Bible Reading Plan

Read the Bible in two years

Monday, January 12, 2026

Ecclesiastes 12:9–14 (Listen)

Fear God and Keep His Commandments

9 Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. 10 The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.

11 The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.1 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with2 every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Footnotes

[1] 12:13 Or the duty of all mankind
[2] 12:14 Or into the judgment on

Psalm 141 (Listen)

Give Ear to My Voice

A Psalm of David.

141:1   O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me!
    Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
2   Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
    and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
3   Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
    keep watch over the door of my lips!
4   Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
    to busy myself with wicked deeds
  in company with men who work iniquity,
    and let me not eat of their delicacies!
5   Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
    let my head not refuse it.
  Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
6   When their judges are thrown over the cliff,1
    then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
7   As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
    so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.2
8   But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord;
    in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!3
9   Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
    and from the snares of evildoers!
10   Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    while I pass by safely.

Footnotes

[1] 141:6 Or When their judges fall into the hands of the Rock
[2] 141:7 The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 6, 7 is uncertain
[3] 141:8 Hebrew refuge; do not pour out my life!

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. You may not copy or download more than 500 consecutive verses of the ESV Bible or more than one half of any book of the ESV Bible.

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