Daily Office

Saturday

2007-12-01T04:36:00.000-05:00

Micah 7:11-20

[11] A day for the building of your walls!
In that day the boundary shall be far extended.
[12] In that day they will come to you,
from Assyria to Egypt,
and from Egypt to the River,
from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.
[13] But the earth will be desolate
because of its inhabitants,
for the fruit of their doings.
[14] Shepherd thy people with thy staff,
the flock of thy inheritance,
who dwell alone in a forest
in the midst of a garden land;
let them feed in Bashan and Gilead
as in the days of old.
[15] As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt
I will show them marvelous things.
[16] The nations shall see and be ashamed
of all their might;
they shall lay their hands on their mouths;
their ears shall be deaf;
[17] they shall lick the dust like a serpent,
like the crawling things of the earth;
they shall come trembling out of their strongholds,
they shall turn in dread to the LORD our God,
and they shall fear because of thee.
[18] Who is a God like thee, pardoning iniquity
and passing over transgression
for the remnant of his inheritance?
He does not retain his anger for ever
because he delights in steadfast love.
[19] He will again have compassion upon us,
he will tread our iniquities under foot.
Thou wilt cast all our sins
into the depths of the sea.
[20] Thou wilt show faithfulness to Jacob
and steadfast love to Abraham,
as thou hast sworn to our fathers
from the days of old.

1 Peter 4:7-19

[7]

The end of all things is at hand; therefore keep sane and sober for your
prayers.

[8] Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers
a multitude of sins.
[9] Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another.
[10] As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good
stewards of God's varied grace:
[11] whoever speaks, as one who utters oracles of God; whoever renders
service, as one who renders it by the strength which God supplies; in
order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him
belong glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
[12]

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to
prove you, as though something strange were happening to you.

[13] But rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may
also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
[14] If you are reproached for the name of Christ, you are blessed,
because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
[15] But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a wrongdoer,
or a mischief-maker;
[16] yet if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but under
that name let him glorify God.
[17] For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of
God; and if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not
obey the gospel of God?
[18] And "If the righteous man is scarcely saved,
where will the impious and sinner appear?"
[19] Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will do right and
entrust their souls to a faithful Creator.

Matthew 20:29-34

[29]

And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him.

[30] And behold, two blind men sitting by the roadside, when they heard
that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"
[31] The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent; but they cried out
the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"
[32] And Jesus stopped and called them, saying, "What do you want me to do
for you?"
[33] They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened."
[34] And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they received
their sight and followed him.

Friday

2007-11-30T04:46:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 24:14-23

[14] They lift up their voices, they sing for joy;
over the majesty of the LORD they shout from the west.
[15] Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD;
in the coastlands of the sea, to the name of the LORD, the God of
Israel.
[16] From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise,
of glory to the Righteous One.
But I say, "I pine away,
I pine away. Woe is me!
For the treacherous deal treacherously,
the treacherous deal very treacherously."
[17] Terror, and the pit, and the snare
are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!
[18] He who flees at the sound of the terror
shall fall into the pit;
and he who climbs out of the pit
shall be caught in the snare.
For the windows of heaven are opened,
and the foundations of the earth tremble.
[19] The earth is utterly broken,
the earth is rent asunder,
the earth is violently shaken.
[20] The earth staggers like a drunken man,
it sways like a hut;
its transgression lies heavy upon it,
and it falls, and will not rise again.
[21] On that day the LORD will punish
the host of heaven, in heaven,
and the kings of the earth, on the earth.
[22] They will be gathered together
as prisoners in a pit;
they will be shut up in a prison,
and after many days they will be punished.
[23] Then the moon will be confounded,
and the sun ashamed;
for the LORD of hosts will reign
on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
and before his elders he will manifest his glory.

1 Peter 3:13-4:6

[13]

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is right?

[14] But even if you do suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be
blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,
[15] but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to
make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in
you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence;
[16] and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused, those
who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
[17] For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God's
will, than for doing wrong.
[18] For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the
unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the
flesh but made alive in the spirit;
[19] in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison,
[20] who formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of
Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight
persons, were saved through water.
[21] Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal
of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience,
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
[22] who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with
angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.
1Pet.4
[1]

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same
thought, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

[2] so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer by human
passions but by the will of God.
[3] Let the time that is past suffice for doing what the Gentiles like to
do, living in licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing,
and lawless idolatry.
[4] They are surprised that you do not now join them in the same wild
profligacy, and they abuse you;
[5] but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and
the dead.
[6] For this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead, that though
judged in the flesh like men, they might live in the spirit like God.

Matthew 20:17-28

[17]

And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples
aside, and on the way he said to them,

[18] "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be
delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to
death,
[19] and deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and
crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."
[20]

Then the mother of the sons of Zeb'edee came up to him, with her sons, and
kneeling before him she asked him for something.

[21] And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command
that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at
your left, in your kingdom."
[22] But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you
able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are
able."
[23] He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand
and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has
been prepared by my Father."
[24] And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.
[25] But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of
the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority
over them.
[26] It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you
must be your servant,
[27] and whoever would be first among you must be your slave;
[28] even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to
give his life as a ransom for many."

Thursday

2007-11-29T03:24:00.000-05:00

Zephaniah 3:1-13

[1]

Woe to her that is rebellious and defiled,
the oppressing city!
[2] She listens to no voice,
she accepts no correction.
She does not trust in the LORD,
she does not draw near to her God.
[3] Her officials within her
are roaring lions;
her judges are evening wolves
that leave nothing till the morning.
[4] Her prophets are wanton,
faithless men;
her priests profane what is sacred,
they do violence to the law.
[5] The LORD within her is righteous,
he does no wrong;
every morning he shows forth his justice,
each dawn he does not fail;
but the unjust knows no shame.
[6] "I have cut off nations;
their battlements are in ruins;
I have laid waste their streets
so that none walks in them;
their cities have been made desolate,
without a man, without an inhabitant.
[7] I said, `Surely she will fear me,
she will accept correction;
she will not lose sight
of all that I have enjoined upon her.'
But all the more they were eager
to make all their deeds corrupt."
[8] "Therefore wait for me," says the LORD,
"for the day when I arise as a witness.
For my decision is to gather nations,
to assemble kingdoms,
to pour out upon them my indignation,
all the heat of my anger;
for in the fire of my jealous wrath
all the earth shall be consumed.
[9] "Yea, at that time I will change the speech of the peoples
to a pure speech,
that all of them may call on the name of the LORD
and serve him with one accord.
[10] From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed ones,
shall bring my offering.
[11] "On that day you shall not be put to shame
because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me;
for then I will remove from your midst
your proudly exultant ones,
and you shall no longer be haughty
in my holy mountain.
[12] For I will leave in the midst of you
a people humble and lowly.
They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD,
[13] those who are left in Israel;
they shall do no wrong
and utter no lies,
nor shall there be found in their mouth
a deceitful tongue.
For they shall pasture and lie down,
and none shall make them afraid."

1 Peter 2:11-25

[11]

Beloved, I beseech you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the passions
of the flesh that wage war against your soul.

[12] Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in case they speak
against you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on
the day of visitation.
[13]

Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be
to the emperor as supreme,

[14] or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to
praise those who do right.
[15] For it is God's will that by doing right you should put to silence
the ignorance of foolish men.
[16] Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for
evil; but live as servants of God.
[17] Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
[18]

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to the
kind and gentle but also to the overbearing.

