Today’s Readings: Wed 24 Jul 2024

Nahum 1–2:8

1:1An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.

2The LORD is a jealous and avenging God;the LORD is avenging and wrathful;the LORD takes vengeance on his adversariesand keeps wrath for his enemies.3The LORD is slow to anger and great in power,and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty.His way is in whirlwind and storm,and the clouds are the dust of his feet.4He rebukes the sea and makes it dry;he dries up all the rivers;Bashan and Carmel wither;the bloom of Lebanon withers.5The mountains quake before him;the hills melt;the earth heaves before him,the world and all who dwell in it. 6Who can stand before his indignation?Who can endure the heat of his anger?His wrath is poured out like fire,and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.7The LORD is good,a stronghold in the day of trouble;he knows those who take refuge in him.8But with an overflowing floodhe will make a complete end of the adversaries,and will pursue his enemies into darkness.9What do you plot against the LORD?He will make a complete end;trouble will not rise up a second time.10For they are like entangled thorns,like drunkards as they drink;they are consumed like stubble fully dried.11From you came onewho plotted evil against the LORD,a worthless counselor. 12Thus says the LORD,“Though they are at full strength and many,they will be cut down and pass away.Though I have afflicted you,I will afflict you no more.13And now I will break his yoke from off youand will burst your bonds apart.” 14The LORD has given commandment about you:“No more shall your name be perpetuated;from the house of your gods I will cut offthe carved image and the metal image.I will make your grave, for you are vile.” 15Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of himwho brings good news,who publishes peace!Keep your feasts, O Judah;fulfill your vows,for never again shall the worthless pass through you;he is utterly cut off.

2:1The scatterer has come up against you.Man the ramparts;watch the road;dress for battle;collect all your strength. 2For the LORD is restoring the majesty of Jacobas the majesty of Israel,for plunderers have plundered themand ruined their branches. 3The shield of his mighty men is red;his soldiers are clothed in scarlet.The chariots come with flashing metalon the day he musters them;the cypress spears are brandished.4The chariots race madly through the streets;they rush to and fro through the squares;they gleam like torches;they dart like lightning.5He remembers his officers;they stumble as they go,they hasten to the wall;the siege tower is set up.6The river gates are opened;the palace melts away;7its mistress is stripped; she is carried off,her slave girls lamenting,moaning like dovesand beating their breasts.8Nineveh is like a poolwhose waters run away.“Halt! Halt!” they cry,but none turns back.

Luke 9:1–17

9:1And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

7Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, 8by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen. 9Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.

10On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. 11When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing. 12Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” 13But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15And they did so, and had them all sit down. 16And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

Psalm 14

To the choirmaster. Of David.

14:1The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;there is none who does good. 2The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man,to see if there are any who understand,who seek after God. 3They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;there is none who does good,not even one. 4Have they no knowledge, all the evildoerswho eat up my people as they eat breadand do not call upon the LORD? 5There they are in great terror,for God is with the generation of the righteous.6You would shame the plans of the poor,but the LORD is his refuge. 7Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Proverbs 19:1–4

19:1Better is a poor person who walks in his integritythan one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.2Desire without knowledge is not good,and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.3When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,his heart rages against the LORD.4Wealth brings many new friends,but a poor man is deserted by his friend.