| Wisdom 6: 12 - 16 | |
| 12 | Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her. |
| 13 | She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her. |
| 14 | He who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty, for he will find her sitting at his gates. |
| 15 | To fix one's thought on her is perfect understanding, and he who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care, |
| 16 | because she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and she graciously appears to them in their paths, and meets them in every thought. |
| Psalms 63: 2 - 8 | |
| 2 | So I have looked upon thee in the sanctuary, beholding thy power and glory. |
| 3 | Because thy steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise thee. |
| 4 | So I will bless thee as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on thy name. |
| 5 | My soul is feasted as with marrow and fat, and my mouth praises thee with joyful lips, |
| 6 | when I think of thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the watches of the night; |
| 7 | for thou hast been my help, and in the shadow of thy wings I sing for joy. |
| 8 | My soul clings to thee; thy right hand upholds me. |
| 1 Thessalonians 4: 13 - 18 | |
| 13 | But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. |
| 14 | For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. |
| 15 | For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. |
| 16 | For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; |
| 17 | then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. |
| 18 | Therefore comfort one another with these words. -- |
1"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.3For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.5As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.6But at midnight there was a cry, `Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'7Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps.8And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'9But the wise replied, `Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.'10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.11Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, `Lord, lord, open to us.'12But he replied, `Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.'13Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
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