[19] For one is approved if, mindful of God, he endures pain while
suffering unjustly.
[20] For what credit is it, if when you do wrong and are beaten for it you
take it patiently? But if when you do right and suffer for it you take it
patiently, you have God's approval.
[21] For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for
you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
[22] He committed no sin; no guile was found on his lips.
[23] When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered,
he did not threaten; but he trusted to him who judges justly.
[24] He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die
to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
[25] For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the
Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

Matthew 20:1-16

[1]

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the
morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

[2] After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them
into his vineyard.
[3] And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the
market place;
[4] and to them he said, `You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is
right I will give you.' So they went.
[5] Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the
same.
[6] And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and
he said to them, `Why do you stand here idle all day?'
[7] They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, `You
go into the vineyard too.'
[8] And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward,
`Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up
to the first.'
[9] And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them
received a denarius.
[10] Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but
each of them also received a denarius.
[11] And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder,
[12] saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them
equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.'
[13] But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did
you not agree with me for a denarius?
[14] Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I
give to you.
[15] Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do
you begrudge my generosity?'
[16] So the last will be first, and the first last."

Wednesday

2007-11-28T03:06:00.000-05:00

Obadiah 15-21

[15] For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations.
As you have done, it shall be done to you,
your deeds shall return on your own head.
[16] For as you have drunk upon my holy mountain,
all the nations round about shall drink;
they shall drink, and stagger,
and shall be as though they had not been.
[17] But in Mount Zion there shall be those that escape,
and it shall be holy;
and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.
[18] The house of Jacob shall be a fire,
and the house of Joseph a flame,
and the house of Esau stubble;
they shall burn them and consume them,
and there shall be no survivor to the house of Esau;
for the LORD has spoken.
[19] Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau,
and those of the Shephe'lah the land of the Philistines;
they shall possess the land of E'phraim and the land of Sama'ria
and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
[20] The exiles in Halah who are of the people of Israel
shall possess Phoenicia as far as Zar'ephath;
and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sephar'ad
shall possess the cities of the Negeb.
[21] Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion
to rule Mount Esau;
and the kingdom shall be the LORD's.

1 Peter 2:1-10

[1]

So put away all malice and all guile and insincerity and envy and all
slander.

[2] Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you
may grow up to salvation;
[3] for you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
[4]

Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's sight
chosen and precious;

[5] and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to
be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ.
[6] For it stands in scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a
cornerstone chosen and
precious,
and he who believes in him will not be put to shame."
[7] To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not
believe, "The very stone which the builders rejected
has become the head of the corner,"
[8] and "A stone that will make men stumble,
a rock that will make them fall";
for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to
do.
[9]

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own
people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out
of darkness into his marvelous light.

[10] Once you were no people but now you are God's people; once you had
not received mercy but now you have received mercy.

Matthew 19:23-30

[23]

And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for
a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

[24] Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
[25] When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying,
"Who then can be saved?"
[26] But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is
impossible, but with God all things are possible."
[27] Then Peter said in reply, "Lo, we have left everything and followed
you. What then shall we have?"
[28] Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the
Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will
also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
[29] And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or
mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a
hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
[30] But many that are first will be last, and the last first.

Tuesday

2007-11-27T02:58:00.000-05:00

Nahum 1:1-13

[1] An oracle concerning Nin'eveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of
Elkosh.
[2] The LORD is a jealous God and avenging,
the LORD is avenging and wrathful;
the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries
and keeps wrath for his enemies.
[3] The LORD is slow to anger and of great might,
and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty.
His way is in whirlwind and storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
[4] He rebukes the sea and makes it dry,
he dries up all the rivers;
Bashan and Carmel wither,
the bloom of Lebanon fades.
[5] The mountains quake before him,
the hills melt;
the earth is laid waste before him,
the world and all that dwell therein.
[6] Who can stand before his indignation?
Who can endure the heat of his anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire,
and the rocks are broken asunder by him.
[7] The LORD is good,
a stronghold in the day of trouble;
he knows those who take refuge in him.
[8] But with an overflowing flood
he will make a full end of his adversaries,
and will pursue his enemies into darkness.
[9] What do you plot against the LORD?
He will make a full end;
he will not take vengeance twice on his foes.
[10] Like entangled thorns they are consumed,
like dry stubble.
[11] Did one not come out from you,
who plotted evil against the LORD,
and counseled villainy?
[12] Thus says the LORD,
"Though they be strong and many,
they will be cut off and pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more.
[13] And now I will break his yoke from off you
and will burst your bonds asunder."

1 Peter 1:13-25

[13]

Therefore gird up your minds, be sober, set your hope fully upon the grace
that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

[14] As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your
former ignorance,
[15] but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your
conduct;
[16] since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."
[17] And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially
according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time
of your exile.
[18] You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from
your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
[19] but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without
blemish or spot.
[20] He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made
manifest at the end of the times for your sake.
[21] Through him you have confidence in God, who raised him from the dead
and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
[22]

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere
love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from the heart.

[23] You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable,
through the living and abiding word of God;
[24] for "All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
[25] but the word of the Lord abides for ever."
That word is the good news which was preached to you.

Matthew 19:13-22

[13]

Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and
pray. The disciples rebuked the people;

[14] but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them;
for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."
[15] And he laid his hands on them and went away.
[16]

And behold, one came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I
do, to have eternal life?"

[17] And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there
is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments."
[18] He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You
shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false
witness,
[19] Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as
yourself."
[20] The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I
still lack?"
[21] Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you
possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and
come, follow me."
[22] When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had
great possessions.

Monday and a note

2007-11-26T02:48:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone,

This week will mark a full third cycle (six years) of sending out the
daily office. I have to say I really never thought it would go on this
long. Hopefully, many, if not all of us were able to read pieces of all
the different books of the bible. Perhaps, our views and understanding of
this book, nay library, have evolved. For me, I am increasingly aware of
the number of people who site the bible but appear not to have read it or
at least have only read it selectively.

Anyway, I want to thank you for being such good partners and participants.

May the lord bless you and keep you safe.

In faith,

Michael

Joel 3:1-2, 9-17

[1]

"For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes
of Judah and Jerusalem,

[2] I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of
Jehosh'aphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there, on account
of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them
among the nations, and have divided up my land,
[3] and have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a harlot,
and have sold a girl for wine, and have drunk it.
[4]

"What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia?
Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will
requite your deed upon your own head swiftly and speedily.

[5] For you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my rich
treasures into your temples.
[6] You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks,
removing them far from their own border.
[7] But now I will stir them up from the place to which you have sold
them, and I will requite your deed upon your own head.
[8] I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the sons of
Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabe'ans, to a nation far off; for
the LORD has spoken."
[9] Proclaim this among the nations:
Prepare war,
stir up the mighty men.
Let all the men of war draw near,
let them come up.
[10] Beat your plowshares into swords,
and your pruning hooks into spears;
let the weak say, "I am a warrior."
[11] Hasten and come,
all you nations round about,
gather yourselves there.
Bring down thy warriors, O LORD.
[12] Let the nations bestir themselves,
and come up to the valley of Jehosh'aphat;
for there I will sit to judge
all the nations round about.
[13] Put in the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe.
Go in, tread,
for the wine press is full.
The vats overflow,
for their wickedness is great.
[14] Multitudes, multitudes,
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the LORD is near
in the valley of decision.
[15] The sun and the moon are darkened,
and the stars withdraw their shining.
[16] And the LORD roars from Zion,
and utters his voice from Jerusalem,
and the heavens and the earth shake.
But the LORD is a refuge to his people,
a stronghold to the people of Israel.
[17] "So you shall know that I am the LORD your God,
who dwell in Zion, my holy mountain.
And Jerusalem shall be holy
and strangers shall never again pass through it.

