Week
of Prayer for Christian Unity • January 21, 2012.
Readings
from Scripture for Day 4
Exodus
23:1-9 Do not follow the majority in wrongdoing
1 "You shall not utter a false report.
You shall not join hands with a wicked man, to be a malicious witness.
2 You shall not follow a multitude to do evil; nor shall you bear witness
in a suit, turning aside after a multitude, so as to pervert justice; 3
nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his suit. 4 "If you meet your
enemy's ox or his ass going astray, you shall bring it back to him. 5 If
you see the ass of one who hates you lying under its burden, you shall
refrain from leaving him with it, you shall help him to lift it up. 6 "You
shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his suit. 7 Keep far
from a false charge, and do not slay the innocent and righteous, for I
will not acquit the wicked. 8 And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe
blinds the officials, and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.
9 "You shall not oppress a stranger; you know the heart of a stranger,
for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Psalms
1 Happy are those whose delight is in the law of the Lord
1 Blessed is the man who walks not
in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits
in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law
of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams
of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so, but are
like chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not
stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the LORD knows the way of
the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Romans
12:17-21 Overcome evil with good
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but
take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so
far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never
avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written,
"Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." 20 No, "if your enemy
is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing
you will heap burning coals upon his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good.
Matthew
4:1-11 Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only
1 Then Jesus was led up by
the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And he fasted
forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry. 3 And the tempter
came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones
to become loaves of bread." 4 But he answered, "It is written, `Man shall
not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth
of God.'" 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the
pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to him, "If you are the Son of God,
throw yourself down; for it is written, `He will give his angels charge
of you,' and `On their hands they will bear you up, lest you
strike your foot against a stone.'" 7 Jesus said to him, "Again it is written,
`You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'" 8 Again, the devil took him to
a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and
the glory of them; 9 and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if
you will fall down and worship me." 10 Then Jesus said to him, "Begone,
Satan! for it is written, `You shall worship the Lord your God and him
only shall you serve.'" 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels
came and ministered to him.
> Return to Prayer and Reflection
for Day 4: Changed
by the Lord’s victory over evil
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