Hebrews 13; Exodus 18; Exodus 19; Proverbs 8

Hebrews 13

1 Let brotherly love continue.

2 Don't neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.

3 Remember the prisoners, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily.

4 Marriage must be respected by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge immoral people and adulterers.

5 Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.

6 Therefore, we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

7 Remember your leaders who have spoken God's word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

9 Don't be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established by grace and not by foods, since those involved in them have not benefited.

10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle do not have a right to eat.

11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy of holies by the high priest as a sin offering are burned outside the camp.

12 Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, so that He might sanctify the people by His own blood.

13 Let us then go to Him outside the camp, bearing His disgrace.

14 For here we do not have an enduring city; instead, we seek the one to come.

15 Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name.

16 Don't neglect to do good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

18 Pray for us; for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, wanting to conduct ourselves honorably in everything.

19 And I especially urge you to pray that I may be restored to you very soon.

20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus-the great Shepherd of the sheep-with the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21 equip you with all that is good to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

22 Brothers, I urge you to receive this word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.

23 Be aware that our brother Timothy has been released. If he comes soon enough, he will be with me when I see you.

24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who are from Italy greet you.

25 Grace be with all of you.

Exodus 18

1 Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.

2 Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken in Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,

3 along with her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (because Moses had said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land")

4 and the other Eliezer (because [he had said,] "The God of my father was my helper and delivered me from Pharaoh's sword").

5 Moses' father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses' wife and sons, came to him in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God.

6 He sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons."

7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and then kissed him. They asked each other how they had been and went into the tent.

8 Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardships that confronted them on the way, and how the Lord delivered them.

9 Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the Lord had done for Israel when He rescued them from the Egyptians.

10 "Blessed is the Lord," Jethro exclaimed, "who rescued you from Pharaoh and the power of the Egyptians, and snatched the people from the power of the Egyptians.

11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because He [did wonders] at the time the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel."

12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law in God's presence.

13 The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening.

14 When Moses' father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, "What is this thing you're doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?"

15 Moses replied to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

16 Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach [them] God's statutes and laws."

17 "What you're doing is not good," Moses' father-in-law said to him.

18 "You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can't do it alone.

19 Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to Him.

20 Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do.

21 But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating bribes. Place [them] over the people as officials of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

22 They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every important case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, and they will bear [it] with you.

23 If you do this, and God [so] directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied."

24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

25 So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people [as] officials of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

26 They judged the people at all times; the hard cases they would bring to Moses, but every minor case they would judge themselves.

27 Then Moses said goodbye to his father-in-law, and he journeyed to his own land.

Exodus 19

1 In the third month, on the same day [of the month] that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai.

2 After they departed from Rephidim, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.

3 Moses went up [the mountain] to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain: "This is what you must say to the house of Jacob, and explain to the Israelites:

4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to Me.

5 Now if you will listen to Me and carefully keep My covenant, you will be My own possession out of all the peoples, although all the earth is Mine,

6 and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation. These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites."

7 After Moses came back, He summoned the elders of the people, and put before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him.

8 Then all the people responded together, "We will do all that the Lord has spoken." So Moses brought the people's words back to the Lord.

9 The Lord said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you and will always believe you." Then Moses reported the people's words to the Lord.

10 And the Lord told Moses, "Go to the people and purify them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes

11 and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

12 Put boundaries for the people all around the [mountain] and say: Be careful that you don't go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain will be put to death.

13 No hand may touch him; instead he will be stoned or shot [with arrows], neither animal or man will live. When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they may go up the mountain."

14 Then Moses came down from the mountain to the people and consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.

15 He said to the people, "Be prepared by the third day. Do not have sexual relations with women."

16 On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a loud trumpet sound, so that all the people in the camp shuddered.

17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

18 Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.

19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.

20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, at the top of the mountain. Then the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up.

21 The Lord directed Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord; otherwise many of them will die.

22 Even the priests who come near the Lord must purify themselves or the Lord will break out [in anger] against them."

23 But Moses responded to the Lord, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since You warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consider it holy."

24 And the Lord replied to him, "Go down and come back with Aaron. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the Lord, or He will break out [in anger] against them."

25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Proverbs 8

1 Doesn't Wisdom call out? Doesn't Understanding make her voice heard?

2 At the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads, she takes her stand.

3 Beside the gates at the entry to the city, at the main entrance, she cries out:

4 "People, I call out to you; my cry is to mankind.

5 Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced; develop common sense, you who are foolish.

6 Listen, for I speak of noble things, and what my lips say is right.

7 For my mouth tells the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; none of them are deceptive or perverse.

9 All of them are clear to the perceptive, and right to those who discover knowledge.

10 Accept my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.

11 For wisdom is better than precious stones, and nothing desirable can compare with it.

12 I, Wisdom, share a home with shrewdness and have knowledge and discretion.

13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

14 I possess good advice and competence; I have understanding and strength.

15 It is by me that kings reign and rulers enact just law;

16 by me, princes lead, as do nobles [and] all righteous judges.

17 I love those who love me, and those who search for me find me.

18 With me are riches and honor, lasting wealth and righteousness.

19 My fruit is better than solid gold, and my harvest than pure silver.

20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,

21 giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

22 The Lord made me at the beginning of His creation, before His works of long ago.

23 I was formed before ancient times, from the beginning, before the earth began.

24 I was brought forth when there were no watery depths and no springs filled with water.

25 I was brought forth before the mountains and hills were established,

26 before He made the land, the fields, or the first soil on earth.

27 I was there when He established the heavens, when He laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,

28 when He placed the skies above, when the fountains of the ocean gushed forth,

29 when He set a limit for the sea so that the waters would not violate His command, when He laid out the foundations of the earth.

30 I was a skilled craftsman beside Him. I was His delight every day, always rejoicing before Him.

31 I was rejoicing in His inhabited world, delighting in the human race.

32 And now, [my] sons, listen to me; those who keep my ways are happy.

33 Listen to instruction and be wise; don't ignore it.

34 Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway.

35 For the one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord,

36 but the one who sins against me harms himself; all who hate me love death."