Ben Sira 11:2-20; Revelation 9:13-21; Luke 10:38-42

Ben Sira 11:2-20

2 Do not praise a man for his good looks, nor loathe a man because of his appearance.

3 The bee is small among flying creatures, but her product is the best of sweet things.

4 Do not boast about wearing fine clothes, nor exalt yourself in the day that you are honored; for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works are concealed from men.

5 Many kings have had to sit on the ground, but one who was never thought of has worn a crown.

6 Many rulers have been greatly disgraced, and illustrious men have been handed over to others.

7 Do not find fault before you investigate; first consider, and then reprove.

8 Do not answer before you have heard, nor interrupt a speaker in the midst of his words.

9 Do not argue about a matter which does not concern you, nor sit with sinners when they judge a case.

10 My son, do not busy yourself with many matters; if you multiply activities you will not go unpunished, and if you pursue you will not overtake, and by fleeing you will not escape.

11 There is a man who works, and toils, and presses on, but is so much the more in want.

12 There is another who is slow and needs help, who lacks strength and abounds in poverty; but the eyes of the Lord look upon him for his good; he lifts him out of his low estate

13 and raises up his head, so that many are amazed at him.

14 Good things and bad, life and death, poverty and wealth, come from the Lord.

17 The gift of the Lord endures for those who are godly, and what he approves will have lasting success.

18 There is a man who is rich through his diligence and self-denial, and this is the reward allotted to him:

19 when he says, "I have found rest, and now I shall enjoy my goods!" he does not know how much time will pass until he leaves them to others and dies.

20 Stand by your covenant and attend to it, and grow old in your work.

Revelation 9:13-21

13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God,

14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphra'tes."

15 So the four angels were released, who had been held ready for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, to kill a third of mankind.

16 The number of the troops of cavalry was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number.

17 And this was how I saw the horses in my vision: the riders wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulphur, and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulphur issued from their mouths.

18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulphur issuing from their mouths.

19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; their tails are like serpents, with heads, and by means of them they wound.

20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot either see or hear or walk;

21 nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their immorality or their thefts.

Luke 10:38-42

38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.

40 But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."

41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;

42 one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her."