Readings for March 16, 2026: Monday of the 4th week of Great Lent

24 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, As I have said, so it shall be: and as I have purposed, so [the matter] shall remain: 25 [even] to destroy the Assyrians upon my land, and upon my mountains: and they shall be for trampling; and their yoke shall be taken away from them, and their glory shall be taken away from their shoulders. 26 This is the purpose which the Lord has purposed upon the whole earth: and this the hand that is uplifted against all the nations. 27 For what the Holy God has purposed, who shall frustrate? and who shall turn back his uplifted hand? 28 In the year in which king Achaz died this word came. 29 Rejoice not, all ye Philistines, because the yoke of him that smote you is broken: for out of the seed of the serpent shall come forth the young of asps, and their young shall come forth flying serpents. 30 And the poor shall be fed by him, and poor men shall rest in peace: but he shall destroy thy seed with hunger, and shall destroy thy remnant. 31 Howl, ye gates of cities; let the cities be troubled and cry, [even] all the Philistines: for smoke is coming from the north, and there is no [possibility] of living. 32 And what shall the kings of the nations answer? That the Lord has founded Sion, and by him the poor of the people shall be saved.

Genesis 8

21 And the Lord God smelled a smell of sweetness, and the Lord God having considered, said, I will not any more curse the earth, because of the works of men, because the imagination of man is intently bent upon evil things from his youth, I will not therefore any more smite all living flesh as I have done. 22 All the days of the earth, seed and harvest, cold and heat, summer and spring, shall not cease by day or night.

Genesis 9

1 And God blessed Noe and his sons, and said to them, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth and have dominion over it. 2 And the dread and the fear of you shall be upon all the wild beasts of the earth, on all the birds of the sky, and on all things moving upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea, I have placed them under your power. 3 And every reptile which is living shall be to you for meat, I have given all things to you as the green herbs. 4 But flesh with blood of life ye shall not eat. 5 For your blood of your lives will I require at the hand of all wild beasts, and I will require the life of man at the hand of [his] brother man. 6 He that sheds man's blood, instead of that blood shall his own be shed, for in the image of God I made man. 7 But do ye increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and have dominion over it.

Proverbs 11

19 A righteous son is born for life: but the persecution of the ungodly [ends] in death. 20 Perverse ways are an abomination to the Lord: but all they that are blameless in their ways are acceptable to him. 21 He that unjustly strikes hands shall not be unpunished: but he that sows righteousness shall receive a faithful reward. 22 As an ornament in a swine's snout, so is beauty to an ill-minded woman. 23 All the desire of the righteous is good: but the hope of the ungodly shall perish. 24 There are [some] who scatter their own, and make it more: and there are [some] also who gather, [yet] have less. 25 Every sincere soul is blessed: but a passionate man is not graceful. 26 May he that hoards corn leave it to the nation: but blessing be on the head of him that gives [it]. 27 He that devises good [counsels] seeks good favour: but [as for] him that seeks after evil, [evil] shall overtake him. 28 He that trusts in wealth shall fall; but he that helps righteous men shall rise. 29 He that deals not graciously with his own house shall inherit the wind; and the fool shall be servant to the wise man. 30 Out of the fruit of righteousness grows a tree of life; but the souls of transgressors are cut off before their time. 31 If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Proverbs 12

1 He that loves instruction loves sense, but he that hates reproofs is a fool. 2 He that has found favour with the Lord [is made] better; but a transgressor shall be passed over in silence. 3 A man shall not prosper by wickedness; but the roots of the righteous shall not be taken up. 4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; but as a worm in wood, so a bad woman destroys her husband. 5 The thoughts of the righteous [are true] judgments; but ungodly men devise deceits. 6 The words of ungodly men are crafty; but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.