Sunday 23 October 2022

12Don’t plan to bribe him with gifts, for he will not receive them.Don’t set your mind on an unrighteous sacrifice,For the Lord is the judge,and with him is no respect of persons.13He won’t accept any person against a poor man.He will listen to the prayer of him who is wronged.14He will in no way despise the supplication of the fatherlessor the widow, when she pours out her tale.· · · verse 15 is not read16He who serves God according to his good pleasure will be accepted.His supplication will reach to the clouds.17The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds.until it comes near, he will not be comforted.He won’t depart until the Most High visitsand he judges righteously and executes judgment.18And the Lord will not be slack, neither will he be patient toward them,until he has crushed the loins of the unmerciful.He will repay vengeance to the heathenuntil he has taken away the multitude of the arrogantand broken in pieces the sceptres of the unrighteous,

2I will bless the Lord at all times.His praise will always be in my mouth.3My soul shall boast in the Lord.The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

17The Lord’s face is against those who do evil,to cut off their memory from the earth.18The righteous cry, and the Lord hears,and delivers them out of all their troubles.

19The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,and saves those who have a crushed spirit.

23The Lord redeems the soul of his servants.None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.

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.

· · · verses 9–15 are not read16At my first defense,no one came to help me, but all left me.May it not be held against them.17But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me,that through me the message might be fully proclaimed,and that all the Gentiles might hear.So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.18And the Lord will deliver me from every evil workand will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom.To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

9He also spoke this parable to certain peoplewho were convinced of their own righteousness,and who despised all others:10“Two men went up into the temple to pray;one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.11The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself like this:‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men:extortionists, unrighteous,adulterers, or even like this tax collector.12I fast twice a week.I give tithes of all that I get.’13But the tax collector,standing far away,wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven,but beat his chest,saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other;for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”