Home > Reading > Daily Reading – May 14, 2019

Proverbs 24:1–22 (ESV)

Be not envious of evil men,
nor desire to be with them,
for their hearts devise violence,
and their lips talk of trouble.

By wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all precious and pleasant riches.

A wise man is full of strength,
and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
for by wise guidance you can wage your war,
and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Wisdom is too high for a fool;
in the gate he does not open his mouth.

Whoever plans to do evil
will be called a schemer.
The devising of folly is sin,
and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

10  If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
11  Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
12  If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man according to his work?

13  My son, eat honey, for it is good,
and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14  Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
if you find it, there will be a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.

15  Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
do no violence to his home;
16  for the righteous falls seven times and rises again,
but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

17  Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18  lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him.

19  Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
and be not envious of the wicked,
20  for the evil man has no future;
the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21  My son, fear the Lord and the king,
and do not join with those who do otherwise,
22  for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

Psalm 119:49–56 (ESV)

ZAYIN

49  Remember your word to your servant,
in which you have made me hope.

50  This is my comfort in my affliction,
that your promise gives me life.

51  The insolent utterly deride me,
but I do not turn away from your law.

52  When I think of your rules from of old,
I take comfort, O Lord.

53  Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
who forsake your law.

54  Your statutes have been my songs
in the house of my sojourning.

55  I remember your name in the night, O Lord,
and keep your law.

56  This blessing has fallen to me,
that I have kept your precepts.

1 Peter 2:13–25 (ESV)

Submission to Authority

13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

[Luther writes,] “What else can Solomon intend with so many words (Prov. 4:24-27), do you think, than to keep us on the straight (schnurgleichen) path, that only God’s Word and way may stand out before our eyes, and no bypath, be it to the right or to the left, good or bad. But now man’s teachings are but mere bypaths and not the divine way (Richtstrasse).” (21)

–Johann Michael Reu, Luther on the Scriptures

This daily Bible reading guide, Reading the Word of God, was conceived and prepared as a result of the ongoing discussions between representatives of three church bodies: Lutheran Church—Canada (LCC), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). The following individuals have represented their church bodies and approved this introduction and the reading guide: LCC: President Robert Bugbee; NALC: Bishop John Bradosky, Revs. Mark Chavez, James Nestingen, and David Wendel; LCMS: Revs. Albert Collver, Joel Lehenbauer, John Pless, and Larry Vogel.

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