"Now,therefore, fearthe LORDand serveHim in sincerityand truth;and putawaythe godswhichyour fathersservedbeyondthe Riverand in Egypt,and servethe LORD.
"Onlyfearthe LORDand serveHim in truthwith allyour heart;for considerwhatgreatthingsHe has donefor you.
"Now,Israel,whatdoes the LORDyour Godrequirefrom you, but to fearthe LORDyour God,to walkin allHis waysand loveHim, and to servethe LORDyour Godwith allyour heartand with allyour soul,
So Jacobsaidto his householdand to allwhowere with him, "Putawaythe foreigngodswhichare amongyou, and purifyyourselves and changeyour garments;
For our proud confidenceis this:the testimonyof our conscience,that in holinessand godlysincerity,not in fleshlywisdombut in the graceof God,we have conductedourselves in the world,and especiallytowardyou.
"Nowtherefore, putawaythe foreigngodswhichare in your midst,and inclineyour heartsto the LORD,the Godof Israel."
Aleph. How blessedare those whose wayis blameless,Who walkin the lawof the LORD.
"I saidto their childrenin the wilderness,Do not walkin the statutesof your fathersor keeptheir ordinancesor defileyourselves with their idols.
The fearof the LORDis the beginningof wisdom;A goodunderstandinghave allthose who do[His commandments]; His praiseenduresforever.
"And to manHe said,'Behold,the fearof the Lord,that is wisdom;And to departfrom evilis understanding.'"
whichYou have commandedby Your servantsthe prophets,saying,'The landwhichyou are enteringto possessis an uncleanlandwith the uncleannessof the peoplesof the lands,with their abominationswhichhave filledit from endto end[and] with their impurity.
"Remembernow,OLORD,I beseechYou, howI have walkedbeforeYou in truthand with a wholeheartand have donewhatis goodin Your sight."And Hezekiahweptbitterly.
Joshuasaidto allthe people,"Thussaysthe LORD,the Godof Israel,'From ancienttimesyour fatherslivedbeyondthe River,[namely], Terah,the fatherof Abrahamand the fatherof Nahor,and they servedothergods.
"You shall be blamelessbeforethe LORDyour God.
"They shall nolongersacrificetheir sacrificesto the goatdemonswith whichthey playthe harlot.Thisshall be a permanentstatuteto them throughout their generations."'
Sothe churchthroughoutallJudeaand Galileeand Samariaenjoyedpeace,being builtup; and goingon in the fearof the Lordand in the comfortof the HolySpirit,it continued to increase.
"But the [seed] in the goodsoil,theseare the ones whohave heardthe wordin an honestand goodheart,and hold it fast,and bear fruitwith perseverance.
Afterwardthe sonsof Israelwill returnand seekthe LORDtheir Godand Davidtheir king;and they will cometremblingto the LORDand to His goodnessin the lastdays.
and they playedthe harlotin Egypt.They playedthe harlotin their youth;theretheir breastswere pressedand theretheir virginbosomwas handled.
sothat you may approvethe things that are excellent,in orderto be sincereand blamelessuntilthe dayof Christ;
Gracebe with allthosewho loveour LordJesusChristwith incorruptible[love].
But there is forgivenesswith You, That You may be feared.
May my heartbe blamelessin Your statutes,So that I will not be ashamed.Kaph.
There was a manin the landof Uzwhose namewas Job;and that manwas blameless,upright,fearingGodand turningawayfrom evil.
Now when Abramwas ninety-nineyearsold,the LORDappearedto Abramand saidto him, "I am GodAlmighty;WalkbeforeMe, and be blameless.
Then Samuelspoketo allthe houseof Israel,saying,"Ifyou returnto the LORDwith allyour heart,removethe foreigngodsand the Ashtarothfrom amongyou and directyour heartsto the LORDand serveHim alone;and He will deliveryou from the handof the Philistines."
"Ifyou will fearthe LORDand serveHim, and listento His voiceand not rebelagainstthe commandof the LORD,then bothyou and alsothe kingwhoreignsoveryou will followthe LORDyour God.
"You shall fear[only] the LORDyour God;and you shall worshipHim and swearby His name.
"I, the LORD,am your God,Who broughtyou up from the landof Egypt;Openyour mouthwideand I will fillit.
He has toldyou, O man,whatis good;And whatdoes the LORDrequireof you But to dojustice,to lovekindness,And to walkhumblywith your God?
