The Daily Readings for Wednesday, 23 September 2015

The Daily Readings for Wednesday, 23 September 2015
Ezra 9:5 At the evening offering, with my cloak and tunic torn, I got up from afflicting myself, fell on my knees, spread out my hands to Adonai my God, 6 and said, “My God, I am ashamed. I blush to lift my face to you, my God! For our sins tower over our heads; our guilt reaches up to heaven. 7 Since the times of our ancestors, we have been deeply guilty; and because of our sins, we, our kings and our cohanim have been handed over to the kings of the lands, to the sword, to exile, to pillage and to disgrace, as is the case today. 8 Now, for a brief moment, Adonai our God has shown us the favor of allowing a remnant to escape and giving us a secure foothold in his holy place, in order for God to make things look brighter to us and revive us a little in our slavery. 9 For we are slaves. Yet our God has not abandoned us in our slavery, but has caused the kings of Persia to extend grace to us, reviving us, so that we can rebuild the house of our God, repair its ruins, and have a wall of defense in Y’hudah and Yerushalayim.
(Psalm) Tobit 13:2 because he punishes and shows mercy.
He brings people[Tobit 13:2 Gk lacks people.] down to the underworld below the earth,
and he himself raises people
up from great destruction.
What is there that escapes
from his hand?[Tobit 13:2 DSS Heb; LXX1,2 nothing will escape his hand.]
3 Bear witness to him, Israelites,
in the presence of the nations,
because he has scattered you
among them,
4 and he has shown you
his greatness there.
Bring him honor in the presence
of everything that lives,
because he is our Lord:
he himself is our God;
he himself is our father,
and he is God forever and always.
7 My soul exalts my God,
the king of heaven,
and my soul will rejoice
all the days of my life.
8 Praise the Lord, all you chosen ones,
and let everyone
praise his greatness.
Let them speak through psalms,[Tobit 13:8 DSS Heb; OL omits line]
use your days for rejoicing,
and acknowledge him.
Luke 9:1 Calling together the Twelve, Yeshua gave them power and authority to expel all the demons and to cure diseases; 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal. 3 He said to them, “Take nothing for your trip — neither a walking stick nor a pack, neither bread nor money; and don’t have two shirts. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there and go out from there. 5 Wherever they don’t welcome you, shake the dust from your feet when you leave that town as a warning to them.” 6 They set out and went through village after village, healing and announcing the Good News everywhere.
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