
Loading summary
A
A reading from the Book of Proverbs. A false balance is an abomination to the Lord but a just weight is his delight. When pride comes, then comes disgrace. But with the humble is wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright delivers them. But the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. When the wicked dies, his hope will perish and the expectation of wealth perishes too. The righteous is delivered from trouble and the wicked walks into it instead. With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor. But by knowledge the righteous are delivered. When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. And when the wicked perish, there are shouts of gladness. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense but a man of understanding remains silent. Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets. But he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered. Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm. But he who hates striking hands and pledge is secure. A gracious woman gets honor and violent men get riches. A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself. The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord but those of blameless ways are his delight. Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered. Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion. The desire of the righteous ends only in good, the expectation of the wicked in wrath. One gives freely, yet grows all the richer. Another withholds what he should give and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered. The people curse him who holds back grain. But a blessing is on the head of him who sells it. Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor but evil comes to him who searches for it. Whoever trusts in his riches will fall but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind and the fool will Be servant to the wise of heart. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise. If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge but he who hates reproof is stupid. A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices he condemns. No one is established by wickedness with the root of the righteous will never be moved. An excellent wife is the crown of her husband but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones. The thoughts of the righteous are just the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright delivers them. The wicked are overthrown and are no more. But the house of the righteous will stand. A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is despised. Better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man and lack bread. Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast. But. But the mercy of the wicked is cruel. Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread. But he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers. But the root of the righteous bears fruit. An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips but the righteous escapes from trouble from the fruit of his mouth. A man is satisfied with good and the work of a man's hand comes back to him. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult. Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit. There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts. But the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil. For those who plan peace have joy. No ill befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but those who act faithfully are his delight. A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly. The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor. Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor. But the way of the wicked leads him astray. Whoever is slothful, will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth. In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death. A reading from the Book of Psalms to the choirmaster. A psalm of David. A song. God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered, and those who hate him shall flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away. As wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God. But the righteous shall be glad. They shall exult before God, they shall be jubilant with joy. Sing to God, sing praises to his name. Lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts. His name is the Lord, exult before him. Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God. In his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home. He leads out the prisoners to prosperity. But the rebellious dwell in a parched land. O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah, the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain. Before God, the one of Sinai, Before God, the God of Israel. Reign in abundance, O God, you shed abroad. You restored your inheritance as it languished, your flock found a dwelling in it. In your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. The Lord gives the word. The women who announce the news are a great host. The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee. The women at home divide the spoil, though you men lie among the sheepfolds. The wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with shimmering gold. When the Almighty scatters kings there, let snow fall on Zalman. O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan. O many peaked mountain, Mountain of Bashan, why do you look with hatred, O many peaked mountains? At the mount that God desired for his abode. Yes, where the Lord will dwell forever. The chariots of God are twice 10,000 thousands upon thousands. The Lord is among them. Sinai is now in the sanctuary. You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there. A reading from the Gospel according to John. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. And placing her in the midst, they said to him, teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now, in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say? This they said to test him that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, let him who was without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. And once more he bent down and rode on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones. And Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? She said, no one, Lord. And Jesus said, neither do I condemn you. Go. And from now on, sin no more. Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. So the Pharisees said to him, you are bearing witness about yourself. Your testimony is not true. Jesus answered, even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true. For I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true. For it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me. They said to him, therefore, where is your Father? Jesus answered, you know neither me nor my Father. If you knew Me, you would know my Father also. These words he spoke in the treasury as he taught in the temple. But no one arrested him because his hour had not yet come. So he said to them, again, I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come. So the Jews said, will he kill himself? Since he says, where I am going, you cannot come. He said to them, you are from below, I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins. So they said to him, who are you? Jesus said to them, just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge. But he who sent me is true. And I declare to the world what I have heard from him. They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, when you have lifted Up. The Son of Man. Then you will know that I am He. And that I do nothing on my own authority but speak. Just as the Father taught me. And. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone. For I always do the things that are pleasing to him. As he was saying these things, many believed in Him. So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, if you abide in My Word, you are truly my disciples. And you will know the truth. And the truth will set you free. They answered him, we are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say you will become free? Jesus answered them, Truly, Truly, I say to you. Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever. The Son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham. Yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my father. And you do what you have heard from your father. They answered him, abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, if you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did. But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth. That I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did. They said to him, we were not born of sexual immorality. We have one father, even God. Jesus said to them, if God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father, the devil. And your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God. The Jews answered him. Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon? Jesus answered, I do not have a demon. But I honor my father and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory. There is one who seeks it, and he is the Judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. The Jews said to him, now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets. Yet you say, if anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died and the prophets died? Who do you make yourself out to be? Jesus answered, if I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, he is our God. But you have not known Him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad. So the Jews said to him, you are not yet 50 years old, and have you seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you. Before Abraham was, I am so they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
Podcast: Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry
Date: September 11, 2025
Episode Readings: Proverbs 11–12, Psalm 68:1–18, John 8
Theme: Justice, Righteousness, Deliverance, and the Identity of Jesus
This episode continues the Bible-in-a-year journey with readings from Proverbs, Psalms, and the Gospel of John. The central themes include wisdom’s calls for integrity and justice in Proverbs, God’s power and care for the vulnerable in Psalm 68, and Jesus’s confrontation with religious leaders on sin, truth, and his divinity in John 8.
00:01–07:55
Justice and Integrity:
Pride vs. Humility:
Righteousness over Wealth:
Power of Words and Conduct:
Guidance and Counsel:
Kindness and Sowing Righteousness:
Proverbs on Daily Conduct:
07:56–11:10
God as Deliverer:
Protector of the Vulnerable:
Restoration and Provision:
Celebration of God’s Power:
11:11–29:00
The Woman Caught in Adultery:
Jesus as the Light of the World:
Authority and Witness:
Warning and Invitation:
Freedom from Sin:
Jesus’s Identity and Pre-existence:
The episode is contemplative and reverent, focusing on the beauty and gravity of scripture. There is a recurring call to self-reflection, gratitude for God’s compassion, and an invitation to recognize Jesus’s authority and grace.
This episode richly weaves together the wisdom of Proverbs, the majesty and tenderness of God in Psalms, and the bold, loving, and authoritative message of Jesus in John’s gospel. Listeners are invited to examine their hearts, embrace truth and mercy, and reckon with Jesus’s divine identity and promise of true freedom.