1 Peter 1:1-12

[1] Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the exiles of the Dispersion in
Pontus, Galatia, Cappado'cia, Asia, and Bithyn'ia,
[2] chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for
obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and
peace be multiplied to you.
[3]

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy
we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead,

[4] and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you,
[5] who by God's power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to
be revealed in the last time.
[6] In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to
suffer various trials,
[7] so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which
though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and
honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
[8] Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him
you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.
[9] As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls.
[10]

The prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours searched and
inquired about this salvation;

[11] they inquired what person or time was indicated by the Spirit of
Christ within them when predicting the sufferings of Christ and the
subsequent glory.
[12] It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but
you, in the things which have now been announced to you by those who
preached the good news to you through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven,
things into which angels long to look.

Matthew 19:1-12

[1]

Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and
entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan;

[2] and large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
[3]

And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful to
divorce one's wife for any cause?"

[4] He answered, "Have you not read that he who made them from the
beginning made them male and female,
[5] and said, `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and
be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?
[6] So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined
together, let not man put asunder."
[7] They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a
certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"
[8] He said to them, "For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to
divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.
[9] And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity,
and marries another, commits adultery."
[10]

The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it
is not expedient to marry."

[11] But he said to them, "Not all men can receive this saying, but only
those to whom it is given.
[12] For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are
eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have
made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is
able to receive this, let him receive it."

Saturday

2007-11-24T04:23:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 65:17-25

[17] "For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth;
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
[18] But be glad and rejoice for ever
in that which I create;
for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing,
and her people a joy.
[19] I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
and be glad in my people;
no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping
and the cry of distress.
[20] No more shall there be in it
an infant that lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not fill out his days,
for the child shall die a hundred years old,
and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.
[21] They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
[22] They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
[23] They shall not labor in vain,
or bear children for calamity;
for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD,
and their children with them.
[24] Before they call I will answer,
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
[25] The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
and dust shall be the serpent's food.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain, says the LORD."

Revelation 22:14-21

[14]

Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to
the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

[15] Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and
idolaters, and every one who loves and practices falsehood.
[16]

"I Jesus have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I
am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star."

[17]

The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let him who hears say, "Come."
And let him who is thirsty come, let him who desires take the water of
life without price.

[18]

I warn every one who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any
one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,

[19] and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this
prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy
city, which are described in this book.
[20]

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus!

[21]

Matthew 18:21-35

[21]

Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin
against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"

[22] Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy
times seven.
[23]

"Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to
settle accounts with his servants.

[24] When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten
thousand talents;
[25] and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his
wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.
[26] So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience
with me, and I will pay you everything.'
[27] And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and
forgave him the debt.
[28] But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow
servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he
said, `Pay what you owe.'
[29] So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with
me, and I will pay you.'
[30] He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the
debt.
[31] When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly
distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken
place.
[32] Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I
forgave you all that debt because you besought me;
[33] and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had
mercy on you?'
[34] And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should
pay all his debt.
[35] So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not
forgive your brother from your heart."

Friday

2007-11-23T05:11:00.000-05:00

1 Maccabees 4:36-59

[36]

Then said Judas and his brothers, "Behold, our enemies are crushed; let us
go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it."

[37] So all the army assembled and they went up to Mount Zion.
[38] And they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the
gates burned. In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket, or
as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers of the priests in
ruins.
[39] Then they rent their clothes, and mourned with great lamentation, and
sprinkled themselves with ashes.
[40] They fell face down on the ground, and sounded the signal on the
trumpets, and cried out to Heaven.
[41] Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until
he had cleansed the sanctuary.
[42]

He chose blameless priests devoted to the law,

[43] and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an
unclean place.
[44] They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt offering, which
had been profaned.
[45] And they thought it best to tear it down, lest it bring reproach upon
them, for the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar,
[46] and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until
there should come a prophet to tell what to do with them.
[47] Then they took unhewn stones, as the law directs, and built a new
altar like the former one.
[48] They also rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple, and
consecrated the courts.
[49] They made new holy vessels, and brought the lampstand, the altar of
incense, and the table into the temple.
[50] Then they burned incense on the altar and lighted the lamps on the
lampstand, and these gave light in the temple.
[51] They placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains. Thus
they finished all the work they had undertaken.
[52]

Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is
the month of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-eighth year,

[53] they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar
of burnt offering which they had built.
[54] At the very season and on the very day that the Gentiles had profaned
it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals.
[55] All the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed Heaven,
who had prospered them.
[56] So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days, and
offered burnt offerings with gladness; they offered a sacrifice of
deliverance and praise.
[57] They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small
shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests, and
furnished them with doors.
[58] There was very great gladness among the people, and the reproach of
the Gentiles was removed.
[59]

Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that
every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be
observed with gladness and joy for eight days, beginning with the
twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.

Revelation 22:6-13

[6]

And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord,
the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his
servants what must soon take place.

[7] And behold, I am coming soon."

Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.

[8]

I John am he who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw
them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to
me;

[9] but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with
you and your brethren the prophets, and with those who keep the words of
this book. Worship God."
[10]

And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book,
for the time is near.

[11] Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and
the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy."
[12]

"Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, to repay every one for
what he has done.

[13] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning
and the end."

Matthew 18:10-20

[10]

"See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that
in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in
heaven.

[12] What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has
gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in
search of the one that went astray?
[13] And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more
than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.
[14] So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these
little ones should perish.
[15]

"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you
and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

[16] But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you,
that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three
witnesses.
[17] If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he
refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a
tax collector.
[18] Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
[19] Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they
ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
[20] For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the
midst of them."

--
What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love
kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8

Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T02:54:00.000-05:00

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

[1]

"When you come into the land which the LORD your God gives you for an
inheritance, and have taken possession of it, and live in it,

[2] you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which
you harvest from your land that the LORD your God gives you, and you shall
put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place which the LORD your God
will choose, to make his name to dwell there.
[3] And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say
to him, `I declare this day to the LORD your God that I have come into the
land which the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.'
[4] Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand, and set it down
before the altar of the LORD your God.
[5]

"And you shall make response before the LORD your God, `A wandering
Aramean was my father; and he went down into Egypt and sojourned there,
few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous.

[6] And the Egyptians treated us harshly, and afflicted us, and laid upon
us hard bondage.
[7] Then we cried to the LORD the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard
our voice, and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression;
[8] and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an
outstretched arm, with great terror, with signs and wonders;
[9] and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land
flowing with milk and honey.
[10] And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which
thou, O LORD, hast given me.' And you shall set it down before the LORD
your God, and worship before the LORD your God;
[11] and you shall rejoice in all the good which the LORD your God has
given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who
is among you.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-24

[12]

But we beseech you, brethren, to respect those who labor among you and are
over you in the Lord and admonish you,

[13] and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at
peace among yourselves.
[14] And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the idlers, encourage the
fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.
[15] See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good
to one another and to all.
[16] Rejoice always,
[17] pray constantly,
[18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus for you.
[19] Do not quench the Spirit,
[20] do not despise prophesying,
[21] but test everything; hold fast what is good,
[22] abstain from every form of evil.
[23]

May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and
soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ.

[24] He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

John 6:26-35

[26] Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not
because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
[27] Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which
endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him
has God the Father set his seal."
[28] Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of
God?"
[29] Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in
him whom he has sent."
[30] So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and
believe you? What work do you perform?
[31] Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, `He
gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
[32] Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not
Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true
bread from heaven.
[33] For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives
life to the world."
[34] They said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always."
[35]

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not
hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.

Tuesday

2007-11-20T02:28:00.000-05:00

1 Maccebees 3:25-41

[25] Then Judas and his brothers began to be feared, and terror fell upon
the Gentiles round about them.
[26] His fame reached the king, and the Gentiles talked of the battles of
Judas.
[27]

When king Antiochus heard these reports, he was greatly angered; and he
sent and gathered all the forces of his kingdom, a very strong army.

