Total darkness waits to receive his treasures; a fire which has not been kindled will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.

A prayer of David. Lord, consider my just cause! Pay attention to my cry for help! Listen to the prayer I sincerely offer!

But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God; I continually trust in God’s loyal love.

They surrounded me like bees. But they disappeared as quickly as a fire among thorns. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away.

Even when my strength leaves me, you watch my footsteps. In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the heart of his masters.

What they loved, as well as what they hated and envied, perished long ago, and they no longer have a part in anything that happens on earth.

If the Lord who commands armies had not left us a few survivors, we would have quickly become like Sodom, we would have become like Gomorrah.

They come from a distant land, from the horizon. It is the Lord with his instruments of judgment, coming to destroy the whole earth.

“Or suppose I were to send a plague into that land, and pour out my rage on it with bloodshed, killing both people and animals.

I will call for a sword to attack Gog on all my mountains, declares the sovereign Lord; every man’s sword will be against his brother.

Now after you another kingdom will arise, one inferior to yours. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth.

I listened to his voice, and as I did so I fell into a trance-like sleep with my face to the ground.

“As for those who grieve because they cannot attend the festivals – I took them away from you; they became tribute and were a source of shame to you.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur.

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

But he did not answer her a word. Then his disciples came and begged him, “Send her away, because she keeps on crying out after us.”

Then some Pharisees came to him in order to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful to divorce a wife for any cause?”

All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

It shrieked, threw him into terrible convulsions, and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He is dead!”