Thursday, February 27

31A righteous man will never fail, But the ungodly shall not inhabit the earth.

32The mouth of a righteous man distills wisdom, But the tongue of an unrighteous man utterly destroys.

33The lips of righteous men distill grace, But the mouth of the ungodly is perverse.

1Deceitful scales are an abomination before the Lord, But a righteous weight is acceptable to Him.

2Wherever arrogance enters, there also is dishonor, But the mouth of the humble meditates on wisdom.

3When a righteous man dies, he leaves regret, But the destruction of the ungodly is immediate and brings joy.

4Righteousness cuts straight and blameless paths, But ungodliness embraces wrongdoing.

5The righteousness of upright men delivers them, But lawless men are taken to their destruction.

6When a righteous man dies, his hope does not perish, But the boast of the ungodly perishes.

7A righteous man escapes from a snare, But the ungodly man is handed over in his place.

8There is a snare for citizens in the mouth of the ungodly, But the perception of the righteous is prosperous.

9A city stays upright in the good things of the righteous, But it is razed to the ground by the mouths of the ungodly.

10A man in need of discernment treats citizens with contempt, But a man of discernment keeps quiet.

11A double-tongued man reveals deliberations heard in council, But a man faithful in spirit conceals matters.

12Those for whom there is no leadership fall like leaves, But there is salvation in much counsel.

7But though a righteous man may die before his time, He shall be at rest.

8For old age is not honored for its length of existence, Nor measured by its number of years;

9But discernment is gray hair for mankind, And a spotless life is the maturity of old age.

10There was once a man pleasing to God and loved by Him, And while living among sinners he was taken up.

11He was caught up lest evil change his understanding Or deceit deceive his soul.

12For envy arising from lack of judgment obscures what is good, And a whirling of desire undermines an innocent heart.

13He was made perfect, For in a short time he fulfilled long years,

14For his soul was pleasing to the Lord; Therefore, He took him early from the midst of evil. Yet peoples saw this but did not understand, Nor take such a thing to heart,

15That the Lord's grace and mercy are with His elect And that He watches over His holy ones.

1Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

5Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.'

6Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

7Then Jesus said to them again, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

8All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

11Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

12These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;

13raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

14Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, 'Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,

15to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.'

16These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.

17But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:

18how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.

19These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

20But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

21keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22And on some have compassion, making a distinction;

23but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

24Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

25To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.

17Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

18Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.

19But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

20Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

2And they began to accuse Him, saying, 'We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.'

3Then Pilate asked Him, saying, 'Are You the King of the Jews?'

4He answered him and said, 'It is as you say.' So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, 'I find no fault in this Man.'

5But they were the more fierce, saying, 'He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.'

6When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean.

7And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

8Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.

9Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing.

10And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.

11Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.

12That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.

13Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,

14said to them, 'You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him;

15no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.

16I will therefore chastise Him and release Him '

17(for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).

18And they all cried out at once, saying, 'Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas'—

19who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.

20Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them.

21But they shouted, saying, 'Crucify Him, crucify Him!'

22Then he said to them the third time, 'Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.'

23But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.

24So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.

25And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

26Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

27And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.

28But Jesus, turning to them, said, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

29For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'

30Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us!' and to the hills, 'Cover us!''

31For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?'

32There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.

33And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.

34Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.' And they divided His garments and cast lots.

35And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, 'He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.'

36The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine,

37and saying, 'If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.'

38And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, 'If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.'

40But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

41And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.'

42Then he said to Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.'

43And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'

44Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

45Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

46And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, 'Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' ' Having said this, He breathed His last.

47So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, 'Certainly this was a righteous Man!'

48And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.

49But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

50Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, good and just man.

51He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.

52This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

53Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.

54That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.

55And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.

56Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

10The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11'I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

12But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.

13The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.

14I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

15As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

16And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.