[28] And he opened his coffers and gave a year's pay to his forces, and
ordered them to be ready for any need.
[29] Then he saw that the money in the treasury was exhausted, and that
the revenues from the country were small because of the dissension and
disaster which he had caused in the land by abolishing the laws that had
existed from the earliest days.
[30] He feared that he might not have such funds as he had before for his
expenses and for the gifts which he used to give more lavishly than
preceding kings.
[31] He was greatly perplexed in mind, and determined to go to Persia and
collect the revenues from those regions and raise a large fund.
[32]

He left Lysias, a distinguished man of royal lineage, in charge of the
king's affairs from the river Euphrates to the borders of Egypt.

[33] Lysias was also to take care of Antiochus his son until he returned.
[34] And he turned over to Lysias half of his troops and the elephants,
and gave him orders about all that he wanted done. As for the residents of
Judea and Jerusalem,
[35] Lysias was to send a force against them to wipe out and destroy the
strength of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem; he was to banish the
memory of them from the place,
[36] settle aliens in all their territory, and distribute their land.
[37] Then the king took the remaining half of his troops and departed from
Antioch his capital in the one hundred and forty-seventh year. He crossed
the Euphrates river and went through the upper provinces.
[38]

Lysias chose Ptolemy the son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor and Gorgias, mighty
men among the friends of the king,

[39] and sent with them forty thousand infantry and seven thousand cavalry
to go into the land of Judah and destroy it, as the king had commanded.
[40] so they departed with their entire force, and when they arrived they
encamped near Emmaus in the plain.
[41] When the traders of the region heard what was said to them, they took
silver and gold in immense amounts, and fetters, and went to the camp to
get the sons of Israel for slaves. And forces from Syria and the land of
the Philistines joined with them.

Revelation 21:1-8

[1]

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the
first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

[2] And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from
God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband;
[3] and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling
of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,
and God himself will be with them;
[4] he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no
more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for
the former things have passed away."
[5]

And he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." Also
he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."

[6] And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the
water of life without payment.
[7] He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he
shall be my son.
[8] But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for
murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot
shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second
death."

Matthew 17:14-21

[14]

And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and kneeling before
him said,

[15] "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers
terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.
[16] And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him."
[17] And Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am
I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me."
[18] And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was
cured instantly.
[19] Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we
not cast it out?"
[20] He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to
you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this
mountain, `Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be
impossible to you."
[22]

As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is
to be delivered into the hands of men,

Monday

2007-11-19T02:23:00.000-05:00

1 Maccabees 3:1-24

[1]

Then Judas his son, who was called Maccabeus, took command in his place.

[2] All his brothers and all who had joined his father helped him; they
gladly fought for Israel.
[3] He extended the glory of his people.
Like a giant he put on his breastplate;
he girded on his armor of war and waged battles,
protecting the host by his sword.
[4] He was like a lion in his deeds,
like a lion's cub roaring for prey.
[5] He searched out and pursued the lawless;
he burned those who troubled his people.
[6] Lawless men shrank back for fear of him;
all the evildoers were confounded;
and deliverance prospered by his hand.
[7] He embittered many kings,
but he made Jacob glad by his deeds,
and his memory is blessed for ever.
[8] He went through the cities of Judah;
he destroyed the ungodly out of the land;
thus he turned away wrath from Israel.
[9] He was renowned to the ends of the earth;
he gathered in those who were perishing.
[10]

But Apollonius gathered together Gentiles and a large force from Samaria
to fight against Israel.

[11] When Judas learned of it, he went out to meet him, and he defeated
and killed him. Many were wounded and fell, and the rest fled.
[12] Then they seized their spoils; and Judas took the sword of
Apollonius, and used it in battle the rest of his life.
[13]

Now when Seron, the commander of the Syrian army, heard that Judas had
gathered a large company, including a body of faithful men who stayed with
him and went out to battle,

[14] he said, "I will make a name for myself and win honor in the kingdom.
I will make war on Judas and his companions, who scorn the king's
command."
[15] And again a strong army of ungodly men went up with him to help him,
to take vengeance on the sons of Israel.
[16]

When he approached the ascent of Beth-horon, Judas went out to meet him
with a small company.

[17] But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas,
"How can we, few as we are, fight against so great and strong a multitude?
And we are faint, for we have eaten nothing today."
[18] Judas replied, "It is easy for many to be hemmed in by few, for in
the sight of Heaven there is no difference between saving by many or by
few.
[19] It is not on the size of the army that victory in battle depends, but
strength comes from Heaven.
[20] They come against us in great pride and lawlessness to destroy us and
our wives and our children, and to despoil us;
[21] but we fight for our lives and our laws.
[22] He himself will crush them before us; as for you, do not be afraid of
them."
[23]

When he finished speaking, he rushed suddenly against Seron and his army,
and they were crushed before him.

[24] They pursued them down the descent of Beth-horon to the plain; eight
hundred of them fell, and the rest fled into the land of the Philistines.

Revelation 20:7-15

[7]

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be loosed from his
prison

[8] and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners
of the earth, that is, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their
number is like the sand of the sea.
[9] And they marched up over the broad earth and surrounded the camp of
the saints and the beloved city; but fire came down from heaven and
consumed them,
[10] and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire
and sulphur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be
tormented day and night for ever and ever.
[11]

Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence
earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.

[12] And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and
books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of
life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what
they had done.
[13] And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead
in them, and all were judged by what they had done.
[14] Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the
second death, the lake of fire;
[15] and if any one's name was not found written in the book of life, he
was thrown into the lake of fire.

Matthew 17:1-13

[1]

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his
brother, and led them up a high mountain apart.

[2] And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun,
and his garments became white as light.
[3] And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Eli'jah, talking with
him.
[4] And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you
wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one
for Eli'jah."
[5] He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and
a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well
pleased; listen to him."
[6] When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were
filled with awe.
[7] But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear."
[8] And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
[9]

And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no
one the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the dead."

[10] And the disciples asked him, "Then why do the scribes say that first
Eli'jah must come?"
[11] He replied, "Eli'jah does come, and he is to restore all things;
[12] but I tell you that Eli'jah has already come, and they did not know
him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of man will
suffer at their hands."
[13] Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John
the Baptist.

Friday

2007-11-16T03:13:00.000-05:00

1 Maccabeees 1:41-63

[41]

Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people,

[42] and that each should give up his customs.
[43] All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from
Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned
the sabbath.
[44] And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the cities
of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land,
[45] to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the
sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and feasts,
[46] to defile the sanctuary and the priests,
[47] to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to
sacrifice swine and unclean animals,
[48] and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves
abominable by everything unclean and profane,
[49] so that they should forget the law and change all the ordinances.
[50] "And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die."
[51]

In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. And he appointed inspectors
over all the people and commanded the cities of Judah to offer sacrifice,
city by city.

[52] Many of the people, every one who forsook the law, joined them, and
they did evil in the land;
[53] they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.
[54]

Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth
year, they erected a desolating sacrilege upon the altar of burnt
offering. They also built altars in the surrounding cities of Judah,

[55] and burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets.
[56] The books of the law which they found they tore to pieces and burned
with fire.
[57] Where the book of the covenant was found in the possession of any
one, or if any one adhered to the law, the decree of the king condemned
him to death.
[58] They kept using violence against Israel, against those found month
after month in the cities.
[59] And on the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on
the altar which was upon the altar of burnt offering.
[60] According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their
children circumcised,
[61] and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the
infants from their mothers' necks.
[62]

But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat
unclean food.

[63] They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the
holy covenant; and they did die.

Revelation 19:11-16

[11]

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! He who sat upon it is
called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

[12] His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems;
and he has a name inscribed which no one knows but himself.
[13] He is clad in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is
called is The Word of God.
[14] And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure,
followed him on white horses.
[15] From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to smite the nations,
and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of
the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
[16] On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, King of kings
and Lord of lords.

