

28  Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

31  Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

32  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

33  He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;

34  A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

35  He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.

36  And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;

37  And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.

38  He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

39  Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.

40  He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.

41  Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

42  The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

43  Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

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Remember, this is from a time when the Faith was just exploding across the known world.  Going into places where they were NOT welcome, at least welcomed by the influential.  Yet the Word persevered.  We're not like that today, are we?

Acts 18

1  After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

2  And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

3  And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

4  And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

5  And when Silas and Timothy were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

6  And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

7  And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

8  And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.

9  Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

10  For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

11  And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12  And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,

13  Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

14  And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:

15  But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.

16  And he drave them from the judgment seat.

17  Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.

18  And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.

19  And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

20  When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;

21  But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

22  And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

23  And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

24  And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

25  This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

26  And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

27  And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

28  For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Monday, 28 May 2018 -- commemorated as Memorial Day

Monday, and Memorial Day.
I realize that a lot of people will have cookouts, family gatherings, and frivolity.  That's really not the intent of the occasion.  But examples of forgetfulness and ingratitude are neither new nor hard to find:  read our passage from the Psalms today if you doubt that.


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Today, we begin the books of the Kings.  While I doubt that Moses would -- having seen the conduct in the palace of the pharaohs -- be surprised at the scheming, plotting, and general bad behavior seen in the palaces here.  I do suspect that he would be disappointed.  Didn't end with David and his heirs:  the proofs of that sad fact are all about us.

1st Kings 1

1  Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.

2  Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.

3  So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

4  And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

5  Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

6  And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.

7  And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.

8  But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

9  And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En–rogel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants

10  But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

11  Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath–sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?

12  Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

13  Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?

14  Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

15  And Bath–sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.

16  And Bath–sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?

17  And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.

18  And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:

19  And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.

20  And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

21  Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

22  And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.

23  And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

24  And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?

25  For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.

26  But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.

27  Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28  Then king David answered and said, Call me Bath–sheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.

29  And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,

30  Even as I sware unto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

31  Then Bath–sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

32  And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.

33  The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

34  And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

35  Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

36  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the Lord God of my lord the king say so too.

37  As the Lord hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.

38  So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.

39  And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.

40  And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

41  And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?

42  And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.

43  And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.

44  And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule:

45  And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.

46  And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.

47  And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

48  And also thus said the king, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

49  And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.

50  And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

51  And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword.

52  And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.

53  So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.

1st Kings 2

1  Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,

2  I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;

3  And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

4  That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

5  Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet

6  Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.

7  But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.

8  And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.

9  Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.

10  So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

11  And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

12  Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.

13  And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bath–sheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.

14  He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.

15  And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the Lord.

16  And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.

17  And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.

18  And Bath–sheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.

19  Bath–sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.

20  Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.

21  And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.

22  And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.

23  Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

24  Now therefore, as the Lord liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.

25  And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.

26  And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

27  So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the Lord; that he might fulfil the word of the Lord, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28  Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

29  And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

30  And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.

31  And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

32  And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

33  Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the Lord.

34  So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

35  And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.

36  And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.

37  For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.

38  And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

39  And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.

40  And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.

41  And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.

42  And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the Lord, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.

43  Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?

44  The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the Lord shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;

45  And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord for ever.

46  So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

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Psalm 106

1  Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever

2  Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all his praise?

3  Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

4  Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;

5  That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

6  We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

7  Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.

8  Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

9  He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

10  And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

11  And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.

12  Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

13  They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

14  But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.

15  And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

16  They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the Lord.

17  The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.

18  And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.

19  They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.

20  Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.

21  They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;

22  Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

23  Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

24  Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:the pleasant…: Heb. a land of desire

25  But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.

26  Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:

27  To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.

28  They joined themselves also unto Baal–peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.

29  Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.

30  Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.

31  And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.

32  They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:

33  Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

34  They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them:

35  But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.

36  And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

37  Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,

38  And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

39  Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

40  Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.

41  And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.

42  Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.

43  Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.

44  Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:

45  And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.

46  He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.

47  Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.

48  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord.


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Acts 17

1  Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

2  And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

3  Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

4  And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

5  But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

6  And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

7  Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

8  And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

9  And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

10  And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

12  Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

13  But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

14  And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timothy abode there still.

15  And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timothy for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

16  Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

17  Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

18  Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

19  And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?

20  For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

21  (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

22  Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

23  For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

24  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25  Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

29  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

31  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

32  And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

33  So Paul departed from among them.

34  Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.