Ben Sira 15:9-20; Revelation 10; Luke 11:1-13

Ben Sira 15:9-20

9 A hymn of praise is not fitting on the lips of a sinner, for it has not been sent from the Lord.

10 For a hymn of praise should be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it.

11 Do not say, "Because of the Lord I left the right way"; for he will not do what he hates.

12 Do not say, "It was he who led me astray"; for he had no need of a sinful man.

13 The Lord hates all abominations, and they are not loved by those who fear him.

14 It was he who created man in the beginning, and he left him in the power of his own inclination.

15 If you will, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.

16 He has placed before you fire and water: stretch out your hand for whichever you wish.

17 Before a man are life and death, and whichever he chooses will be given to him.

18 For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything;

19 his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every deed of man.

20 He has not commanded any one to be ungodly, and he has not given any one permission to sin.

Revelation 10

1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire.

2 He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land,

3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring; when he called out, the seven thunders sounded.

4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down."

5 And the angel whom I saw standing on sea and land lifted up his right hand to heaven

6 and swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there should be no more delay,

7 but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God, as he announced to his servants the prophets, should be fulfilled.

8 Then the voice which I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, "Go, take the scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."

9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll; and he said to me, "Take it and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth."

10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it; it was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter.

11 And I was told, "You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings."

Luke 11:1-13

1 He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."

2 And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.

3 Give us each day our daily bread;

4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation."

5 And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves;

6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

7 and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything'?

8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him whatever he needs.

9 And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

10 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;

12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"