Martyr Matrona of Thessalonica

³³Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. ³⁴By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. ³⁵For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. ³⁶Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. ³⁷So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. ³⁸And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead. ¹In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. ²Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, ³And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. ⁴Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, ⁵Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. ⁶And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.

¹²Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. ¹³But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly. ¹⁴And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: ¹⁵For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. ¹⁶And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. ¹⁷Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. ¹⁸Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

²⁷The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. ²⁸In the multitude of people is the king’s honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince. ²⁹He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. ³⁰A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. ³¹He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor. ³²The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death. ³³Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known. ³⁴Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. ³⁵The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame. ¹A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. ²The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. ³The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. ⁴A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.