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23  Then Israel came into Egypt; ♦︎
   Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
24  And the Lord made his people exceedingly fruitful; ♦︎
   he made them too many for their adversaries,
25  Whose heart he turned, so that they hated his people ♦︎
   and dealt craftily with his servants.
26  Then sent he Moses his servant ♦︎
   and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27  He showed his signs through their word ♦︎
   and his wonders in the land of Ham.
28  He sent darkness and it grew dark; ♦︎
   yet they did not heed his words.
29  He turned their waters into blood ♦︎
   and slew all their fish.
30  Their land swarmed with frogs, ♦︎
   even in their kings’ chambers.
31  He spoke the word, and there came clouds of flies, ♦︎
   swarms of gnats within all their borders.
32  He gave them hailstones for rain ♦︎
   and flames of lightning in their land.
33  He blasted their vines and their fig trees ♦︎
   and shattered trees across their country.
34  He spoke the word, and the grasshoppers came ♦︎
   and young locusts without number;
35  They ate every plant in their land ♦︎
   and devoured the fruit of their soil.
36  He smote all the firstborn in their land, ♦︎
   the first fruits of all their strength.
37  Then he brought them out with silver and gold; ♦︎
   there was not one among their tribes that stumbled.
38  Egypt was glad at their departing, ♦︎
   for a dread of them had fallen upon them.
39  He spread out a cloud for a covering ♦︎
   and a fire to light up the night.
40  They asked and he brought them quails; ♦︎
   he satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
41  He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out ♦︎
   and ran in the dry places like a river.
42  For he remembered his holy word ♦︎
   and Abraham, his servant.
43  So he brought forth his people with joy, ♦︎
   his chosen ones with singing.
44  He gave them the lands of the nations ♦︎
   and they took possession of the fruit of their toil,
45  That they might keep his statutes ♦︎
   and faithfully observe his laws.
      Alleluia.

The Foolishness of Nature Worship

13For all people who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature;
and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know the one who exists,
nor did they recognize the artisan while paying heed to his works;
² but they supposed that either fire or wind or swift air,
or the circle of the stars, or turbulent water,
or the luminaries of heaven were the gods that rule the world.
³ If through delight in the beauty of these things people assumed them to be gods,
let them know how much better than these is their Lord,
for the author of beauty created them.
⁴ And if people^* were amazed at their power and working,
let them perceive from them
how much more powerful is the one who formed them.
⁵ For from the greatness and beauty of created things
comes a corresponding perception of their Creator.
⁶ Yet these people are little to be blamed,
for perhaps they go astray
while seeking God and desiring to find him.
⁷ For while they live among his works, they keep searching,
and they trust in what they see, because the things that are seen are beautiful.
⁸ Yet again, not even they are to be excused;
⁹ for if they had the power to know so much
that they could investigate the world,
how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things?

¹⁵ Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against the home of the righteous;
   do no violence to the place where the righteous live;
¹⁶ for though they fall seven times, they will rise again;
   but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

¹⁷ Do not rejoice when your enemies fall,
   and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble,
¹⁸ or else the Lord will see it and be displeased,
   and turn away his anger from them.

¹⁹ Do not fret because of evildoers.
   Do not envy the wicked;
²⁰ for the evil have no future;
   the lamp of the wicked will go out.

²¹ My child, fear the Lord and the king,
   and do not disobey either of them;^*
22 for disaster comes from them suddenly,
   and who knows the ruin that both can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

²³   These also are sayings of the wise:

Partiality in judging is not good.
²⁴ Whoever says to the wicked, ‘You are innocent’,
   will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations;
²⁵ but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
   and a good blessing will come upon them.
²⁶ One who gives an honest answer
   gives a kiss on the lips.

²⁷ Prepare your work outside,
   get everything ready for you in the field;
   and after that build your house.

²⁸ Do not be a witness against your neighbour without cause,
   and do not deceive with your lips.
²⁹ Do not say, ‘I will do to others as they have done to me;
   I will pay them back for what they have done.’

³⁰ I passed by the field of one who was lazy,
   by the vineyard of a stupid person;
³¹ and see, it was all overgrown with thorns;
   the ground was covered with nettles,
   and its stone wall was broken down.
³² Then I saw and considered it;
   I looked and received instruction.
³³ A little sleep, a little slumber,
   a little folding of the hands to rest,
³⁴ and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
   and want, like an armed warrior.

A Lamp under a Jar

16 ‘No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. ¹⁷For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light. ¹⁸Then pay attention to how you listen; for to those who have, more will be given; and from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.’

The True Kindred of Jesus

19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. ²⁰And he was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.’ ²¹But he said to them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’

Jesus Calms a Storm

22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side of the lake.’ So they put out, ²³and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A gale swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. ²⁴They went to him and woke him up, shouting, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. ²⁵He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’ They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?’