2 CHRONICLES 29
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Hezekiah Reigns in Judah 29:1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. Hezekiah Cleanses the Temple3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and assembled them in the square on the east 5 and said to them, “Hear me, Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, and consecrate the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry out the filth from the Holy Place. 6 For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They have forsaken him and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs. 7 They also shut the doors of the vestibule and put out the lamps and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore the wrath of the Lord came on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has made them an object of horror, of astonishment, and of hissing, as you see with your own eyes. 9 For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, in order that his fierce anger may turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not now be negligent, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.”2 CHRONICLES 30
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Passover Celebrated 30:1 Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. 2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the Passover in the second month— 3 for they could not keep it at that time because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem— 4 and the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. 5 So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it as often as prescribed. 6 So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying, “O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were faithless to the Lord God of their fathers, so that he made them a desolation, as you see. 8 Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. 9 For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”PROVERBS 16
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16:1 The plans of the heart belong to man,but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,but the Lord weighs the spirit. 3 Commit your work to the Lord,and your plans will be established. 4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose,even the wicked for the day of trouble. 5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;be assured, he will not go unpunished. 6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil. 7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better is a little with righteousnessthan great revenues with injustice. 9 The heart of man plans his way,but the Lord establishes his steps. 10 An oracle is on the lips of a king;his mouth does not sin in judgment. 11 A just balance and scales are the Lord’s;all the weights in the bag are his work. 12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,for the throne is established by righteousness. 13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king,and he loves him who speaks what is right. 14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,and a wise man will appease it. 15 In the light of a king’s face there is life,and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain. 16 How much better to get wisdom than gold!To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. 17 The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;whoever guards his way preserves his life. 18 Pride goes before destruction,and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poorthan to divide the spoil with the proud. 20 Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good,and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. 21 The wise of heart is called discerning,and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. 22 Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,but the instruction of fools is folly. 23 The heart of the wise makes his speech judiciousand adds persuasiveness to his lips. 24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb,sweetness to the soul and health to the body. 25 There is a way that seems right to a man,but its end is the way to death. 26 A worker’s appetite works for him;his mouth urges him on. 27 A worthless man plots evil,and his speech is like a scorching fire. 28 A dishonest man spreads strife,and a whisperer separates close friends. 29 A man of violence entices his neighborand leads him in a way that is not good. 30 Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things;he who purses his lips brings evil to pass. 31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;it is gained in a righteous life. 32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. 33 The lot is cast into the lap,but its every decision is from the Lord.1 THESSALONIANS 5
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The Day of the Lord 5:1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. Final Instructions and Benediction12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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