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