Day 165 The Bible in a Year (Orthodox canon)

1 Maccabees 13

1 Now when Simon heard that Tryphon had gathered together a great host to invade the land of Judea, and destroy it, 2 and saw that the people was in great trembling and fear, he went up to Jerusalem, and gathered the people together, 3 and gave them exhortation, saying, Ye yourselves know what great things I, and my brethren, and my father's house, have done for the laws and the sanctuary, the battles also and troubles which we have seen, 4 by reason whereof all my brethren are slain for Israel's sake, and I am left alone. 5 Now therefore be it far from me, that I should spare mine own life in any time of trouble: for I am no better than my brethren. 6 Doubtless I will avenge my nation, and the sanctuary, and our wives, and our children: for all the heathen are gathered to destroy us of very malice. 7 Now as soon as the people heard these words, their spirit revived. 8 And they answered with a loud voice, saying, Thou shalt be our leader instead of Judas and Jonathan thy brother. 9 Fight thou our battles, and whatsoever thou commandest us, that will we do. 10 So then he gathered together all the men of war, and made haste to finish the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it round about. 11 Also he sent Jonathan the [son] of Absalom, and with him a great power, to Joppe: who casting out them that were therein remained there in it. 12 So Tryphon removed from Ptolemais with a great power to invade the land of Judea, and Jonathan was with him in ward. 13 But Simon pitched his tents at Adida, over against the plain. 14 Now when Tryphon knew that Simon was risen up instead of his brother Jonathan, and meant to join battle with him, he sent messengers unto him, saying, 15 Whereas we have Jonathan thy brother in hold, it is for money that he is owing unto the king's treasure, concerning the business that was committed unto him. 16 Wherefore now send an hundred talents of silver, and two of his sons for hostages, that when he is at liberty he may not revolt from us, and we will let him go. 17 Hereupon Simon, albeit he perceived that they spake deceitfully unto him, yet sent he the money and the children, lest peradventure he should procure to himself great hatred of the people: 18 who might have said, Because I sent him not the money and the children, therefore is [Jonathan] dead. 19 So he sent them the children and the hundred talents: howbeit [Tryphon] dissembled, neither would he let Jonathan go. 20 And after this came Tryphon to invade the land, and destroy it, going round about by the way that leadeth unto Adora: but Simon and his host marched against him in every place, wheresoever he went. 21 Now they that were in the tower sent messengers unto Tryphon, to the end that he should hasten his coming unto them by the wilderness, and send them victuals. 22 Wherefore Tryphon made ready all his horsemen to come that night: but there fell a very great snow, by reason whereof he came not. So he departed, and came into the country of Galaad. 23 And when he came near to Bascama, he slew Jonathan, who was buried there. 24 Afterward Tryphon returned and went into his own land. 25 Then sent Simon, and took the bones of Jonathan his brother, and buried them in Modin, the city of his fathers. 26 And all Israel made great lamentation for him, and bewailed him many days. 27 Simon also built a monument upon the sepulchre of his father and his brethren, and raised it aloft to the sight, with hewn stone behind and before. 28 Moreover he set up seven pyramids, one against another, for his father, and his mother, and his four brethren. 