Matthew 3; Exodus 24; Proverbs 11

Matthew 3

1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.' "

4 And John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him

6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,

9 and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"

15 But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.

16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Exodus 24

1 Now He said to Moses, "Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.

2 And Moses alone shall come near the Lord, but they shall not come near; nor shall the people go up with him."

3 So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words which the Lord has said we will do."

4 And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

5 Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord.

6 And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar.

7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient."

8 And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, "This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words."

9 Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,

10 and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity.

11 But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw God, and they ate and drank.

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them."

13 So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God.

14 And he said to the elders, "Wait here for us until we come back to you. Indeed Aaron and Hur are with you. If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them."

15 Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain.

16 Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

17 The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.

18 So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Proverbs 11

1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight.

2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.

3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.

4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.

5 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.

6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.

7 When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, And the hope of the unjust perishes.

8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, And it comes to the wicked instead.

9 The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.

11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12 He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, But a man of understanding holds his peace.

13 A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.

14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

15 He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, But one who hates being surety is secure.

16 A gracious woman retains honor, But ruthless men retain riches.

17 The merciful man does good for his own soul, But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.

18 The wicked man does deceptive work, But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.

19 As righteousness leads to life, So he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.

20 Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the Lord, But the blameless in their ways are His delight.

21 Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.

22 As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.

23 The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty.

25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.

26 The people will curse him who withholds grain, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

27 He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, But trouble will come to him who seeks evil.

28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage.

29 He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.

31 If the righteous will be recompensed on the earth, How much more the ungodly and the sinner.