September 11 (Proverbs 11–12; Psalm 68:1–18; John 8)

0:00A reading from the Book of Proverbs. A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too. The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead. With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered. When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of gladness. By the blessing of the upright, a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.

1:00Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps the thing covered. Where there is no guidance of people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands and pledge is secure. A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches. A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself. The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who soes righteousness gets a sure reward. Whoever steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight. Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered. Like a gold ring and a pig snout is a beautiful woman without discretion. The desire of the righteous ends only in good, the expectation of the wicked and wrath.

2:03One gives freely yet grows all the richer, another withholds what he should give and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it. Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it. Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise. If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices he condemns. No one is established by wickedness, with the root of the righteous will never be moved. An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in

3:04his bones. The thoughts of the righteous are just, the councils of the wicked are deceitful, the words of the wicked lie and wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright delivers them. The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand. A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is despised, better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man in lack bread. Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evil doers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit. An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous escapes from trouble. From the fruit of his mouth, the man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hand comes back to him. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.

4:06Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness others deceit. There is one whose rash words are like swarthrests, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy. No ill befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight. A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly. The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to force labor. Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. One who is righteous is the guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads him astray. Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth, and the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death. A reading from the book of Psalms

5:06for the choir master, a psalm of David, a psalm. God shall arise. His enemy shall be scattered, and those who hate him shall flee before him, that smoke is driven away so you shall drive them away, as wax melts before fire so the wicked shall perish before God. But the righteous shall be glad. They shall exalt before God. They shall be jubilant with joy. Sing to God, sing praises to his name. Start up a song to him who rides through the deserts. His name is the Lord. Exalt before him. Father of the Fatherless and Protector of Widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home. He leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. Oh God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, say la. The earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, before God the one of Sinai, before God the God of Israel. Rain and abundance, oh God, you shatter broad. You restored your inheritance as it languished.

6:08Your flock found the dwelling in it, and your goodness, oh God, you provided for the needy. The Lord gives the word. The women who announce the news are great host. The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee. The women at home divide the spoil. Though you men lie among the sheepfolds, the wings of a dove covered with silver. Its opinions with shimmering gold. When the Almighty scatters kings there, let snow fall on Zalman. O mountain of God, mountain of bation, O many peaked mountain, mountain of bation, why do you look with hatred, O many peaked mountain, at the mount that God desired for his abode? Yes, where the Lord will dwell forever. The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands. The Lord is among them. Sinai is now in the sanctuary. You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train, and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious that the Lord God may dwell there. A reading from the gospel according to John. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

7:10Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst. They said to him, teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women, so what do you say? This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus met down and wrote with his finger on the ground, and as they continued to act him, he stood up and said to them, let him who was without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? She said, no one, Lord. And Jesus said, neither do I condemn you.

8:10Go, and from now on sin no more. Again Jesus spoke to them saying, I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. So the Pharisees said to him, you are bearing witness about yourself. Your testimony is not true. Jesus answered, even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the father who sent me in your law. It is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself and the father who sent me bears witness about me. They said to him, therefore, where is your father? Jesus answered, you know neither me nor my father. If you knew me, you would know my father, all Saul. These words he spoke in the treasury as he taught in the temple, but no one arrested him

9:14because his hour had not yet come. So he said to them again, I am going away and you will seek me and you will die. I am your sin where I am going. You cannot come. So the Jews said, will he kill himself since he says where I am going? You cannot come. He said to them, you are from below. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins. So they said to him, who are you? Jesus said to them, just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true. And I declared to the world what I have heard from him. They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the father. So Jesus said to them, when you have lifted up the son of man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the father taught me and he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.

10:17As he was saying these things, many believed in him. So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. They answered him, we are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say you will become free? Jesus answered them, truly, truly I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. A slave does not remain in the house forever. The son remains forever. So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham, yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my father and you do what you have heard from your father. They answered him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, if you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, and now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.

11:18This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did. They said to him, we were not born of sexual immorality. We have one father, even God. Jesus said to them, if God were your father, you would love me for I came from God and I am here. I came out of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father, the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character for he is a liar and the father of lies, but because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God. The Jews answered him, are we not right in saying that you are Samaritan and have a demon?

12:19Jesus answered, I do not have a demon, but I honor my father and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory. There is one who seeks it and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. The Jews said to him, now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died as did the prophets, yet you say, if anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham who died and the prophets died? Who do you make yourself out to be? Jesus answered, if I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my father who glorifies me of whom you say he is our God, but you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad. So the Jews said to him, you are not yet 50 years old and have you seen Abraham. Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.

13:26So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.