23rd January

¹ And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.² And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.³ And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.⁴ And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.⁵ And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.⁶ And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.⁷ And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.⁸ And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.⁹ And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.¹⁰ And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.¹¹ Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.¹² And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.¹³ And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.¹⁴ And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.¹⁵ When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.¹⁶ And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?¹⁷ And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?¹⁸ And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.¹⁹ And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.²⁰ And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.²¹ Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.²² And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.²³ And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.²⁴ And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.²⁵ When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.²⁶ And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.²⁷ And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.²⁸ And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.²⁹ And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.³⁰ And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

¹ Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.² The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.³ The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.⁴ I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.⁵ Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?⁶ And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.⁷ All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.⁸ An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.⁹ Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.¹⁰ But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.¹¹ By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.¹² And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.¹³ Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

¹ As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.² My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?³ My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?⁴ When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.⁵ Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.⁶ O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.⁷ Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.⁸ Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.⁹ I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?¹⁰ As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?¹¹ Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

¹ Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.² For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?³ O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.⁴ Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.⁵ Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

¹ Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.² And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.³ They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:⁴ But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.⁵ While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.⁶ And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.⁸ And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.⁹ But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.¹¹ Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.¹² But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.¹³ Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.¹⁴ For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.¹⁵ And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.¹⁶ Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.¹⁷ And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.¹⁸ But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.²⁰ And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.²¹ His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.²² He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.²³ His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.²⁴ Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.²⁶ His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:²⁷ Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.²⁸ Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.²⁹ For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.³⁰ And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.³¹ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:³² And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:³³ And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.³⁴ Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:³⁵ For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:³⁶ Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.³⁷ Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?³⁸ When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?³⁹ Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?⁴⁰ And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.⁴¹ Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:⁴² For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:⁴³ I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.⁴⁴ Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?⁴⁵ Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.⁴⁶ And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.