Sunday 30 September 2046

1Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,

and to those who are secure on the mountain of Samaria,the notable men of the chief of the nations,to whom the house of Israel come!· · · verses 2–3 are not read4who lie on beds of ivory,and stretch themselves on their couches,and eat the lambs out of the flock,and the calves out of the middle of the stall,5who strum on the strings of a harp,who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;6who drink wine in bowls,and anoint themselves with the best oils,but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.7Therefore they will now go captive with the first who go captive.The feasting and lounging will end.

7who executes justice for the oppressed;who gives food to the hungry.The Lord frees the prisoners.

8The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.The Lord raises up those who are bowed down.The Lord loves the righteous.9The Lord preserves the foreigners.

9He upholds the fatherless and widow,but he turns the way of the wicked upside down.10The Lord will reign forever;your God, O Zion, to all generations.Praise the Lord!

11But you, man of God,flee these things,and follow after righteousness,godliness, faith, love,perseverance, and gentleness.12Fight the good fight of faith.Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called,and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.13I command you before God who gives life to all things,and before Christ Jesuswho before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession,14that you keep the commandment without spot,blameless until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,15which at the right time he will show,who is the blessed and only Ruler,the King of kings and Lord of lords.16He alone has immortality,dwelling in unapproachable light,whom no man has seen nor can see,to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

19“Now there was a certain rich man,and he was clothed in purple and fine linen,living in luxury every day.20A certain beggar, named Lazarus,was taken to his gate, full of sores,21and desiring to be fed with the crumbsthat fell from the rich man’s table.Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores.22The beggar died,and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.The rich man also died and was buried.23In Hades, he lifted up his eyes,being in torment, and saw Abraham far off,and Lazarus at his bosom.24He cried and said,‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me,and send Lazarus,that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue!For I am in anguish in this flame.’

25“But Abraham said,‘Son, remember that you,in your lifetime, received your good things,and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things.But here he is now comforted and you are in anguish.26Besides all this, between usand you there is a great gulf fixed,that those who want to pass from here to you are not able,and that no one may cross over from there to us.’

27“He said, ‘I ask you therefore,father, that you would send him to my father’s house—28for I have five brothers—that he may testify to them,so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’

29“But Abraham said to him,‘They have Moses and the prophets.Let them listen to them.’

30“He said, ‘No, father Abraham,but if one goes to them from the dead,they will repent.’

31“He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets,neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’”