29 And in these he made cunning devices, about the which he set great pillars, and upon the pillars he made all their armour for a perpetual memory, and by the armour ships carved, that they might be seen of all that sail on the sea. 30 This is the sepulchre which he made at Modin, and it standeth yet unto this day. 31 Now Tryphon dealt deceitfully with the young king Antiochus, and slew him. 32 And he reigned in his stead, and crowned himself king of Asia, and brought a great calamity upon the land. 33 Then Simon built up the strong holds in Judea, and fenced them about with high towers, and great walls, and gates, and bars, and laid up victuals therein. 34 Moreover Simon chose men, and sent to king Demetrius, to the end he should give the land an immunity, because all that Tryphon did was to spoil. 35 Unto whom king Demetrius answered and wrote after this manner: 36 King Demetrius unto Simon the high priest, and friend of kings, as also unto the elders and nation of the Jews, sendeth greeting: 37 The golden crown, and the scarlet robe, which ye sent unto us, we have received: and we are ready to make a stedfast peace with you, yea, and to write unto our officers, to confirm the immunities which we have granted. 38 And whatsoever covenants we have made with you shall stand; and the strong holds, which ye have builded, shall be your own. 39 As for any oversight or fault committed unto this day, we forgive it, and the crown tax also, which ye owe us: and if there were any other tribute paid in Jerusalem, it shall no more be paid. 40 And look who are meet among you to be in our court, let them be enrolled, and let there be peace betwixt us. 41 Thus the yoke of the heathen was taken away from Israel in the hundred and seventieth year. 42 Then the people of Israel began to write in their instruments and contracts, In the first year of Simon the high priest, the governor and leader of the Jews. 43 In those days Simon camped against Gaza, and besieged it round about; he made also an engine of war, and set it by the city, and battered a certain tower, and took it. 44 And they that were in the engine leaped into the city; whereupon there was a great uproar in the city: 45 insomuch as the people of the city rent their clothes, and climbed upon the walls with their wives and children, and cried with a loud voice, beseeching Simon to grant them peace. 46 And they said, Deal not with us according to our wickedness, but according to thy mercy. 47 So Simon was appeased toward them, and fought no more against them, but put them out of the city, and cleansed the houses wherein the idols were, and so entered into it with songs and thanksgiving. 48 Yea, he put all uncleanness out of it, and placed such men there as would keep the law, and made it stronger than it was before, and built therein a dwelling place for himself. 49 They also of the tower in Jerusalem were kept so strait, that they could neither come forth, nor go into the country, nor buy, nor sell: wherefore they were in great distress for want of victuals, and a great number of them perished through famine. 50 Then cried they to Simon, beseeching him to be at one with them: which thing he granted them; and when he had put them out from thence, he cleansed the tower from pollutions; 51 and entered into it the three and twentieth day of the second month, in the hundred seventy and first year, with thanksgiving, and branches of palm trees, and with harps, and cymbals, and with viols, and hymns, and songs: because there was destroyed a great enemy out of Israel. 52 He ordained also that that day should be kept every year with gladness. Moreover the hill of the temple that was by the tower he made stronger than it was, and there he dwelt himself with his company. 53 And when Simon saw that John his son was a valiant man, he made him captain of all the hosts; and he dwelt in Gazara.

