Tuesday 10 February 2026

22Solomon stood before the Lord’s altar in the presence of all the assembly of Israel,and spread out his hands toward heaven;23and he said, “Lord,the God of Israel,there is no God like you,in heaven above, or on earth beneath;who keeps covenant and loving kindness with your servantswho walk before you with all their heart;· · · verses 24–26 are not read27But will God in very deed dwell on the earth?Behold, heavenand the heaven of heavens can’t contain you;how much less this house that I have built!28Yet have respect for the prayer of your servantand for his supplication,Lord my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayerwhich your servant prays before you today;29that your eyes may be open toward this house night and day,even toward the place of which you have said,‘My name shall be there;’to listen to the prayerwhich your servant prays toward this place.30Listen to the supplication of your servant,and of your people Israel,when they pray toward this place.Yes, hear in heaven, your dwelling place;and when you hear, forgive.

3My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of the Lord.My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

4Yes, the sparrow has found a home,and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young,near your altars, Lord of Armies, my King, and my God.

5Blessed are those who dwell in your house.They are always praising you.

10Behold, God our shield,look at the face of your anointed.

11For a day in your courts is better than a thousand.I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God,than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

1Then the Phariseesand some of the scribes gathered together to him,having come from Jerusalem.2Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled,that is unwashed, hands, they found fault.3(For the Phariseesand all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms,holding to the tradition of the elders.4They don’t eatwhen they come from the marketplace unless they bathe themselves,and there are many other thingswhich they have received to hold to:washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.)5The Pharisees and the scribes asked him,“Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders,but eat their bread with unwashed hands?”

6He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with their lips,but their heart is far from me.7They worship me in vain,teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

8“For you set aside the commandment of God,and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups,and you do many other such things.”9He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God,that you may keep your tradition.10For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother,let him be put to death.’11But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother,“Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban,”’”that is to say, given to God,12“then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother,13making void the word of God by your traditionwhich you have handed down.You do many things like this.”