Weekly Readings

29 A person of great understanding is patient,

but a short temper is the height of stupidity.

18 A hothead stirs up a fight,

but one who holds his temper calms disputes.

32 Better to get angry slowly than to be a hero.

Better to be even-tempered than to capture a city.

Then the Lord spoke his word to Jonah a second time. He said, 2 “Leave at once for the important city, Nineveh. Announce to the people the message I have given you.”

3 Jonah immediately went to Nineveh as the Lord told him. Nineveh was a very large city. It took three days to walk through  it. 4 Jonah entered the city and walked for about a day. Then he said, “In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed.”

10 God saw what they did. He saw that they turned from their wicked ways. So God reconsidered his threat to destroy them, and he didn’t do it.

Jonah was very upset about this, and he became angry. 2 So he prayed to the Lord, “Lord, isn’t this what I said would happen when I was still in my own country? That’s why I tried to run to Tarshish in the first place. I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, patient, and always ready to forgive and to reconsider your threats of destruction. 3 So now, Lord, take my life. I’d rather be dead than alive.”

4 The Lord asked, “What right do you have to be angry?”

21 “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Never murder. Whoever murders will answer for it in court.’ 22 But I can guarantee that whoever is angry with another believer  will answer for it in court. Whoever calls another believer an insulting name will answer for it in the highest court. Whoever calls another believer a fool will answer for it in hellfire.

23 “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and remember there that another believer has something against you, 24 leave your gift at the altar. First go away and make peace with that person. Then come back and offer your gift.

25 “Make peace quickly with your opponent while you are on the way to court with him. Otherwise, he will hand you over to the judge. Then the judge will hand you over to an officer, who will throw you into prison. 26 I can guarantee this truth: You will never get out until you pay every penny of your fine.