Today’s Readings: Mon 2 Jan 2017

2 Thessalonians 1–2:11

1:1Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

5This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—6since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2:1Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,

Luke 1:1–10

1:1Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

8Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

Psalm 90

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90:1Lord, you have been our dwelling placein all generations.2Before the mountains were brought forth,or ever you had formed the earth and the world,from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3You return man to dustand say, “Return, O children of man!”4For a thousand years in your sightare but as yesterday when it is past,or as a watch in the night. 5You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,like grass that is renewed in the morning:6in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;in the evening it fades and withers. 7For we are brought to an end by your anger;by your wrath we are dismayed.8You have set our iniquities before you,our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9For all our days pass away under your wrath;we bring our years to an end like a sigh.10The years of our life are seventy,or even by reason of strength eighty;yet their span is but toil and trouble;they are soon gone, and we fly away.11Who considers the power of your anger,and your wrath according to the fear of you? 12So teach us to number our daysthat we may get a heart of wisdom.13Return, O LORD! How long?Have pity on your servants!14Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.15Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,and for as many years as we have seen evil.16Let your work be shown to your servants,and your glorious power to their children.17Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,and establish the work of our hands upon us;yes, establish the work of our hands!

Proverbs 1:1–7

1:1The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2To know wisdom and instruction,to understand words of insight,3to receive instruction in wise dealing,in righteousness, justice, and equity;4to give prudence to the simple,knowledge and discretion to the youth—5Let the wise hear and increase in learning,and the one who understands obtain guidance,6to understand a proverb and a saying,the words of the wise and their riddles. 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;fools despise wisdom and instruction.