Wednesday 30 March 2011

1Now, Israel, listen to the statutesand to the ordinances which I teach you,to do them, that you may live and go inand possess the land which the Lord,the God of your fathers, gives you.· · · verses 2–4 are not read5Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances,even as the Lord my God commanded me,that you should do so in the middle of the land where you go in to possess it.6Keep therefore and do them;for this is your wisdomand your understanding in the sight of the peopleswho shall hear all these statutes and say,“Surely this great nation is a wiseand understanding people.”7For what great nation is therethat has a god so near to them as the Lord our God is whenever we call on him?8What great nation is there that has statutesand ordinances so righteous as all this lawwhich I set before you today?

9Only be careful, and keep your soul diligently,lest you forget the things which your eyes saw,and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life;but make them known to your childrenand your children’s children—

12Praise the Lord, Jerusalem!Praise your God, Zion!13For he has strengthened the bars of your gates.He has blessed your children within you.

15He sends out his commandment to the earth.His word runs very swiftly.16He gives snow like wool,and scatters frost like ashes.

19He shows his word to Jacob,his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.20He has not done this for just any nation.They don’t know his ordinances.Praise the Lord!

17“Don’t thinkthat I came to destroy the law or the prophets.I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.18For most certainly,I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away,not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law,until all things are accomplished.19Therefore, whoever shall break one of these least commandmentsand teach others to do so,shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven;but whoever shall doand teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.