September 16 (Proverbs 21–22; Psalm 71; John 13)

0:00A reading from the Book of Proverbs. The King's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns it wherever he will. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. The eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin. The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death. The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just. The way of the guilty is crooked, but the conduct of the pure is upright.

1:00It is better to live in a corner of the house top than in a house shared with a quarrel some wife. The soul of the wicked desires evil. His neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes. When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise. When a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge. The righteous one observes the house of the wicked. He throws the wicked down to ruin. Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered. A gift in secret avert's anger and a concealed bribe strong wrath. When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous, but terror to evil doers. One who wonders from the way of good sense will rest in the assembly of the dead. Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man.

2:03He who loves wine and oil will not be rich. The wicked is a ransom for the righteous and the traitor for the upright. It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman. Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it. Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness and honor. A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust. Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. Scoffer is the name of the arrogant hot-he-man who acts with arrogant pride. The desire of the sluggard kills him for his hands refuse to labor. All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.

3:08The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination. How much more when he brings it with evil intent? A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears will endure. A wicked man puts on a bold face, but the upright gives thought to his ways. No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord. A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor meet together. The Lord is the maker of them all. The prudent seas danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it. The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.

4:13Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked, whoever guards his soul will keep far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go. Even when he is old, he will not depart from it. The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. Her so's injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail. Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor. Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease. He who loves purity of heart and who speeches gracious will have the king as his friend. The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the traitor. The sluggard says, There is a lion outside, I shall be killed in the streets.

5:18The mouth of forbidden women is a deep pit. He with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it. He is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty. Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge. For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. That your trust may be in the Lord, I have made them known to you today, even to you. Have I not written for you thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge to make you know what is right and true, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you? Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crusty afflicted at the gate, for the Lord will plead their cause, and rob of life, those who rob them.

6:23With no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways, and entangle yourself in a snare. Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts, if you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you? Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set. Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings, he will not stand before obscure men. A reading from the Psalms. In you, O Lord, do I take refuge? Let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness, deliver me and rescue me, incline your ear to me and save me. Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may continually come. You have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

7:26Rescue me, oh my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man, for you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from before my birth, you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you. I have been as important to many, but you are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise and with your glory all the day. Do not cast me off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength is spent. For my enemies speak concerning me, those who watch for my life consult together and say, God has forsaken him, pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him. Oh God, be not far from me, oh my God, make haste to help me.

8:28May my accusers be put to shame and consumed, with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt. But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord God, I will come. I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone. O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds, so even to old age and gray hairs, oh God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. Your righteousness, oh God, reaches the high heavens, you who have done great things, oh God, who is like you. You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again, from the depths of the

9:33earth. You will bring me up again. You will increase my greatness and comfort me again. I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, oh my God, I will sing praises to you with the liar, oh holy one of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to you. My soul also, which you have redeemed, and my tongue will talk of your righteous help, all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed, who sought to do me hurt. A reading from the gospel according to John. Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The Passover, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot's Simon son to betray him.

10:36Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. When he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, Lord, do you wash my feet? Jesus answered him, What I am doing, you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand. Peter said to him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no share with me. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus said to him, The one who has bathed does not need to wash except for his feet,

11:39but is completely clean. And you are clean. But not every one of you. Or he knew who was to betray him. That was why he said not all of you are clean. When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me teacher and Lord, and you are right for so I am. If I then your Lord and teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly I say to you, A servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, Blessed are you if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but the Scripture will be fulfilled.

12:44He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me. I am telling you this now before it takes place, that when it does take place, you may believe that I am He. Truly, truly I say to you, Whoever receives the one I send receives me. And whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in His Spirit and testified, Truly, truly I say to you, One of you will betray me. The disciples looked at one another uncertain of whom He spoke. One of His disciples whom Jesus loved was reclining at table at Jesus' side. So Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, It is He to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.

13:49So when he adipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon is scary it. And after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, What you were going to do, do quickly. Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that because Judas had the money bag, Jesus was telling him, By what we need for the feast, or that he should give something to the poor. So after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. When he had gone out, Jesus said, Now is the son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and glorify him at once. And children, yet a little while I am with you, you will seek me, and just as I said to

14:53the Jews, So now I also say to you, Where I am going, you cannot come. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, where are you going? Jesus answered him, Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward. Peter said to him, Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you. Jesus answered, Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly I say to you, The rooster will not crow, till you have denied me three times.