Matthew 16:13-20

[13]

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare'a Philip'pi, he asked his
disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?"

[14] And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli'jah, and
others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
[15] He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
[16] Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
[17] And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh
and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
[18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my
church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.
[19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you
bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven."
[20] Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the
Christ.

Thursday

2007-11-15T04:00:00.000-05:00

1 Maccabees 1:1-28

[1] After Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came from the land
of Kittim, had defeated Darius, king of the Persians and the Medes, he
succeeded him as king. (He had previously become king of Greece.)
[2] He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and put to death the
kings of the earth.
[3] He advanced to the ends of the earth, and plundered many nations. When
the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was
lifted up.
[4] He gathered a very strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and
princes, and they became tributary to him.
[5]

After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying.

[6] So he summoned his most honored officers, who had been brought up with
him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still
alive.
[7] And after Alexander had reigned twelve years, he died.
[8]

Then his officers began to rule, each in his own place.

[9] They all put on crowns after his death, and so did their sons after
them for many years; and they caused many evils on the earth.
[10]

From them came forth a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of Antiochus
the king; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one
hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

[11]

In those days lawless men came forth from Israel, and misled many, saying,
"Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles round about us, for since
we separated from them many evils have come upon us."

[12] This proposal pleased them,
[13] and some of the people eagerly went to the king. He authorized them
to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles.
[14] So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Gentile custom,
[15] and removed the marks of circumcision, and abandoned the holy
covenant. They joined with the Gentiles and sold themselves to do evil.
[16]

When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to
become king of the land of Egypt, that he might reign over both kingdoms.

[17] So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants
and cavalry and with a large fleet.
[18] He engaged Ptolemy king of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned and
fled before him, and many were wounded and fell.
[19] And they captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he
plundered the land of Egypt.
[20]

After subduing Egypt, Antiochus returned in the one hundred and
forty-third year. He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a
strong force.

[21] He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the
lampstand for the light, and all its utensils.
[22] He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for
drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns,
and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all
off.
[23] He took the silver and the gold, and the costly vessels; he took also
the hidden treasures which he found.
[24] Taking them all, he departed to his own land. He committed deeds of
murder,
and spoke with great arrogance.
[25] Israel mourned deeply in every community,
[26] rulers and elders groaned,
maidens and young men became faint,
the beauty of women faded.
[27] Every bridegroom took up the lament;
she who sat in the bridal chamber was mourning.
[28] Even the land shook for its inhabitants,
and all the house of Jacob was clothed with shame.

Revelation 19:1-10

[1]

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude
in heaven, crying,
"Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
[2] for his judgments are true and just;
he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her
fornication,
and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants."
[3] Once more they cried, "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever
and ever."
[4] And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and
worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!"
[5] And from the throne came a voice crying, "Praise our God, all you his
servants,
you who fear him, small and great."
[6] Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like
the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals,
crying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
[7] Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
[8] it was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and
pure" --
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
[9]

And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited
to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are true
words of God."

[10] Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "You
must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brethren who
hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God." For the testimony of Jesus is
the spirit of prophecy.

Matthew 16:1-12

[1]

And the Pharisees and Sad'ducees came, and to test him they asked him to
show them a sign from heaven.

[2] He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, `It will be fair
weather; for the sky is red.'
[3] And in the morning, `It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and
threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you
cannot interpret the signs of the times.
[4] An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall
be given to it except the sign of Jonah." So he left them and departed.
[5]

When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any
bread.

[6] Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and Sad'ducees."
[7] And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "We brought no bread."
[8] But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O men of little faith, why do you
discuss among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?
[9] Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves of the
five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
[10] Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you
gathered?
[11] How is it that you fail to perceive that I did not speak about bread?
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees."
[12] Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the
leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees.

Wednesday

2007-11-14T03:04:00.000-05:00

Nehemiah 7:73-8:3, 5-18

[73]

So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the
people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns.

And when the seventh month had come, the children of Israel were in their
towns.

Neh.8
[1] And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the
Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of
Moses which the LORD had given to Israel.
[2] And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and
women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the
seventh month.
[3] And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early
morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those
who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the
book of the law.
[4] And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden pulpit which they had made for
the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithi'ah, Shema, Anai'ah, Uri'ah,
Hilki'ah, and Ma-asei'ah on his right hand; and Pedai'ah, Mish'a-el,
Malchi'jah, Hashum, Hash-bad'danah, Zechari'ah, and Meshul'lam on his left
hand.
[5] And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was
above all the people; and when he opened it all the people stood.
[6] And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God; and all the people answered,
"Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands; and they bowed their heads and
worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
[7] Also Jesh'ua, Bani, Sherebi'ah, Jamin, Akkub, Shab'bethai, Hodi'ah,
Ma-asei'ah, Keli'ta, Azari'ah, Jo'zabad, Hanan, Pelai'ah, the Levites,
helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in
their places.
[8] And they read from the book, from the law of God, clearly; and they
gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
[9]

And Nehemi'ah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and
the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is
holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept
when they heard the words of the law.

[10] Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine
and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is
holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your
strength."
[11] So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for this
day is holy; do not be grieved."
[12] And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send
portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the
words that were declared to them.
[13]

On the second day the heads of fathers' houses of all the people, with the
priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to
study the words of the law.

[14] And they found it written in the law that the LORD had commanded by
Moses that the people of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of
the seventh month,
[15] and that they should publish and proclaim in all their towns and in
Jerusalem, "Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive,
myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written."
[16] So the people went out and brought them and made booths for
themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the
house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the
Gate of E'phraim.
[17] And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity
made booths and dwelt in the booths; for from the days of Jeshua the son
of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was
very great rejoicing.
[18] And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the
book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth
day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.

Revelation 18:21-24

[21]

Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it
into the sea, saying,
"So shall Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,
and shall be found no more;
[22] and the sound of harpers and minstrels, of flute players and
trumpeters,
shall be heard in thee no more;
and a craftsman of any craft
shall be found in thee no more;
and the sound of the millstone
shall be heard in thee no more;
[23] and the light of a lamp
shall shine in thee no more;
and the voice of bridegroom and bride
shall be heard in thee no more;
for thy merchants were the great men of the earth,
and all nations were deceived by thy sorcery.
[24] And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
and of all who have been slain on earth."

Matthew 15:29-39

[29]

And Jesus went on from there and passed along the Sea of Galilee. And he
went up on the mountain, and sat down there.

[30] And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the
maimed, the blind, the dumb, and many others, and they put them at his
feet, and he healed them,
[31] so that the throng wondered, when they saw the dumb speaking, the
maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified
the God of Israel.
[32]

Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the
crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to
eat; and I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the
way."

[33] And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get bread enough in
the desert to feed so great a crowd?"
[34] And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves have you?" They said,
"Seven, and a few small fish."
[35] And commanding the crowd to sit down on the ground,
[36] he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he
broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to
the crowds.
[37] And they all ate and were satisfied; and they took up seven baskets
full of the broken pieces left over.
[38] Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.
[39] And sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the
region of Mag'adan.

Tuesday

2007-11-13T03:28:00.000-05:00

Nehemiah 9:26-38

[26]

"Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee and cast thy
law behind their back and killed thy prophets, who had warned them in
order to turn them back to thee, and they committed great blasphemies.

