Monday, February 2

7Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better.

8Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.

9Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak,

10for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

11Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?

12For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.

13For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.

14For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

15And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest

16who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.

17For He testifies: 'You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.'

20knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,

21for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

2:1But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

2And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.

3By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

4For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

5and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

6and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;

7and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked

8(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)-

9then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,

22Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord

23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, 'Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD'),

24and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, 'A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.'

25And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

27So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,

28he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29'Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;

30For my eyes have seen Your salvation

31Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

32A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.'

33And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.

34Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, 'Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against

35(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.'

36Now there was one, Anna, prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;

37and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

38And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

39So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

40And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

9'But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.

10And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.

11But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

12Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

13And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

25And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

27So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,

28he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29'Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;

30For my eyes have seen Your salvation

31Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

32A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.'

1In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up. The house was full of His glory.

2Around Him stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

3And one cried to another and said, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.'

4The lintel was lifted up by the voice of those who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

5So I said, 'Woe is me, because I am pierced to the heart, for being a man and having unclean lips, I dwell in the midst of a people with unclean lips; for I saw the King, the Lord of hosts, with my eyes!'

6Then one of the seraphim was sent to me. He had a live coal in his hand, which he took with tongs from the altar.

7He touched my mouth, and said, 'Behold, this has touched your lips. Your lawlessness is taken away, and your sin is cleansed.'

8I also heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people?' Then I said, 'Behold, here am I, send me.'

9So He said, 'Go, and tell this people, 'You shall hear indeed, but not understand; and you shall see indeed, but not perceive.'

10For the heart of this people has become insensitive, and their ears hear with difficulty. They have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return, and I should heal them.'

11Then I said, 'Lord, how long?' So He answered, 'Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without people, and the land shall be left desolate.

12After this God will remove the people far away, and those left in the land shall multiply.

1The vision of Egypt: Behold, the Lord sits on a swift cloud and shall come to Egypt, and the things made by hands in Egypt shall be shaken by His presence, and their heart shall be overcome within them.

3The spirit of the Egyptians will be troubled within them, and I will reject their counsel, and they shall consult their gods and their statues, and those who speak from the earth and are ventriloquists.

4And I will deliver Egypt into the hands of harsh lords and kings who will rule over them,' thus says the Lord of hosts.

5And the Egyptians will drink water from the sea, for the river will run dry and have no water.

12Where are your wise men now? Let them now tell you, and let them say what the Lord of hosts planned against Egypt.

16In that day, the Egyptians shall be like women in fear and trembling because of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which He shall lay upon them.

19In that day, there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the country of Egypt and a pillar to the Lord at its border.

20It will be a sign forever to the Lord in the country of Egypt, for they will cry to the Lord because of their oppressors, and the Lord will send them a Man who will save them. He will judge and save them.

21Then the Lord will be known to the Egyptians, and in that day the Egyptians will know the Lord and offer sacrifices. Yes, they will make vows to the Lord and pay them.