Monday, July 13, 2026

¹⁰Hear the LORD's word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

¹¹"What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?", says the LORD. "I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed animals. I don't delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats.

¹²When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?

¹³Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations— I can't stand evil assemblies.

¹⁴My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them.

¹⁵When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.

¹⁶Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil.

¹⁷Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow."

⁸I don't rebuke you for your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are continually before me.

⁹I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens.

¹⁶But to the wicked God says, "What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips,

¹⁷since you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you?

²¹You have done these things, and I kept silent. You thought that I was just like you. I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes.

²³Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me, and prepares his way so that I will show God's salvation to him."

³⁴"Don't think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn't come to send peace, but a sword.

³⁵For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

³⁶A man's foes will be those of his own household.

³⁷He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn't worthy of me.

³⁸He who doesn't take his cross and follow after me isn't worthy of me.

³⁹He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

⁴⁰"He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.

⁴¹He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward.

⁴²Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward."

¹When Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.