Bible in a Year - Day 237

T¹he song of songs, which is Solomon’s. ² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. ³ Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. ⁴ Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. ⁵ I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. ⁶ Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept. ⁷ Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? ⁸ If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents. ⁹ I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots. ¹⁰ Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold. ¹¹ We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver. ¹² While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof. ¹³ A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts. ¹⁴ My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi. ¹⁵ Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes. ¹⁶ Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green. ¹⁷ The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

¹ The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. ² Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. ³ For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. ⁵ Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; ⁶ Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: ⁷ Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. ⁸ We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth. ⁹ I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. ¹⁰ Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. ¹¹ Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. ¹² Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. ¹³ I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: ¹⁴ But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.