[27] Therefore thou didst give them into the hand of their enemies, who
made them suffer; and in the time of their suffering they cried to thee
and thou didst hear them from heaven; and according to thy great mercies
thou didst give them saviors who saved them from the hand of their
enemies.
[28] But after they had rest they did evil again before thee, and thou
didst abandon them to the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion
over them; yet when they turned and cried to thee thou didst hear from
heaven, and many times thou didst deliver them according to thy mercies.
[29] And thou didst warn them in order to turn them back to thy law. Yet
they acted presumptuously and did not obey thy commandments, but sinned
against thy ordinances, by the observance of which a man shall live, and
turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey.
[30] Many years thou didst bear with them, and didst warn them by thy
Spirit through thy prophets; yet they would not give ear. Therefore thou
didst give them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
[31] Nevertheless in thy great mercies thou didst not make an end of them
or forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.
[32]

"Now therefore, our God, the great and mighty and terrible God, who
keepest covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little
to thee that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests,
our prophets, our fathers, and all thy people, since the time of the kings
of Assyria until this day.

[33] Yet thou hast been just in all that has come upon us, for thou hast
dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly;
[34] our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept
thy law or heeded thy commandments and thy warnings which thou didst give
them.
[35] They did not serve thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness
which thou gavest them, and in the large and rich land which thou didst
set before them; and they did not turn from their wicked works.
[36] Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that thou gavest to our
fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves.
[37] And its rich yield goes to the kings whom thou hast set over us
because of our sins; they have power also over our bodies and over our
cattle at their pleasure, and we are in great distress."
[38]

Because of all this we make a firm covenant and write it, and our princes,
our Levites, and our priests set their seal to it.

Revelation 18:9-20

[9]

And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and were wanton with
her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning;

[10] they will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, "Alas!
alas! thou great city,
thou mighty city, Babylon!
In one hour has thy judgment come."
[11]

And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys
their cargo any more,

[12] cargo of gold, silver, jewels and pearls, fine linen, purple, silk
and scarlet, all kinds of scented wood, all articles of ivory, all
articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble,
[13] cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour
and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is,
human souls.
[14] "The fruit for which thy soul longed has gone from thee,
and all thy dainties and thy splendor are lost to thee, never to
be found again!"
[15]

The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far
off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,

[16] "Alas, alas, for the great city
that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet,
bedecked with gold, with jewels, and with pearls!
[17] In one hour all this wealth has been laid waste."

And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on
the sea, stood far off

[18] and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, "What city was
like the great city?"
[19] And they threw dust on their heads, as they wept and mourned, crying
out, "Alas, alas, for the great city
where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth!
In one hour she has been laid waste.
[20] Rejoice over her, O heaven,
O saints and apostles and prophets,
for God has given judgment for you against her!"

Matthew 15:21-28

[21]

And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and
Sidon.

[22] And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried,
"Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed
by a demon."
[23] But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged
him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us."
[24] He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel."
[25] But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me."
[26] And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and
throw it to the dogs."
[27] She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from
their masters' table."
[28] Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done
for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.

Monday

2007-11-12T02:19:00.000-05:00

Nehemiah 9:1-15

[1]

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were
assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth upon their heads.

[2] And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood
and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
[3] And they stood up in their place and read from the book of the law of
the LORD their God for a fourth of the day; for another fourth of it they
made confession and worshiped the LORD their God.
[4] Upon the stairs of the Levites stood Jeshua, Bani, Kad'mi-el,
Shebani'ah, Bunni, Sherebi'ah, Bani, and Chena'ni; and they cried with a
loud voice to the LORD their God.
[5] Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kad'mi-el, Bani, Hashabnei'ah, Sherebi'ah,
Hodi'ah, Shebani'ah, and Pethahi'ah, said, "Stand up and bless the LORD
your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be thy glorious name
which is exalted above all blessing and praise."
[6]

And Ezra said: "Thou art the LORD, thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the
heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it,
the seas and all that is in them; and thou preservest all of them; and the
host of heaven worships thee.

[7] Thou art the LORD, the God who didst choose Abram and bring him forth
out of Ur of the Chalde'ans and give him the name Abraham;
[8] and thou didst find his heart faithful before thee, and didst make
with him the covenant to give to his descendants the land of the
Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Per'izzite, the Jeb'usite, and
the Gir'gashite; and thou hast fulfilled thy promise, for thou art
righteous.
[9]

"And thou didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and hear their
cry at the Red Sea,

[10] and didst perform signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his
servants and all the people of his land, for thou knewest that they acted
insolently against our fathers; and thou didst get thee a name, as it is
to this day.
[11] And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through
the midst of the sea on dry land; and thou didst cast their pursuers into
the depths, as a stone into mighty waters.
[12] By a pillar of cloud thou didst lead them in the day, and by a pillar
of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go.
[13] Thou didst come down upon Mount Sinai, and speak with them from
heaven and give them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and
commandments,
[14] and thou didst make known to them thy holy sabbath and command them
commandments and statutes and a law by Moses thy servant.
[15] Thou didst give them bread from heaven for their hunger and bring
forth water for them from the rock for their thirst, and thou didst tell
them to go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.

Revelation 18:1-8

[1]

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great
authority; and the earth was made bright with his splendor.

[2] And he called out with a mighty voice, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the
great!
It has become a dwelling place of demons,
a haunt of every foul spirit,
a haunt of every foul and hateful bird;
[3] for all nations have drunk the wine of her impure passion,
and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her,
and the merchants of the earth have grown rich with the wealth of
her wantonness."
[4]

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,
"Come out of her, my people,
lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues;
[5] for her sins are heaped high as heaven,
and God has remembered her iniquities.
[6] Render to her as she herself has rendered,
and repay her double for her deeds;
mix a double draught for her in the cup she mixed.
[7] As she glorified herself and played the wanton,
so give her a like measure of torment and mourning.
Since in her heart she says, `A queen I sit,
I am no widow, mourning I shall never see,'
[8] so shall her plagues come in a single day,
pestilence and mourning and famine,
and she shall be burned with fire;
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her."

Matthew 15:1-20

[1]

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,

[2] "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For
they do not wash their hands when they eat."
[3] He answered them, "And why do you transgress the commandment of God
for the sake of your tradition?
[4] For God commanded, `Honor your father and your mother,' and, `He who
speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die.'
[5] But you say, `If any one tells his father or his mother, What you
would have gained from me is given to God, he need not honor his father.'
[6] So, for the sake of your tradition, you have made void the word of
God.
[7] You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
[8] `This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
[9] in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'"
[10]

And he called the people to him and said to them, "Hear and understand:

[11] not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the
mouth, this defiles a man."
[12] Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the
Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"
[13] He answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted
will be rooted up.
[14] Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a
blind man, both will fall into a pit."
[15] But Peter said to him, "Explain the parable to us."
[16] And he said, "Are you also still without understanding?
[17] Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the
stomach, and so passes on?
[18] But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this
defiles a man.
[19] For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery,
fornication, theft, false witness, slander.
[20] These are what defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not
defile a man."

Friday

2007-11-09T04:05:00.000-05:00

Ezra 7:27-28; 8:21-36

[27]

Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this
into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in
Jerusalem,

[28] and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his
counselors, and before all the king's mighty officers. I took courage, for
the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered leading men from
Israel to go up with me.

[21]

Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Aha'va, that we might humble
ourselves before our God, to seek from him a straight way for ourselves,
our children, and all our goods.

[22] For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen
to protect us against the enemy on our way; since we had told the king,
"The hand of our God is for good upon all that seek him, and the power of
his wrath is against all that forsake him."
[23] So we fasted and besought our God for this, and he listened to our
entreaty.
[24]

Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebi'ah, Hashabi'ah,
and ten of their kinsmen with them.