1 Maccabees 14

1 Now in the hundred threescore and twelfth year king Demetrius gathered his forces together, and went into Media, to get him help to fight against Tryphon. 2 But when Arsaces, the king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius was entered within his borders, he sent one of his princes to take him alive: 3 who went and smote the host of Demetrius, and took him, and brought him to Arsaces, by whom he was put in ward. 4 As for the land [of Judea], that was quiet all the days of Simon; for he sought the good of his nation in such wise, as that evermore his authority and honour pleased them well. 5 And as he was honourable in all his acts, so in this, that he took Joppe for an haven, and made an entrance to the isles of the sea, 6 and enlarged the bounds of his nation, and recovered the country, 7 and gathered together a great number of captives, and had the dominion of Gazara, and Bethsura, and the tower, out of the which he took all uncleanness, neither was there any that resisted him. 8 Then did they till their ground in peace, and the earth gave her increase, and the trees of the field their fruit. 9 The ancient men sat all in the streets, communing together of good things, and the young men put on glorious and warlike apparel. 10 He provided victuals for the cities, and set in them all manner of munition, so that his honourable name was renowned unto the end of the world. 11 He made peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy: 12 for every man sat under his vine and his fig tree, and there was none to fray them: 13 neither was there any left in the land to fight against them: yea, the kings themselves were overthrown in those days. 14 Moreover he strengthened all those of his people that were brought low: the law he searched out; and every contemner of the law and wicked person he took away. 15 He beautified the sanctuary, and multiplied the vessels of the temple. 16 Now when it was heard at Rome, and as far as Sparta, that Jonathan was dead, they were very sorry. 17 But as soon as they heard that his brother Simon was made high priest in his stead, and ruled the country, and the cities therein: 18 they wrote unto him in tables of brass, to renew the friendship and league which they had made with Judas and Jonathan his brethren: 19 which writings were read before the congregation at Jerusalem. 20 And this is the copy of the letters that the Lacedemonians sent; The rulers of the Lacedemonians, with the city, unto Simon the high priest, and the elders, and priests, and residue of the people of the Jews, our brethren, [send] greeting: 21 The ambassadors that were sent unto our people certified us of your glory and honour: wherefore we were glad of their coming, 22 and did register the things that they spake in the council of the people in this manner; Numenius [son] of Antiochus, and Antipater [son] of Jason, the Jews' ambassadors, came unto us, to renew the friendship they had with us. 23 And it pleased the people to entertain the men honourably, and to put the copy of their ambassage in public records, to the end the people of the Lacedemonians might have a memorial thereof: furthermore we have written a copy thereof unto Simon the high priest. 24 After this Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great shield of gold of a thousand pound weight, to confirm the league with them. 25 Whereof when the people heard, they said, What thanks shall we give to Simon and his sons? 26 For he and his brethren and the house of his father have established Israel, and chased away in fight their enemies from them, and confirmed their liberty. 27 So then they wrote [it] in tables of brass, which they set upon pillars in mount Sion: and this is the copy of the writing; The eighteenth day of [the month] Elul, in the hundred threescore and twelfth year, being the third year of Simon the high priest, 28 at Saramel in the great congregation of the priests, and people, and rulers of the nation, and elders of the country, were these things notified unto us. 29 Forasmuch as oftentimes there have been wars in the country, wherein for the maintenance of their sanctuary, and the law, Simon the son of Mattathias, of the posterity of Jarib, together with his brethren, put themselves in jeopardy, and resisting the enemies of their nation did their nation great honour: 30 (For after that Jonathan, having gathered his nation together, and been their high priest, was added to his people, 31 their enemies purposed to invade their country, that they might destroy it, and lay hands on the sanctuary: 32 at which time Simon rose up, and fought for his nation, and spent much of his own substance, and armed the valiant men of his nation, and gave them wages, 33 and fortified the cities of Judea, together with Bethsura, that lieth upon the borders of Judea, where the armour of the enemies had been before; but he set a garrison of Jews there: 34 moreover he fortified Joppe, which lieth upon the sea, and Gazara, that bordereth upon Azotus, where the enemies had dwelt before: but he placed Jews there, and furnished them with all things convenient for the reparation thereof.) 35 The people therefore, seeing the acts of Simon, and unto what glory he thought to bring his nation, made him their governor and chief priest, because he had done all these things, and for the justice and faith which he kept to his nation, and for that he sought by all means to exalt his people. 36 For in his time things prospered in his hands, so that the heathen were taken out of their country, and they also that were in the city of David in Jerusalem, who had made themselves a tower, out of which they issued, and polluted all about the sanctuary, and did much hurt in the holy place: 37 but he placed Jews therein, and fortified it for the safety of the country and the city, and raised up the walls of Jerusalem. 38 King Demetrius also confirmed him in the high priesthood according to those things, 39 and made him one of his friends, and honoured him with great honour. 40 For he had heard say, that the Romans had called the Jews their friends and confederates and brethren; and that they had entertained the ambassadors of Simon honourably: 41 also that the Jews and priests were well pleased that Simon should be their governor and high priest for ever, until there should arise a faithful prophet; 42 moreover that he should be their captain, and should take charge of the sanctuary, to set them over their works, and over the country, and over the armour, and over the fortresses, that, [I say], he should take charge of the sanctuary; 43 beside this, that he should be obeyed of every man, and that all the writings in the country should be made in his name, and that he should be clothed in purple, and wear gold: 44 Also that it should be lawful for none of the people or priests to break any of these things, or to gainsay his words, or to gather an assembly in the country without him, or to be clothed in purple, or wear a buckle of gold: 45 and whosoever should do otherwise, or break any of these things, he should be punished. 46 Thus it liked all the people to deal with Simon, and to do as hath been said. 47 Then Simon accepted hereof, and was well pleased to be high priest, and captain and governor of the Jews and priests, and to defend them all. 48 So they commanded that this writing should be put in tables of brass, and that they should be set up within the compass of the sanctuary in a conspicuous place; 49 also that the copies thereof should be laid up in the treasury, to the end that Simon and his sons might have them.

