Saturday 17 March 2018

6If the great Lord wills,he will be filled with the spirit of understanding;he will pour forth the words of his wisdomand in prayer give thanks to the Lord.7He will direct his counsel and knowledge,and he will meditate in his secrets.8He will show the instruction which he has been taughtand will glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.9Many will commend his understanding.So long as the world endures, it won’t be blotted out.His memory won’t depart.His name will live from generation to generation.10Nations will declare his wisdom.The congregation will proclaim his praise.

12What will I give to the Lord for all his benefits toward me?13I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the Lord’s name.14I will pay my vows to the Lord,yes, in the presence of all his people.15Precious in the Lord’s sight is the death of his saints.16Lord, truly I am your servant.I am your servant, the son of your servant girl.You have freed me from my chains.17I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving,and will call on the Lord’s name.18I will pay my vows to the Lord,yes, in the presence of all his people,19in the courts of the Lord’s house,in the middle of you, Jerusalem.Praise the Lord!

1I command you therefore before Godand the Lord Jesus Christ,who will judge the livingand the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom:2preach the word;be urgent in season and out of season;reprove, rebuke,and exhort with all patience and teaching.3For the time will comewhen they will not listen to the sound doctrine,but having itching ears,will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts,4and will turn away their ears from the truth,and turn away to fables.5But you be sober in all things,suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist,and fulfill your ministry.

6For I am already being offered,and the time of my departure has come.7I have fought the good fight.I have finished the course.I have kept the faith.8From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me,which the Lord, the righteous judge,will give to me on that day;and not to me only,but also to all those who have loved his appearing.

24He set another parable before them,saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a manwho sowed good seed in his field,25but while people slept,his enemy cameand sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away.26But when the blade sprang up and produced grain,then the darnel weeds appeared also.27The servants of the householder came and said to him,‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field?Where did these darnel weeds come from?’

28“He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’

“The servants asked him,‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’

29“But he said, ‘No,lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds,you root up the wheat with them.30Let both grow together until the harvest,and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers,“First, gather up the darnel weeds,and bind them in bundles to burn them;but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

31He set another parable before them,saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took,and sowed in his field,32which indeed is smaller than all seeds.But when it is grown,it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree,so that the birds of the air comeand lodge in its branches.”