[25] And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels,
the offering for the house of our God which the king and his counselors
and his lords and all Israel there present had offered;
[26] I weighed out into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of
silver, and silver vessels worth a hundred talents, and a hundred talents
of gold,
[27] twenty bowls of gold worth a thousand darics, and two vessels of fine
bright bronze as precious as gold.
[28] And I said to them, "You are holy to the LORD, and the vessels are
holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the
God of your fathers.
[29] Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief
priests and the Levites and the heads of fathers' houses in Israel at
Jerusalem, within the chambers of the house of the LORD."
[30] So the priests and the Levites took over the weight of the silver and
the gold and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our
God.
[31]

Then we departed from the river Aha'va on the twelfth day of the first
month, to go to Jerusalem; the hand of our God was upon us, and he
delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way.

[32] We came to Jerusalem, and there we remained three days.
[33] On the fourth day, within the house of our God, the silver and the
gold and the vessels were weighed into the hands of Mer'emoth the priest,
son of Uri'ah, and with him was Elea'zar the son of Phin'ehas, and with
them were the Levites, Jo'zabad the son of Jeshua and No-adi'ah the son of
Bin'nui.
[34] The whole was counted and weighed, and the weight of everything was
recorded.
[35]

At that time those who had come from captivity, the returned exiles,
offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel,
ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin offering twelve
he-goats; all this was a burnt offering to the LORD.

[36] They also delivered the king's commissions to the king's satraps and
to the governors of the province Beyond the River; and they aided the
people and the house of God.

Revelation 15:1-8

[1]

Then I saw another portent in heaven, great and wonderful, seven angels
with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is
ended.

[2]

And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those
who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name,
standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.

[3] And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of
the Lamb, saying, "Great and wonderful are thy deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are thy ways,
O King of the ages!
[4] Who shall not fear and glorify thy name, O Lord?
For thou alone art holy.
All nations shall come and worship thee,
for thy judgments have been revealed."
[5]

After this I looked, and the temple of the tent of witness in heaven was
opened,

[6] and out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues,
robed in pure bright linen, and their breasts girded with golden girdles.
[7] And one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven
golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives for ever and ever;
[8] and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from
his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of
the seven angels were ended.

Matthew 14:13-21

[13]

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a lonely
place apart. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from
the towns.

[14] As he went ashore he saw a great throng; and he had compassion on
them, and healed their sick.
[15] When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a
lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the
villages and buy food for themselves."
[16] Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."
[17] They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish."
[18] And he said, "Bring them here to me."
[19] Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the
five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and
broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to
the crowds.
[20] And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets
full of the broken pieces left over.
[21] And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and
children.

Thursday

2007-11-08T03:21:00.000-05:00

Ezra 7:11-26

[11]

This is a copy of the letter which King Ar-ta-xerx'es gave to Ezra the
priest, the scribe, learned in matters of the commandments of the LORD and
his statutes for Israel:

[12] "Ar-ta-xerx'es, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the
law of the God of heaven. And now
[13] I make a decree that any one of the people of Israel or their priests
or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may go
with you.
[14] For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to make
inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God,
which is in your hand,
[15] and also to convey the silver and gold which the king and his
counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in
Jerusalem,
[16] with all the silver and gold which you shall find in the whole
province of Babylonia, and with the freewill offerings of the people and
the priests, vowed willingly for the house of their God which is in
Jerusalem.
[17] With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams,
and lambs, with their cereal offerings and their drink offerings, and you
shall offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in
Jerusalem.
[18] Whatever seems good to you and your brethren to do with the rest of
the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God.
[19] The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of
your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem.
[20] And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which you
have occasion to provide, you may provide it out of the king's treasury.
[21]

"And I, Ar-ta-xerx'es the king, make a decree to all the treasurers in the
province Beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law
of the God of heaven, requires of you, be it done with all diligence,

[22] up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred
baths of wine, a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how
much.
[23] Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done in full
for the house of the God of heaven, lest his wrath be against the realm of
the king and his sons.
[24] We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute,
custom, or toll upon any one of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the
doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
[25]

"And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand,
appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the
province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and
those who do not know them, you shall teach.

[26] Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king,
let judgment be strictly executed upon him, whether for death or for
banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment."

Revelation 14:1-13

[1]

Then I looked, and lo, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him a
hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father's name
written on their foreheads.

[2] And I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of many waters and like
the sound of loud thunder; the voice I heard was like the sound of harpers
playing on their harps,
[3] and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living
creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the
hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.
[4] It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are
chaste; it is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes; these have been
redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb,
[5] and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are spotless.
[6]

Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel to
proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue
and people;

[7] and he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, for the
hour of his judgment has come; and worship him who made heaven and earth,
the sea and the fountains of water."
[8]

Another angel, a second, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the
great, she who made all nations drink the wine of her impure passion."

[9]

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If
any one worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark on his
forehead or on his hand,

[10] he also shall drink the wine of God's wrath, poured unmixed into the
cup of his anger, and he shall be tormented with fire and sulphur in the
presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
[11] And the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever; and they
have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image,
and whoever receives the mark of its name."
[12]

Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the
commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

[13]

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead
who die in the Lord henceforth." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that
they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!"

Matthew 14:1-12

[1]

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus;

[2] and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist, he has been
raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him."
[3] For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison, for the
sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife;
[4] because John said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
[5] And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people,
because they held him to be a prophet.
[6] But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Hero'di-as danced
before the company, and pleased Herod,
[7] so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.
[8] Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the
Baptist here on a platter."
[9] And the king was sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he
commanded it to be given;
[10] he sent and had John beheaded in the prison,
[11] and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she
brought it to her mother.
[12] And his disciples came and took the body and buried it; and they went
and told Jesus.

Wednesday

2007-11-07T02:53:00.000-05:00

Nehemiah 13:4-22

[4]

Now before this, Eli'ashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers
of the house of our God, and who was connected with Tobi'ah,

[5] prepared for Tobi'ah a large chamber where they had previously put the
cereal offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain,
wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers,
and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.
[6] While this was taking place I was not in Jerusalem, for in the
thirty-second year of Ar-ta-xerx'es king of Babylon I went to the king.
And after some time I asked leave of the king
[7] and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eli'ashib
had done for Tobi'ah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the
house of God.
[8] And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of
Tobi'ah out of the chamber.
[9] Then I gave orders and they cleansed the chambers; and I brought back
thither the vessels of the house of God, with the cereal offering and the
frankincense.
[10]

I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to
them; so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each
to his field.

[11] So I remonstrated with the officials and said, "Why is the house of
God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their
stations.
[12] Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the
storehouses.
[13] And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemi'ah the
priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedai'ah of the Levites, and as their
assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattani'ah, for they were
counted faithful; and their duty was to distribute to their brethren.
[14] Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good
deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.
[15]

In those days I saw in Judah men treading wine presses on the sabbath, and
bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on asses; and also wine,
grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem
on the sabbath day; and I warned them on the day when they sold food.

[16] Men of Tyre also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all
kinds of wares and sold them on the sabbath to the people of Judah, and in
Jerusalem.
[17] Then I remonstrated with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What
is this evil thing which you are doing, profaning the sabbath day?
[18] Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all
this evil on us and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath upon Israel by
profaning the sabbath."
[19]

When it began to be dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I
commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should
not be opened until after the sabbath. And I set some of my servants over
the gates, that no burden might be brought in on the sabbath day.

[20] Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside
Jerusalem once or twice.
[21] But I warned them and said to them, "Why do you lodge before the
wall? If you do so again I will lay hands on you." From that time on they
did not come on the sabbath.
[22] And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and
come and guard the gates, to keep the sabbath day holy. Remember this also
in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of thy
steadfast love.

Revelation 12:1-12

[1]

And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with
the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;

[2] she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish
for delivery.
[3] And another portent appeared in heaven; behold, a great red dragon,
with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon his heads.
[4] His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven, and cast them to
the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a
child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth;
[5] she brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations
with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,
[6] and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared
by God, in which to be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty
days.
[7]

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the
dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,

[8] but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in
heaven.
[9] And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is
called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world -- he was
thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
[10] And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and
the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have
come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses
them day and night before our God.
[11] And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word
of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
[12] Rejoice then, O heaven and you that dwell therein! But woe to you, O
earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because
he knows that his time is short!"

