Saturday 7 October 2017

5Be of good cheer, my people, the memorial of Israel.6You were not sold to the nations for destruction,but because you moved God to wrath,you were delivered to your adversaries.7For you provoked himwho made you by sacrificing to demons and not to God.8You forgot the everlasting God who brought you up.You also grieved Jerusalem, who nursed you.9For she saw the wrath that came upon you from God,and said, “Listen,you who dwell near Zion;for God has brought upon me great mourning.10For I have seen the captivity of my sons and daughters,which the Everlasting has brought upon them.11For with joy I nourished them,but sent them away with weeping and mourning.12Let no man rejoice over me, a widow and forsaken by many.For the sins of my children,I am left desolate,because they turned away from the law of God

· · · verses 13–26 are not read27Take courage, my children, and cry to God;for you will be remembered by himwho has brought this upon you.28For as it was your decision to go astray from God,return and seek him ten times more.29For he who brought these calamities upon you will bring you everlasting joy again with your salvation.

33The humble have seen it, and are glad.You who seek after God, let your heart live.34For the Lord hears the needy,and doesn’t despise his captive people.35Let heaven and earth praise him;the seas, and everything that moves therein!

36For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah.They shall settle there, and own it.37The children also of his servants shall inherit it.Those who love his name shall dwell therein.

17The seventy returned with joy,saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

18He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.19Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions,and over all the power of the enemy.Nothing will in any way hurt you.20Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this,that the spirits are subject to you,but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

21In that same hour,Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit,and said, “I thank you,O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding,and revealed them to little children.Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.”

22Turning to the disciples,he said, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father.No one knows who the Son is,except the Father,and who the Father is,except the Son,and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him.”

23Turning to the disciples,he said privately,“Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see,24for I tell you that many prophetsand kings desired to see the things which you see,and didn’t see them,and to hear the things which you hear,and didn’t hear them.”