September 23 (Ecclesiastes 7–9; Psalm 78:1–39; John 20–21)

0:00A reading from the book of Ecclesiastes. A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death and the day of birth, it is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad, the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of birth. It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools, for as the crackling of thorns under a pot so as the laughter of the fools, this also is vanity. Surely oppression drives the wise into madness and a bribe corrupts the heart, better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. Say not, why were the former days better than these, for it is not from wisdom that you asked this, wisdom is good with an inheritance and advantage to those who see the sun.

1:06For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it, consider the work of God, who can make straight what he has made crooked. In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider, God has made the one as well as the other so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life and his evil doing. Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time? It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them. Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing

2:06you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others. All this I have tested by wisdom, I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me, that which has been as far off and deep, very deep, who can find it out. I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness, and I find something more bitter than death, the woman whose heart is snares and nets and whose hands are feders. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her. Thehold this is what I found, says the preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things, which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found one man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found. See this alone I found that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. Who is like the wise, and who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom makes his face shine and the hardness of his face has changed.

3:07I say, keep the king's command because of God's oath to him, be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause for he does whatever he pleases. For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, what are you doing? Whoever keeps the command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. For there is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble lies heavy on him, for he does not know what it is to be, for who can tell him how it will be. No man has power to retain the spirit or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt. Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity, because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily. The heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil, though a sinner does evil

4:09a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like shadow, because he does not fear before God. There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity, and I commend joy. Our man has nothing better under the sun, but to eat and drink and be joyful. For this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life, that God has given him under the sun. When I applied my heart to no wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one's eyes see sleep. Then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man made toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out. But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their

5:13deeds are in the hand of God, whether it is love or hate, man does not know, both are before him. It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and him who does not sacrifice. Because the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. This is an evil, and all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion, for the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward for the memory of them is forgotten, their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun. Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already

6:14approved what you do, that your garments be always white, let not oil be lacking on your head, and joy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life, and in your toil at which you toil under the sun, whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom and shield to which you are going. Again, I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. For man does not know his time, like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time when it suddenly falls upon them. I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siege works against it, but there was found in it a poor wise man,

7:19and he by his wisdom delivered the city, yet no one remembered that poor man, but I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard. The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. A reading from the Book of Psalms. A mask of a staff. Give ear, O my people, to my teaching, and climb your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings from a vote, things that we have heard and known that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established the testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children so that they should set

8:23their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments, and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God, the Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle. They did not keep God's covenant, but refused to walk according to his law. They forgot his works, and the wonders that he had shown them, and the sight of their fathers he performed wonders in the land of Egypt and the fields of Zoan. He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap, and the daytime he let them with the cloud, and all the night with a fiery light, he split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. He made streams come out of the rock, and caused waters to flow down like rivers. That they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the most high in the desert. They tested God in their heart, by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, can God spread a table in the wilderness?

9:23He struck the rocks so that water gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people? Therefore when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath. A fire was kindled against Jacob, his anger rose against Israel, because they did not believe in God, and did not trust his saving power. Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven, and he reigned down on them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven. Man ate of the bread of the angels, he sent them food and abundance, he caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he let off the south wind. He reigned to meet on them like dust, winged birds like the sands of the seas, he let them fall in the midst of their camp all around their dwellings, and they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved. But before they had satisfied their craving while the food was still in their mouths, the anger of God rose against them, and he killed the strongest of them, and laid low the young men of Israel. In spite of all this, they still sinned.

10:26Despite his wonders, they did not believe. So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror, when he killed them, they sought him. They repented and sought God earnestly. They remembered that God was their rock, the most high God their Redeemer, but they flattered him with their mouths. They lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him. They were not faithful to his covenant, yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity, and did not destroy them. He restrained his anger often, and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again. A reading from the gospel according to John. Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter, and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, they have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they

11:26have laid him. So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first, and stooping to look in. He saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths, which folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw, and believed. Whereas yet they did not understand the scripture that he must rise from the dead, then the disciples went back to their homes. When Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.

12:29As she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned and said to him in a ramex, rabboni, which means teacher. Jesus said to her, do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, I have seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her. On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, peace be with you. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.

13:29Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, peace be with you, as the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld. Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the twin, was not with him when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, we have seen the Lord, but he said to them, unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails and place my hand into his side, I will never believe. Eight days later, his disciples were inside again and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, peace be with you. Then he said to Thomas, put your finger here and see my hands and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.

14:30Thomas answered him, my Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. After this, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the sea of Tiberius and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas called the twin, Nathaniel of Cana and Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, we will go with you. They went out and got into the boat with that night. They caught nothing. Next as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore. Yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, children, do you have any fish? They answered him, no. He said to them, cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.

15:32So they cast it and now they were not able to haul it in because of the quantity of fish that disciple whom Jesus loved, therefore said to Peter, it is the Lord. When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment for he was stripped for work and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place with fish laid out on it and bread. Jesus said to them, bring some of the fish that you have just caught. So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, come and have breakfast. Now none of the disciples dared ask him, who are you? They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them and so with the fish, this was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

16:34When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to Him, yes lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, feed my lambs. He said to him a second time, Simon son of John, do you love me? He said to him, yes lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, ten my sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon son of John, do you love me? Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, do you love me? He said to him, Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you. Jesus said to him, feed my sheep. Truly, truly I say to you when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God. And after saying this, he said to him, follow me.

17:36He returned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. The one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, Lord, who is it that is going to betray you? When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man? Jesus said to him, if it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me. So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die. That Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but if it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things and who has written these things. And we know that his testimony is true. Now there are also many other things that Jesus did where every one of them to be written. I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.