Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 (NRSV)
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
1:1The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.
2O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not listen?
Or cry to you "Violence!"
and you will not save?
3Why do you make me see wrongdoing
and look at trouble?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
4So the law becomes slack
and justice never prevails.
The wicked surround the righteous —
therefore judgment comes forth perverted.
2:1I will stand at my watchpost,
and station myself on the rampart;
I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,
and what he will answer concerning my complaint.
2Then the LORD answered me and said:
Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so that a runner may read it.
3For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
it speaks of the end, and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
it will surely come, it will not delay.
4Look at the proud!
Their spirit is not right in them,
but the righteous live by their faith.
Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.
Daily Bible Reading: Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Proverbs 17:1-5 (NRSV)
1Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting with strife.
2A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully,
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
3The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
but the LORD tests the heart.
4An evildoer listens to wicked lips;
and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.
5Those who mock the poor insult their Maker;
those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and one's children will have a refuge.
Daily Bible Reading: Monday, September 19, 2022
Proverbs 14:12-31 (NRSV)
12There is a way that seems right to a person,
but its end is the way to death.
13Even in laughter the heart is sad,
and the end of joy is grief.
14The perverse get what their ways deserve,
and the good, what their deeds deserve.
15The simple believe everything,
but the clever consider their steps.
16The wise are cautious and turn away from evil,
but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.
17One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly,
and the schemer is hated.
18The simple are adorned with folly,
but the clever are crowned with knowledge.
19The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20The poor are disliked even by their neighbors,
but the rich have many friends.
21Those who despise their neighbors are sinners,
but happy are those who are kind to the poor.
22Do they not err that plan evil?
Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.
23In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
24The crown of the wise is their wisdom,
but folly is the garland of fools.
25A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who utters lies is a betrayer.
26In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence,
and one's children will have a refuge.
27The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
so that one may avoid the snares of death.
28The glory of a king is a multitude of people;
without people a prince is ruined.
29Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh,
but passion makes the bones rot.
31Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
but those who are kind to the needy honor him.
ELCA's daily Bible readings are chosen from "Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings," prepared by Consultation on the Common Texts, © 2005.
All text is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyrighted, 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches USA, and is used by permission. All rights reserved.
