Monday, May 3

15But the righteous live forever, And their reward is with the Lord; And their care is by the Most High.

16Therefore they shall receive a kingly dwelling of dignity And a crown of beauty from the hand of the Lord, Because He will shelter them with His right hand And protect them with His arm.

17He will take His zeal as His full armor And will turn His creation into weapons against His enemies.

18He will wear righteousness as a breastplate And put on impartial judgment as a helmet.

19He will take holiness as an unconquerable shield

20And sharpen His relentless wrath for a sword; And creation will fight with Him against the senseless.

21Well-aimed flashes of lightning will strike And leap to their object as from a well-drawn bow of clouds;

22And hailstones full of anger will be hurled As from an engine of war. The water of the sea will be vexed with them, And the rivers will wash over them severely.

23A powerful wind will oppose them, And like a storm it will winnow them away. Lawlessness will lay waste all the earth, And wrongdoing will overturn the thrones of rulers.

1Listen therefore, O kings, and understand; Learn, O judges of the ends of the earth.

2Give ear, you that rule over multitudes, And take pride in yourself over a multitude of nations.

3For power was given to you from the Lord, And your lordship from the Most High, Who will make a careful search of your works And examine closely your plans.

1But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, And no torture will ever touch them.

2In the eyes of the undiscerning they seemed to have died, And their departure was considered to be misfortune,

3And their passage from us to be their destruction; But they are at peace.

4For though in man's view they were punished, Their hope is full of immortality.

5Though chastened in a few things, Great kindness will be shown them, For God tested them and found them worthy of Himself.

6He tested them like gold in a furnace And accepted them as a whole burnt offering.

7In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, And they will run about like sparks through straw.

8They will judge nations and rule over peoples, And the Lord shall reign over them unto the ages.

9Those who trust in Him will understand truth, And the faithful shall continue with Him in love, Because grace and mercy are upon His elect.

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.

19Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'

20When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

21So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.'

22And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.

23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.'

24Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

25The other disciples therefore said to him, 'We have seen the Lord.' So he said to them, 'Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.'

17And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,

18as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed.

19And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

20'Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.

21Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.

22Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake.

23Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey.

13And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.

14These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

15And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said,

16'Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;

17for he was numbered with us and obtained apart in this ministry.'

18(Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.

19And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20For it is written in the Book of Psalms: 'Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live in it'; and, 'Let another take his office.'

21'Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

22beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.'

23And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

24And they prayed and said, 'You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen

25to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.'

26And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

7Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

9Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

10We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.

11For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.

12Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

13Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

14For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

15Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

16But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

18No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

19Who Is John the Baptist? Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, 'Who are you?'

20He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, 'I am not the Christ.'

21And they asked him, 'What then? Are you Elijah?'

22Then they said to him, 'Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?'

23He said: 'I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' ' as the prophet Isaiah said.'

24Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.

25And they asked him, saying, 'Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?'

26John answered them, saying, 'I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.

27It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.'

28These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

27All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

28Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.'

1Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

2And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.

3His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

4And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

5But the angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

6He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

7And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.'

8So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

9And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, 'Rejoice!' So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

10Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.'

11Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.

12When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

13saying, 'Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'

14And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure.'

15So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.

17When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

18And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen.

1Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.

2Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

3And they said among themselves, 'Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?'

4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large.

5And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

6But he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.

7But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.'

8So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

1Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

2But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.

3Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

4And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.

5Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead?

6He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,

7saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' '

8And they remembered His words.

9Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.

10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.

11And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.

12But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.

1Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

2Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, 'They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.'

3Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.

4So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

5And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.

6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,

7and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.

8Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.

9For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

10Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

36Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, 'Peace to you.'

37But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.

38And He said to them, 'Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?

39Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.'

40When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.

41But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, 'Have you any food here?'

42So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.

43And He took it and ate in their presence.

44Then He said to them, 'These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.'

45And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

46Then He said to them, 'Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,

47and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48And you are witnesses of these things.

49Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.'

50And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

51Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.

52And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

53and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.