The Humble and Contrite in Spirit
1 Thus says the Lord:
z“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool;
what is the ahouse that you would build for me,
and what is the place of my rest?
2 All these things my hand has made,
and so all these things came to be,
declares the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and bcontrite in spirit
and ctrembles at my word.
3 d“He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man;
he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers epig’s blood;
he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol.
These have chosen their own ways,
and their soul delights in their abominations;
4 I also will choose harsh treatment for them
and bring their fears upon them,
because fwhen I called, no one answered,
when I spoke, they did not listen;
but they did what was evil in my eyes
and chose that in which I did not delight.”
5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who tremble at his word:
“Your brothers who ghate you
and cast you out for my name’s sake
have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified,
that we may see your joy’;
but it is they who shall be put to shame.
6 “The sound of an uproar from the city!
A sound from the temple!
The sound of the Lord,
rendering recompense to his enemies!
6 But tgodliness with ucontentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and1 we vcannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But wthose who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a xsnare, into many senseless and harmful desires that yplunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
11 But as for you, O zman of God, aflee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the bgood fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good cconfession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I dcharge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his etestimony before2 Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the fappearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display gat the proper time—he who is the hblessed and only Sovereign, the iKing of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, jwho dwells in unapproachable light, kwhom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
17 As for the rich in lthis present age, charge them not to be mhaughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, nbut on God, owho richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be prich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus qstoring up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
20 O Timothy, guard the deposit rentrusted to you. Avoid the sirreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have tswerved from the faith.
Whose Son Is the Christ?
35 sAnd as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the tson of David? 36 David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared,
u“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet.”’
37 David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.
Beware of the Scribes
38 vAnd in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like wgreetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the xbest seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who ydevour widows’ houses and for a zpretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
The Widow’s Offering
41 aAnd he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the boffering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.1 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
