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Precepts for Everyday Living

Do not rely on your wealth,
    or say, ‘I have enough.’
Do not follow your inclination and strength
    in pursuing the desires of your heart.
Do not say, ‘Who can have power over me?’
    for the Lord will surely punish you.

Do not say, ‘I sinned, yet what has happened to me?’
    for the Lord is slow to anger.
Do not be so confident of forgiveness[a]
    that you add sin to sin.
Do not say, ‘His mercy is great,
    he will forgive[b] the multitude of my sins’,
for both mercy and wrath are with him,
    and his anger will rest on sinners.
Do not delay to turn back to the Lord,
    and do not postpone it from day to day;
for suddenly the wrath of the Lord will come upon you,
    and at the time of punishment you will perish.
Do not depend on dishonest wealth,
    for it will not benefit you on the day of calamity.

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Footnotes

  1. Sirach 5:5 Heb: Gk atonement
  2. Sirach 5:6 Heb: Gk he (or it) will atone for

41 For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

Temptations to Sin

42 ‘If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me,[a] it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell,[b] to the unquenchable fire.[c] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell.[d][e] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell,[f] 48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

49 ‘For everyone will be salted with fire.[g] 50 Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it?[h] Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.’

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 9:42 Other ancient authorities lack in me
  2. Mark 9:43 Gk Gehenna
  3. Mark 9:43 Verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48) are lacking in the best ancient authorities
  4. Mark 9:45 Gk Gehenna
  5. Mark 9:45 Verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48) are lacking in the best ancient authorities
  6. Mark 9:47 Gk Gehenna
  7. Mark 9:49 Other ancient authorities either add or substitute and every sacrifice will be salted with salt
  8. Mark 9:50 Or how can you restore its saltiness?

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