Wednesday 2 October 2019

1In the month Nisan,in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king,when wine was before him,I picked up the wine,and gave it to the king.Now I had not been sad before in his presence.2The king said to me,“Why is your face sad,since you are not sick?This is nothing else but sorrow of heart.”

Then I was very much afraid.3I said to the king, “Let the king live forever!Why shouldn’t my face be sad,when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs,lies waste, and its gates have been consumed with fire?”

4Then the king said to me, “What is your request?”

So I prayed to the God of heaven.5I said to the king,“If it pleases the king,and if your servant has found favor in your sight,I ask that you would send me to Judah,to the city of my fathers’ tombs,that I may build it.”

6The king said to me (the queen was also sitting by him),“How long will your journey be?When will you return?”

So it pleased the king to send me,and I set a time for him.7Moreover I said to the king,“If it pleases the king,let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River,that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah;8and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest,that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple,for the wall of the city,and for the house that I will occupy.”

The king granted my requests,because of the good hand of my God on me.

1By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down.Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.2On the willows in that land,we hung up our harps.

3For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs.Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy:“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4How can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?5If I forget you, Jerusalem,let my right hand forget its skill.

6Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you,if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.

1In that hour the disciples came to Jesus,saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

2Jesus called a little child to himself,and set him in the middle of them3and said, “Most certainly I tell you,unless you turn and become as little children,you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.4Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.5Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,· · · verses 6–9 are not read10See that you don’t despise one of these little ones,for I tell youthat in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.