1 Maccabees 15

1 Moreover Antiochus son of Demetrius the king sent letters from the isles of the sea unto Simon the priest and prince of the Jews, and to all the people; 2 the contents whereof were these: King Antiochus to Simon the high priest and prince of his nation, and to the people of the Jews, greeting: 3 Forasmuch as certain pestilent men have usurped the kingdom of our fathers, and my purpose is to challenge it again, that I may restore it to the old estate, and to that end have gathered a multitude of foreign soldiers together, and prepared ships of war; 4 my meaning also being to go through the country, that I may be avenged of them that have destroyed it, and made many cities in the kingdom desolate: 5 now therefore I confirm unto thee all the oblations which the kings before me granted thee, and whatsoever gifts besides they granted. 6 I give thee leave also to coin money for thy country with thine own stamp. 7 And as concerning Jerusalem and the sanctuary, let them be free; and all the armour that thou hast made, and fortresses that thou hast built, and keepest in thine hands, let them remain unto thee. 8 And if any thing be, or shall be, owing to the king, let it be forgiven thee from this time forth for evermore. 9 Furthermore, when we have obtained our kingdom, we will honour thee, and thy nation, and thy temple, with great honour, so that your honour shall be known throughout the world. 10 In the hundred threescore and fourteenth year went Antiochus into the land of his fathers: at which time all the forces came together unto him, so that few were left with Tryphon. 11 Wherefore being pursued by king Antiochus, he fled unto Dora, which lieth by the sea side: 12 for he saw that troubles came upon him all at once, and that his forces had forsaken him. 13 Then camped Antiochus against Dora, having with him an hundred and twenty thousand men of war, and eight thousand horsemen. 14 And when he had compassed the city round about, and joined ships close to the town on the sea side, he vexed the city by land and by sea, neither suffered he any to go out or in. 15 In the mean season came Numenius and his company from Rome, having letters to the kings and countries; wherein were written these things: 16 Lucius, consul of the Romans unto king Ptolemee, greeting: 17 The Jews' ambassadors, our friends and confederates, came unto us to renew the old friendship and league, being sent from Simon the high priest, and from the people of the Jews: 18 and they brought a shield of gold of a thousand pound. 19 We thought it good therefore to write unto the kings and countries, that they should do them no harm, nor fight against them, their cities, or countries, nor yet aid their enemies against them. 20 It seemed also good to us to receive the shield of them. 21 If therefore there be any pestilent fellows, that have fled from their country unto you, deliver them unto Simon the high priest, that he may punish them according to their own law. 22 The same things wrote he likewise unto Demetrius the king, and Attalus, to Ariarathes, and Arsaces, 23 and to all the countries, and to Sampsames, and the Lacedemonians, and to Delus, and Myndus, and Sicyon, and Caria, and Samos, and Pamphylia, and Lycia, and Halicarnassus, and Rhodus, and Phaselis, and Cos, and Side, and Aradus, and Gortyna, and Cnidus, and Cyprus, and Cyrene. 24 And the copy hereof they wrote to Simon the high priest. 25 So Antiochus the king camped against Dora the second [day], assaulting it continually, and making engines, by which means he shut up Tryphon, that he could neither go out nor in. 26 At that time Simon sent him two thousand chosen men to aid him; silver also, and gold, and much armour. 27 Nevertheless he would not receive them, but brake all the covenants which he had made with him afore, and became strange unto him. 28 Furthermore he sent unto him Athenobius, one of his friends, to commune with him, and say, Ye withhold Joppe and Gazara, with the tower that is in Jerusalem, which are cities of my realm. 29 The borders thereof ye have wasted, and done great hurt in the land, and got the dominion of many places within my kingdom. 30 Now therefore deliver the cities which ye have taken, and the tributes of the places, whereof ye have gotten dominion without the borders of Judea: 31 or else give me for them five hundred talents of silver; and for the harm that ye have done, and the tributes of the cities, other five hundred talents: if not, we will come and fight against you. 32 So Athenobius the king's friend came to Jerusalem: and when he saw the glory of Simon, and the cupboard of gold and silver plate, and his great attendance, he was astonished, and told him the king's message. 33 Then answered Simon, and said unto him, We have neither taken other men's land, nor holden that which appertaineth to others, but the inheritance of our fathers, which our enemies had wrongfully in possession a certain time. 34 Wherefore we, having opportunity, hold the inheritance of our fathers. 35 And whereas thou demandest Joppe and Gazara, albeit they did great harm unto the people in our country, yet will we give an hundred talents for them. Hereunto Athenobius answered him not a word; 36 but returned in a rage to the king, and made report unto him of these speeches, and of the glory of Simon, and of all that he had seen: whereupon the king was exceeding wroth. 37 In the mean time fled Tryphon by ship unto Orthosias. 38 Then the king made Cendebeus captain of the sea coast, and gave him an host of footmen and horsemen, 39 and commanded him to remove his host toward Judea: also he commanded him to build up Cedron, and to fortify the gates, and to war against the people; but as for the king [himself], he pursued Tryphon. 40 So Cendebeus came to Jamnia, and began to provoke the people, and to invade Judea, and to take the people prisoners, and slay them. 41 And when he had built up Cedron, he set horsemen there, and an host [of footmen], to the end that issuing out they might make outroads upon the ways of Judea, as the king had commanded him.

James 1

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For that man shouldn’t think that he will receive anything from the Lord. 8 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position; 10 and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away. 11 For the sun arises with the scorching wind and withers the grass; and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So the rich man will also fade away in his pursuits. 12 Blessed is a person who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. 15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin. The sin, when it is full grown, produces death. 16 Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation nor turning shadow. 18 Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom and continues, not being a hearer who forgets but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.