Through the Bible – Day 263

Bible text(s)

Proverbs 31

What King Lemuel's mother taught him

₁These are the sayings

that King Lemuel of Massa

was taught by his mother.

₂My son Lemuel, you were born

in answer to my prayers,

so listen carefully.

₃Don't waste your life

chasing after women!

This has ruined many kings.

₄Kings and leaders

should not get drunk

or even want to drink.

₅Drinking makes you forget

your responsibilities,

and you ill-treat the poor.

₆Beer and wine are only

for the dying or for those

who have lost all hope.

₇Let them drink and forget

how poor and miserable

they feel.

₈But you must defend

those who are helpless

and have no hope.

₉Be fair and give justice

to the poor and homeless.

In praise of a good wife

₁₀A truly good wife

is the most precious treasure

a man can find!

₁₁Her husband depends on her,

and she never

lets him down.

₁₂She is good to him

every day of her life,

₁₃and with her own hands

she gladly makes clothes.

₁₄She is like a sailing ship

that brings food

from across the sea.

₁₅She gets up before daylight

to prepare food for her family

and for her servants.

₁₆She knows how to buy land

and how to plant a vineyard,

₁₇and she always works hard.

₁₈She knows when to buy or sell,

and she stays busy

until late at night.

₁₉She spins her own cloth,

₂₀and she helps the poor

and the needy.

₂₁Her family has warm clothing,

and so she doesn't worry

when it snows.

₂₂She does her own sewing,

and everything she wears

is beautiful.

₂₃Her husband is a well known

and respected leader

in the city.

₂₄She makes clothes to sell

to the shop owners.

₂₅She is strong and graceful,

as well as cheerful

about the future.

₂₆Her words are sensible,

and her advice

is thoughtful.

₂₇She takes good care

of her family

and is never lazy.

₂₈Her children praise her,

and with great pride

her husband says,

₂₉“There are many good women,

but you are the best!”

₃₀Charm can be deceiving,

and beauty fades away,

but a woman

who honours the LORD

deserves to be praised.

₃₁Show her respect—

praise her in public

for what she has done.

Proverbs 31:1-31CEVOpen in Bible reader

Galatians 3

Faith is the only way to be saved

₁You stupid Galatians! I told you exactly how Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross. Has someone now put an evil spell on you? ₂I want to know only one thing. How were you given God's Spirit? Was it by obeying the Law of Moses or by hearing about Christ and having faith in him? ₃How can you be so stupid? Do you think that by yourself you can complete what God's Spirit started in you? ₄Have you gone through all this for nothing? Is it all really for nothing? ₅God gives you his Spirit and works miracles in you. But does he do this because you obey the Law of Moses or because you have heard about Christ and have faith in him?

₆The Scriptures say that God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith. ₇And so, you should understand that everyone who has faith is a child of Abraham. ₈Long ago the Scriptures said that God would accept the Gentiles because of their faith. That's why God told Abraham the good news that all nations would be blessed because of him. ₉This means that everyone who has faith will share in the blessings that were given to Abraham because of his faith.

₁₀Anyone who tries to please God by obeying the Law is under a curse. The Scriptures say, “Everyone who doesn't obey everything in the Law is under a curse.” ₁₁No one can please God by obeying the Law. The Scriptures also say, “The people God accepts because of their faith will live.”

₁₂The Law isn't based on faith. It promises life only to people who obey its commands. ₁₃But Christ rescued us from the Law's curse, when he became a curse in our place. This is because the Scriptures say that anyone who is nailed to a tree is under a curse. ₁₄And because of what Jesus Christ has done, the blessing that was promised to Abraham was taken to the Gentiles. This happened so that by faith we would be given the promised Holy Spirit.

The Law and the promise

₁₅My friends, I will use an everyday example to explain what I mean. Once someone agrees to something, no one else can change or cancel the agreement. ₁₆That is how it is with the promises God made to Abraham and his descendant. The promises were not made to many descendants, but only to one, and that one is Christ. ₁₇What I am saying is that the Law cannot change or cancel God's promise that was made 430 years before the Law was given. ₁₈If we have to obey the Law in order to receive God's blessings, those blessings don't really come to us because of God's promise. But God was kind to Abraham and made him a promise.

₁₉What is the use of the Law? It was given later to show that we sin. But it was only supposed to last until the coming of that descendant who was given the promise. In fact, angels gave the Law to Moses, and he gave it to the people. ₂₀There is only one God, and the Law did not come directly from him.

Galatians 3:1-20CEVOpen in Bible reader