February 23

Exodus 6,. Then Yahweh said to Moses, Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh, for by a strong hand he will let them go, and by a strong hand he will drive them out of his land. God spoke further to Moses and said to him, I am Yahweh, and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name Yahweh I was not known to them.

And I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. Furthermore, I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in slavery, and I have remembered my covenant.

Say therefore to the sons of Israel, I am Yahweh, and I will bring you out from under the hard labors of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their slavery. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.

Then I will take you for my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out from under the hard labors of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession.

I am Yahweh. So Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on account of their weakness of spirit and hard slavery. Now Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, Come, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the sons of Israel go out of his land.

But Moses spoke before Yahweh saying, Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me. How then will Pharaoh listen to me? For I am of uncircumcised lips. Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron and gave them a command for the sons of Israel and for Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

These are the heads of their father's households. The sons of Reuben, Israel's firstborn. Hanak and Palu, Hetzron and Carmi. These are the families of Reuben. The sons of Simeon, Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jaqen and Zohar and Shaul.

The son of a Canaanite woman. These are the families of Simeon. These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations. Gershon and Kohath and Merari. And the years of Levi's life were 137 years.

The sons of Gershon, Libnai and Shimei according to their families. The sons of Kohath, Amram and Itzar and Hebron and Uzziah. And the years of Kohath's life were 133 years. The sons of Merari, Mali and Mushi.

These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. And Amram took his father's sisters, Jochebed as a wife. And she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of Amram's life were 137 years.

The sons of Itzar, Korah and Nepheg and Zichri. The sons of Uzziah, Mishael and Elzaphan and Sithri. And Aaron took Elisheba, the daughter of Amenadab, the sister of Nashan, as a wife. And she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

The sons of Korah, Asir and Elkanah, Abiasaph. These are the families of the Korahites. And Aaron's son, Eleazar, took one of the daughters of Putil as a wife. And she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the father's households of the Levites according to their families.

It was the same Aaron and Moses to whom Yahweh said, Bring out the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their hosts. They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to bring out the sons of Israel from Egypt.

It was the same Moses and Aaron. Now it happened on the day when Yahweh spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt that Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, I am Yahweh. Speak to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, all that I am speaking to you.

But Moses said before Yahweh, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips. How then will Pharaoh listen to me? Luke 9. Now Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was happening and he was greatly perplexed because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead and by some that Elijah had appeared and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again.

And Herod said, I myself had John beheaded. But who is this man about whom I hear such things? And he kept trying to see him. And when the apostles returned, they recounted to him all that they had done.

Taking them with him, he slipped away by himself to a city called Bethsaida. But when the crowds became aware of this, they followed him. And welcoming them, he began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.

Now the day was ending and the twelve came and said to him, Send the crowd away that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and obtain lodging and find provisions, for here we are in a desolate place.

But he said to them, You give them something to eat. And they said, We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people. For there were about five thousand men.

And he said to his disciples, Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each. And they did so and had them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish. And looking up to heaven, he blessed them.

And he broke them and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And they all ate and were satisfied. And the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full.

And it happened that while he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he questioned them, saying, Who do the crowds say that I am? And they answered and said, John the Baptist, and others say Elijah, but others that one of the prophets of old has risen again.

And he said to them, But who do you say that I am? And Peter answered and said, The Christ of God. But he warned them and directed them not to tell this to anyone, saying, The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.

And he was saying to them all, If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake, he is the one who will save it.

For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory, in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God. Now it happened some eight days after these words that taking along Peter and John and James, he went up on the mountain to pray.

And it happened that while he was praying, the appearance of his face became different and his clothing became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with him, and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of his departure, which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem.

Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep. But when they were fully awake, they saw his glory in the two men standing with him. And it happened that as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here.

Let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah, not realizing what he was saying. While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.

Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my son, my chosen one, listen to him. And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.

Now it happened on the next day that when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. And behold, a man from the crowd shouted, saying, Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only one.

And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth, and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves. And I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they could not.

And Jesus answered and said, You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here. Now while he was still approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion.

But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. And they were all astonished at the majesty of God. But while everyone was marveling at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, Put these words into your ears, for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.

But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it, for they were afraid to ask him about this statement. Now an argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest.

But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by his side, and said to them, Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

For the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great. And John answered and said, Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to hinder him because he was not following along with us.

But Jesus said to him, Do not hinder him, for he who is not against you is for you. Now it happened that when the days for him to be taken up were soon to be fulfilled, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

And he sent messengers on ahead of him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for him. But they did not receive him, because he was journeying with his face towards Jerusalem.

And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them? But he turned and rebuked them, and said, You do not know what kind of spirit you are of.

For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went on to another village. And as they were going along the road, someone said to him, I will follow you wherever you go.

And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. And he said to another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.

But he said to him, Allow the dead to bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God. Another also said, I will follow you, Lord, but first permit me to say farewell to those at home.

But Jesus said to him, No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Job 23. Then Job answered and said, Even today my musing is rebellion. His hand is heavy despite my groaning.

Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come to his seat. I would arrange my case for justice before him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words which he would answer and discern what he would say to me.

Would he contend with me by the greatness of his power? No, surely he would pay attention to me. There the upright would argue with him, and I would have escaped forever from my judge. Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I cannot discern him.

When he acts on the left, I cannot behold him. He turns on the right, I cannot see him. But he knows the way I take. When he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to his path.

I have kept his way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the command of his lips. I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food. But he is unique in who can turn him, in what his soul desires that he does.

For he performs what is a portion for me, and many such decrees are with him. Therefore I would be dismayed at his presence. I carefully consider, and I am in dread of him. It is God who has made my heart faint, and the Almighty who has dismayed me.

But I am not silenced by the darkness, nor thick darkness which covers me. For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was Christ.

Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well pleased, for they were struck down in the wilderness. Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved.

Do not be idolaters as some of them were. As it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play. Nor let us act in sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.

Nor let us put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have arrived.

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to prudent people, you judge what I say. Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?

Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Look at the nation Israel. Are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar? What do I mean, then, that a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. And I do not want you to become sharers in demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.

You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things build up.

Let no one seek his own good, but that of the other person. Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience' sake. For the earth is the Lord's as well as its fullness.

If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is sent before you without asking questions for conscience' sake. But if anyone says to you, this is meat consecrated to idols, do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you and for conscience' sake.

I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person's. For why is my freedom judged by another's conscience? If I partake with gratefulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?

Whether then you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.