Sirach chapter 2
[This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] Be a disciple of the LORD God.
The Book of Sirach is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches
BE A DISCIPLE OF THE LORD GOD
VERSE 1. My son, if you come to serve the Lord, Prepare your soul for temptation.
Prepare your soul for temptation. We are to consider it pure joy when we face any kind of suffering or temptation, difficulty or trial. This is not natural for most of us. Read more »
VERSE 2. Set your heart aright, and constantly endure, And make not haste in time of calamity.
VERSE 3. Cleave to him, and depart not, That you may be increased at your latter end.
VERSE 4. Accept whatever is brought upon you, And be patient when you suffer humiliation.
Accept whatever is brought upon you. We are to consider it pure joy when we face any kind of suffering or temptation, difficulty or trial. This is not natural for most of us. Read more »
be patient when you suffer humiliation. If we suffer crushing misfortune, we are to be patient.
VERSE 5. For gold is tried in the fire, And acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.
We are to consider it pure joy when we face any kind of suffering or temptation, difficulty or trial. This is not natural for most of us. Read more »
VERSE 6. Put your trust in him, and he will help you: Order your ways aright, and set your hope on him.
Put your trust in him. We disciples are to trust the LORD God with all our heart. He offers us the path of true wisdom. Will you trust in him and act upon his leading? Read more »
VERSE 7. You that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; And turn not aside, lest you fall.
VERSE 8. You that fear the Lord, put your trust in him; And your reward will not fail.
VERSE 9. You that fear the Lord, hope for good things, And for eternal gladness and mercy.
VERSE 10. Look at the generations of old, and see: Who did ever put his trust in the Lord, and was ashamed? Or who remained in his fear, and was forsaken? Or who did call upon him, and he despised him?
KJV translation. Look at the generations of old, and see; did ever any trust in the Lord, and was confounded? or did any abide in his fear, and was forsaken? or whom did he ever despise, that called upon him?
Look at the generations of old, and see. We should learn from the past. Otherwise we are fools:
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
By George Santayana, in The Life of Reason: Reason in Common Sense
VERSE 11. For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy; And he forgives sins, and saves in time of affliction.
saves in time of affliction. In times of trouble, we look to the LORD God to save us.
VERSE 12. Woe to fearful hearts, and to faint hands, And to the sinner that goes two ways!
VERSE 13. Woe to the faint heart! for it believes not; Therefore will it not be defended.
VERSE 14. Woe to you that have lost your patience! And what will you do when the Lord shall visit you?
VERSE 15. They that fear the Lord will not disobey his words; And those who love him will keep his ways.
those who love him. Do you love the LORD God?
will keep his ways. Do you live as a disciple of the LORD God?
VERSE 16. They that fear the Lord will seek his good pleasure; And those who love him will be filled with the law.
seek his good pleasure. Is your life pleasing to the LORD God?
those who love him. Do you love the LORD God?
will be filled with the law. We can help you be “filled” with the Scriptures. Take part in any (or all) of our projects. Their workload is light, and they are all free!
Bible Reading Project. From Genesis to Revelation, about a chapter a day, chronologically
Scripture Memory Project. Memorizing great passages, a verse at a time. And reviewing those great passages.
Gospel Bytes. Nibbling from the gospels each day.
VERSE 17. They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, And will humble their souls in his sight,
VERSE 18. saying, We will fall into the hands of the Lord, And not into the hands of men: For as his majesty is, So also is his mercy.
as his majesty is, So also is his mercy. The Lord’s majesty is equal to his mercy.
The German theologian Rudolf Otto wrote a very famous book, called Das Heilige (“The Idea of the Holy”). It is about the counter-play between God’s majesty and his mercy.
Otto used the term “mysterium tremendum” to describe God’s majesty. When people have an experience of mysterium tremendum, their reaction is fear and trembling.
The opposite of mysterium tremendum is mysterium fascinans, which is God’s mercy. When people have an experience of mysterium fascinans, they feel fascinated and drawn in.
Das Heilige is one of the most successful German theological books of the 20th century.
SIRACH
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Chronology
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.