September 13: Proverbs 15–16; Psalm 69:1–18; John 10

Proverbs 15–16 (Listen)

15A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
3The eyes of the LORD are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
4A gentle^{Or healing“>1} tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
5A fool despises his father’s instruction,
but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.
6In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
7The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not so the hearts of fools.^{Or the hearts of fools are not steadfast“>2}
8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
9The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness.
10There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
whoever hates reproof will die.
11Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD;
how much more the hearts of the children of man!
12A scoffer does not like to be reproved;
he will not go to the wise.
13A glad heart makes a cheerful face,
but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.
14The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
15All the days of the afflicted are evil,
but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
16Better is a little with the fear of the LORD
than great treasure and trouble with it.
17Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
than a fattened ox and hatred with it.
18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
19The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,
but the path of the upright is a level highway.
20A wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
21Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.
22Without counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed.
23To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and a word in season, how good it is!
24The path of life leads upward for the prudent,
that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.
25The LORD tears down the house of the proud
but maintains the widow’s boundaries.
26The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD,
but gracious words are pure.
27Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household,
but he who hates bribes will live.
28The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29The LORD is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
30The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and good news refreshes^{Hebrew makes fat“>3} the bones.
31The ear that listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
32Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,
but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.
33The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom,
and humility comes before honor.


16The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
2All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the LORD weighs the spirit.^{Or spirits“>4}
3Commit your work to the LORD,
and your plans will be established.
4The LORD has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.
5Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD;
be assured, he will not go unpunished.
6By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.
7When a man’s ways please the LORD,
he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.
9The heart of man plans his way,
but the LORD establishes his steps.
10An oracle is on the lips of a king;
his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11A just balance and scales are the LORD’s;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
12It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
for the throne is established by righteousness.
13Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
and he loves him who speaks what is right.
14A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
and a wise man will appease it.
15In the light of a king’s face there is life,
and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
16How much better to get wisdom than gold!
To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
17The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;
whoever guards his way preserves his life.
18Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20Whoever gives thought to the word^{Or to a matter“>5} will discover good,
and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
21The wise of heart is called discerning,
and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
22Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
23The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
25There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.^{Hebrew ways of death“>6}
26A worker’s appetite works for him;
his mouth urges him on.
27A worthless man plots evil,
and his speech^{Hebrew what is on his lips“>7} is like a scorching fire.
28A dishonest man spreads strife,
and a whisperer separates close friends.
29A man of violence entices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
30Whoever winks his eyes plans^{Hebrew to plan“>8} dishonest things;
he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
31Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained in a righteous life.
32Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the LORD.

(ESV)

Psalm 69:1–18 (Listen)

Save Me, O God

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. Of David.

69Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.^{Or waters threaten my life“>1}
2I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.
3I am weary with my crying out;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
with waiting for my God.


4More in number than the hairs of my head
are those who hate me without cause;
mighty are those who would destroy me,
those who attack me with lies.
What I did not steal
must I now restore?
5O God, you know my folly;
the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.


6Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me,
O Lord GOD of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
O God of Israel.
7For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach,
that dishonor has covered my face.
8I have become a stranger to my brothers,
an alien to my mother’s sons.


9For zeal for your house has consumed me,
and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10When I wept and humbled^{Hebrew lacks and humbled“>2} my soul with fasting,
it became my reproach.
11When I made sackcloth my clothing,
I became a byword to them.
12I am the talk of those who sit in the gate,
and the drunkards make songs about me.


13But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD.
At an acceptable time, O God,
in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14Deliver me
from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
and from the deep waters.
15Let not the flood sweep over me,
or the deep swallow me up,
or the pit close its mouth over me.


16Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good;
according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17Hide not your face from your servant,
for I am in distress; make haste to answer me.
18Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
ransom me because of my enemies!

(ESV)

John 10 (Listen)

I Am the Good Shepherd

10“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

19There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

I and the Father Are One

22At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me,^{Some manuscripts What my Father has given to me“>1} is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30I and the Father are one.”

31The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—36do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

40He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42And many believed in him there.

(ESV)