Daily Readings for September 22

Daily Readings for September 22
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1Chronicles 5

1.The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn; but, because he defiled his father's couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. 2.For Judah prevailed above his brothers, and of him came the prince; but the birthright was Joseph's:) 3.the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 4.The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, 5.Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, 6.Beerah his son, whom Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites. 7.His brothers by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah, 8.and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, even to Nebo and Baal Meon: 9.and eastward he lived even to the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates, because their livestock were multiplied in the land of Gilead. 10.In the days of Saul, they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand; and they lived in their tents throughout all the land east of Gilead. 11.The sons of Gad lived over against them, in the land of Bashan to Salecah: 12.Joel the chief, and Shapham the second, and Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan. 13.Their brothers of their fathers' houses: Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jacan, and Zia, and Eber, seven. 14.These were the sons of Abihail, the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz; 15.Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of their fathers' houses. 16.They lived in Gilead in Bashan, and in its towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, as far as their borders. 17.All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel. 18.The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, were forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty, that were able to go forth to war. 19.They made war with the Hagrites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab. 20.They were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he was entreated of them, because they put their trust in him. 21.They took away their livestock; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred fifty thousand, and of donkeys two thousand, and of men one hundred thousand. 22.For there fell many slain, because the war was of God. They lived in their place until the captivity. 23.The children of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land: they increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon and Senir and Mount Hermon. 24.These were the heads of their fathers' houses: even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, heads of their fathers' houses. 25.They trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them. 26.The God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river of Gozan, to this day.

Ezekiel 18

1.The word of Yahweh came to me again, saying, 2.What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? 3.As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, you shall not have [occasion] any more to use this proverb in Israel. 4.Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins, he shall die. 5.But if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right, 6.and has not eaten on the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither has defiled his neighbor's wife, neither has come near to a woman in her impurity, 7.and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment; 8.he who has not given forth on interest, neither has taken any increase, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man, 9.has walked in my statutes, and has kept my ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, says the Lord Yahweh. 10.If he fathers a son who is a robber, a shedder of blood, and who does any one of these things, 11.and who does not any of those [duties], but even has eaten on the mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife, 12.has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination, 13.has given forth on interest, and has taken increase; shall he then live? he shall not live: he has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be on him. 14.Now, behold, if he fathers a son, who sees all his father's sins, which he has done, and fears, and does not such like; 15.who has not eaten on the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor's wife, 16.neither has wronged any, has not taken anything to pledge, neither has taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment; 17.who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who has not received interest nor increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. 18.As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he shall die in his iniquity. 19.Yet you say, Why doesn't the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live. 20.The soul who sins, he shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him. 21.But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22.None of his transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him: in his righteousness that he has done he shall live. 23.Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord Yahweh; and not rather that he should return from his way, and live? 24.But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered: in his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die. 25.Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren't your ways unequal? 26.When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies therein; in his iniquity that he has done shall he die. 27.Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 28.Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 29.Yet the house of Israel says, "The way of the Lord is not fair." House of Israel, aren't my ways fair? Aren't your ways unfair? 30.Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways, says the Lord Yahweh. Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31.Cast away from you all your transgressions, in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, house of Israel? 32.For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies, says the Lord Yahweh: therefore turn yourselves, and live.

Luke 15

1.Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. 2.The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them."

3.He told them this parable. 4."Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn't leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? 5.When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6.When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7.I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance. 8.Or what woman, if she had ten drachma³⁷ coins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn't light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it? 9.When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.' 10.Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting."

11.He said, "A certain man had two sons. 12.The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of your property.' He divided his livelihood between them. 13.Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. 14.When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. 15.He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16.He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. 17.But when he came to himself he said, 'How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough to spare, and I'm dying with hunger! 18.I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. 19.I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants."'

20."He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21.The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

22."But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23.Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; 24.for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.' They began to celebrate.

25."Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26.He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on. 27.He said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.' 28.But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him. 29.But he answered his father, 'Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30.But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.'

31."He said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32.But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.'"