7th April

¹ And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.² And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.³ And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:⁴ He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:⁵ How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!⁶ As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.⁷ He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.⁸ God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.⁹ He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.¹⁰ And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.¹¹ Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.¹² And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,¹³ If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?¹⁴ And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.¹⁵ And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:¹⁶ He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:¹⁷ I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.¹⁸ And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.¹⁹ Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.²⁰ And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.²¹ And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.²² Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.²³ And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!²⁴ And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.²⁵ And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

¹ And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.² And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.³ And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.⁴ And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.⁵ And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.⁶ And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.⁷ And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;⁸ And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.⁹ And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.¹⁰ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,¹¹ Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.¹² Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:¹³ And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.¹⁴ Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.¹⁵ And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.¹⁶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,¹⁷ Vex the Midianites, and smite them:¹⁸ For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake.

¹ Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.² A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.³ The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.⁴ A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.⁵ Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.⁶ Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.⁷ Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.⁸ A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.⁹ He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.¹⁰ A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.¹¹ An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.¹² Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.¹³ Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.¹⁴ The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.¹⁵ He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.¹⁶ Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?¹⁷ A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.¹⁸ A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.¹⁹ He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.²⁰ He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.²¹ He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.²² A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.²³ A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.²⁴ Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.²⁵ A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.²⁶ Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.²⁷ He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.²⁸ Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

¹ Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;² And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.³ But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;⁴ Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.⁵ For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.⁶ Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.⁷ Be not ye therefore partakers with them.⁸ For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:⁹ (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)¹⁰ Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.¹² For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.¹³ But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.¹⁴ Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.¹⁵ See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,¹⁶ Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.¹⁷ Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.¹⁸ And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;¹⁹ Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;²⁰ Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;²¹ Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.²² Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.²⁴ Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.²⁸ So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.²⁹ For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:³⁰ For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.³¹ For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.³² This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.³³ Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

¹ Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.² Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;³ That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.⁴ And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.⁵ Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;⁶ Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;⁷ With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:⁸ Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.⁹ And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,²⁰ For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.²¹ But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:²² Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.²³ Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.²⁴ Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.