August 3
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Lamentations 4

Chapter 4

4:1Alef
How the gold has become tarnished,
the fine gold become dull!
The stones of the temple lie scattered
at the corner of every street.
2Bet
Zion's precious people-
once worth their weight in pure gold-
how they are regarded as clay jars,
the work of a potter's hands!
3Gimel
Even jackals offer their breasts
to nurse their young,
but my dear people have become cruel
like ostriches in the wilderness.
4Dalet
The nursing infant's tongue
clings to the roof of his mouth from thirst.
Little children beg for bread,
but no one gives them any.
5He
Those who used to eat delicacies
are destitute in the streets;
those who were reared in purple garments
huddle in garbage heaps.
6Vav
The punishment of my dear people
is greater than that of Sodom,
which was overthrown in an instant
without a hand laid on it.
7Zayin
Her dignitaries were brighter than snow,
whiter than milk;
their bodies were more ruddy than coral,
their appearance like sapphire.
8Khet
Now they appear darker than soot;
they are not recognized in the streets.
Their skin has shriveled on their bones;
it has become dry like wood.
9Tet
Those slain by the sword are better off
than those slain by hunger,
who waste away, pierced with pain
because the fields lack produce.
10Yod
The hands of compassionate women
have cooked their own children;
they became their food
during the destruction of my dear people.
11Kaf
The Lord has exhausted His wrath,
poured out His burning anger;
He has ignited a fire in Zion,
and it has consumed her foundations.
12Lamed
The kings of the earth
and all the world's inhabitants did not believe
that an enemy or adversary
could enter Jerusalem's gates.
13Mem
Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets
and the guilt of her priests,
who shed the blood of the righteous
within her.
14Nun
Blind, they stumbled in the streets,
defiled by this blood,
so that no one dared
to touch their garments.
15Samek
"Stay away! Unclean!" people shouted at them.
"Away, away! Don't touch us!"
So they wandered aimlessly.
It was said among the nations,
"They can stay here no longer."
16Pe
The Lord Himself has scattered them;
He regards them no more.
The priests are not respected;
the elders find no favor.
17Ayin
All the while our eyes were failing
as we looked in vain for assistance;
we watched from our towers
for a nation that refused to help.
18Tsade
Our steps were closely followed
so that we could not walk in our streets.
Our end drew near; our time ran out.
Our end had come!
19Qof
Those who chased us were swifter
than eagles in the sky;
they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains
and ambushed us in the wilderness.
20Resh
The Lord's anointed, the breath of our life,
was captured in their traps.
We had said about him,
"We will live under his protection among the nations."
21Sin
So rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom,
you resident of the land of Uz!
Yet the cup will pass to you as well;
you will get drunk and expose yourself.
22Tav
Daughter Zion, your punishment is complete;
He will not lengthen your exile.
But He will punish your iniquity, Daughter Edom,
and will expose your sins.

John 12

Chapter 12

12:1Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead. 2So they gave a dinner for Him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 3Then Mary took a pound of fragrant oil-pure and expensive nard-anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped His feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
4Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray Him), said, 5"Why wasn't this fragrant oil sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor?" 6He didn't say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.
7Jesus answered, "Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of My burial. 8For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me."
9Then a large crowd of the Jews learned He was there. They came not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus the one He had raised from the dead. 10Therefore the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus also 11because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.
12The next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13they took palm branches and went out to meet Him. They kept shouting: "Hosanna! He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One-the King of Israel!"
14Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written: 15Fear no more, Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt.
16His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. 17Meanwhile, the crowd, which had been with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify. 18This is also why the crowd met Him, because they heard He had done this sign.
19Then the Pharisees said to one another, "You see? You've accomplished nothing. Look-the world has gone after Him!"
20Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21So they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, "Sir, we want to see Jesus."
22Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23Jesus replied to them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24"I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop. 25The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me. Where I am, there My servant also will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
27"Now My soul is troubled. What should I say-Father, save Me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify Your name!"
Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again!"
29The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him.
30Jesus responded, "This voice came, not for Me, but for you. 31Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32As for Me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to Myself." 33He said this to signify what kind of death He was about to die.
34Then the crowd replied to Him, "We have heard from the scripture that the Messiah will remain forever. So how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?"
35Jesus answered, "The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn't overtake you. The one who walks in darkness doesn't know where he's going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become sons of light." Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.
37Even though He had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in Him. 38But this was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, who said:
Lord, who has believed our message?
And who has the arm of the Lord
been revealed to?
39This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said:
40He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
so that they would not see with their eyes
or understand with their hearts,
and be converted,
and I would heal them.
41Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke about Him.
42Nevertheless, many did believe in Him even among the rulers, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, so they would not be banned from the synagogue. 43For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
44Then Jesus cried out, "The one who believes in Me believes not in Me, but in Him who sent Me. 45And the one who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me would not remain in darkness. 47If anyone hears My words and doesn't keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48The one who rejects Me and doesn't accept My sayings has this as his judge: The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49For I have not spoken on My own, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a command as to what I should say and what I should speak. 50I know that His command is eternal life. So the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me."

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