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Psalm 19

1  The heavens are telling the glory of God ♦︎
   and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2  One day pours out its song to another ♦︎
   and one night unfolds knowledge to another.
3  They have neither speech nor language ♦︎
   and their voices are not heard,
4  Yet their sound has gone out into all lands ♦︎
   and their words to the ends of the world.
5  In them has he set a tabernacle for the sun, ♦︎
   that comes forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber
      and rejoices as a champion to run his course.
6  It goes forth from the end of the heavens
      and runs to the very end again, ♦︎
   and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7  The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; ♦︎
   the testimony of the Lord is sure
      and gives wisdom to the simple.
8  The statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart; ♦︎
   the commandment of the Lord is pure
      and gives light to the eyes.
9  The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; ♦︎
   the judgements of the Lord are true
      and righteous altogether.
10  More to be desired are they than gold,
      more than much fine gold, ♦︎
   sweeter also than honey,
      dripping from the honeycomb.
11  By them also is your servant taught ♦︎
   and in keeping them there is great reward.
12  Who can tell how often they offend? ♦︎
   O cleanse me from my secret faults!
13  Keep your servant also from presumptuous sins
      lest they get dominion over me; ♦︎
   so shall I be undefiled,
      and innocent of great offence.
14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
      be acceptable in your sight, ♦︎
   O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

Nehemiah Deals with Oppression

5Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish kin. ²For there were those who said, ‘With our sons and our daughters, we are many; we must get grain, so that we may eat and stay alive.’ ³There were also those who said, ‘We are having to pledge our fields, our vineyards, and our houses in order to get grain during the famine.’ ⁴And there were those who said, ‘We are having to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay the king’s tax. ⁵Now our flesh is the same as that of our kindred; our children are the same as their children; and yet we are forcing our sons and daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been ravished; we are powerless, and our fields and vineyards now belong to others.’

6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. ⁷After thinking it over, I brought charges against the nobles and the officials; I said to them, ‘You are all taking interest from your own people.’ And I called a great assembly to deal with them, ⁸and said to them, ‘As far as we were able, we have bought back our Jewish kindred who had been sold to other nations; but now you are selling your own kin, who must then be bought back by us!’ They were silent, and could not find a word to say. ⁹So I said, ‘The thing that you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? ¹⁰Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us stop this taking of interest. ¹¹Restore to them, this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the interest on money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.’ ¹²Then they said, ‘We will restore everything and demand nothing more from them. We will do as you say.’ And I called the priests, and made them take an oath to do as they had promised. ¹³I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, ‘So may God shake out everyone from house and from property who does not perform this promise. Thus may they be shaken out and emptied.’ And all the assembly said, ‘Amen’, and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

The Return to Nazareth

39 When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

41 Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. ⁴²And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. ⁴³When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. ⁴⁴Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. ⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸When his parents^* saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ ⁴⁹He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’^{* 50}But they did not understand what he said to them. ⁵¹Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years,^* and in divine and human favour.