Matthew 13:53-58

[53]

And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there,

[54] and coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so
that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom
and these mighty works?
[55] Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And
are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
[56] And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all
this?"
[57] And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is
not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."
[58] And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Tuesday

2007-11-06T02:32:00.000-05:00

Nehemiah 12:27-31, 42-47

[27]

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in
all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication
with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps,
and lyres.

[28] And the sons of the singers gathered together from the circuit round
Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netoph'athites;
[29] also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Az'maveth; for
the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem.
[30] And the priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they
purified the people and the gates and the wall.
[31]

Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two
great companies which gave thanks and went in procession. One went to the
right upon the wall to the Dung Gate;

[32] and after them went Hoshai'ah and half of the princes of Judah,
[33] and Azari'ah, Ezra, Meshul'lam,
[34] Judah, Benjamin, Shemai'ah, and Jeremiah,
[35] and certain of the priests' sons with trumpets: Zechari'ah the son of
Jonathan, son of Shemai'ah, son of Mattani'ah, son of Micai'ah, son of
Zaccur, son of Asaph;
[36] and his kinsmen, Shemai'ah, Az'arel, Mil'alai, Gil'alai, Ma'ai,
Nethan'el, Judah, and Hana'ni, with the musical instruments of David the
man of God; and Ezra the scribe went before them.
[37] At the Fountain Gate they went up straight before them by the stairs
of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David,
to the Water Gate on the east.
[38]

The other company of those who gave thanks went to the left, and I
followed them with half of the people, upon the wall, above the Tower of
the Ovens, to the Broad Wall,

[39] and above the Gate of E'phraim, and by the Old Gate, and by the Fish
Gate and the Tower of Hanan'el and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep
Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard.
[40] So both companies of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God,
and I and half of the officials with me;
[41] and the priests Eli'akim, Ma-asei'ah, Mini'amin, Micai'ah,
Eli-o-e'nai, Zechari'ah, and Hanani'ah, with trumpets;
[42] and Ma-asei'ah, Shemai'ah, Elea'zar, Uzzi, Jehoha'nan, Malchi'jah,
Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahi'ah as their leader.
[43] And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had
made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced.
And the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.
[44]

On that day men were appointed over the chambers for the stores, the
contributions, the first fruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the
portions required by the law for the priests and for the Levites according
to the fields of the towns; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the
Levites who ministered.

[45] And they performed the service of their God and the service of
purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the
command of David and his son Solomon.
[46] For in the days of David and Asaph of old there was a chief of the
singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.
[47] And all Israel in the days of Zerub'babel and in the days of
Nehemi'ah gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; and
they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart
that which was for the sons of Aaron.

Revelation 11:1-19

[1]

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told: "Rise and
measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there,

[2] but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for
it is given over to the nations, and they will trample over the holy city
for forty-two months.
[3] And I will grant my two witnesses power to prophesy for one thousand
two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
[4]

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before
the Lord of the earth.

[5] And if any one would harm them, fire pours out from their mouth and
consumes their foes; if any one would harm them, thus he is doomed to be
killed.
[6] They have power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days
of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them
into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they
desire.
[7] And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends
from the bottomless pit will make war upon them and conquer them and kill
them,
[8] and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which
is allegorically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
[9] For three days and a half men from the peoples and tribes and tongues
and nations gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in
a tomb,
[10] and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make
merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment
to those who dwell on the earth.
[11] But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered
them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who
saw them.
[12] Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up
hither!" And in the sight of their foes they went up to heaven in a cloud.
[13] And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the
city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the
rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
[14]

The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.

[15]

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in
heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our
Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever."

[16] And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell
on their faces and worshiped God,
[17] saying, "We give thanks to thee, Lord God Almighty, who art and who
wast,
that thou hast taken thy great power and begun to reign.
[18] The nations raged, but thy wrath came,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
for rewarding thy servants, the prophets and saints,
and those who fear thy name, both small and great,
and for destroying the destroyers of the earth."
[19]

Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was
seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals
of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

Matthew 13:44-52

[44]

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man
found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has
and buys that field.

[45]

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

[46] who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he
had and bought it.
[47]

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea
and gathered fish of every kind;

[48] when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good
into vessels but threw away the bad.
[49] So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and
separate the evil from the righteous,
[50] and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and
gnash their teeth.
[51]

"Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes."

[52] And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for
the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure
what is new and what is old."

Monday

2007-11-05T04:24:00.000-05:00

Nehemiah 6:1-19

[1]

Now when it was reported to Sanbal'lat and Tobi'ah and to Geshem the Arab
and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall and that there
was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the
doors in the gates),

[2] Sanbal'lat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet
together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they intended to
do me harm.
[3] And I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I
cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down
to you?"
[4] And they sent to me four times in this way and I answered them in the
same manner.
[5] In the same way Sanbal'lat for the fifth time sent his servant to me
with an open letter in his hand.
[6] In it was written, "It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also
says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are
building the wall; and you wish to become their king, according to this
report.
[7] And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in
Jerusalem, `There is a king in Judah.' And now it will be reported to the
king according to these words. So now come, and let us take counsel
together."
[8] Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say have been done,
for you are inventing them out of your own mind."
[9] For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will drop
from the work, and it will not be done." But now, O God, strengthen thou
my hands.
[10]

Now when I went into the house of Shemai'ah the son of Delai'ah, son of
Mehet'abel, who was shut up, he said, "Let us meet together in the house
of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple; for
they are coming to kill you, at night they are coming to kill you."

[11] But I said, "Should such a man as I flee? And what man such as I
could go into the temple and live? I will not go in."
[12] And I understood, and saw that God had not sent him, but he had
pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobi'ah and Sanbal'lat had
hired him.
[13] For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in
this way and sin, and so they could give me an evil name, in order to
taunt me.
[14] Remember Tobi'ah and Sanbal'lat, O my God, according to these things
that they did, and also the prophetess No-adi'ah and the rest of the
prophets who wanted to make me afraid.
[15]

So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in
fifty-two days.

[16] And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations round about us
were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem; for they perceived that
this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.
[17] Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to
Tobi'ah, and Tobi'ah's letters came to them.
[18] For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the
son-in-law of Shecani'ah the son of Arah: and his son Jehoha'nan had taken
the daughter of Meshul'lam the son of Berechi'ah as his wife.
[19] Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence, and reported my
words to him. And Tobi'ah sent letters to make me afraid.

Revelations 10:1-11

[1]

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a
cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and
his legs like pillars of fire.

[2] He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on
the sea, and his left foot on the land,
[3] and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring; when he called
out, the seven thunders sounded.
[4] And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I
heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have
said, and do not write it down."
[5] And the angel whom I saw standing on sea and land lifted up his right
hand to heaven
[6] and swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created heaven and
what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it,
that there should be no more delay,
[7] but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh
angel, the mystery of God, as he announced to his servants the prophets,
should be fulfilled.
[8]

Then the voice which I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying,
"Go, take the scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who is
standing on the sea and on the land."

[9] So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll; and
he said to me, "Take it and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but
sweet as honey in your mouth."
[10] And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it;
it was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was
made bitter.
[11] And I was told, "You must again prophesy about many peoples and
nations and tongues and kings."

Matthew 13:36-43

[36]

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to
him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."

[37] He answered, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man;
[38] the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the
kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one,
[39] and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the close
of the age, and the reapers are angels.
[40] Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at
the close of the age.
[41] The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his
kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers,
[42] and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and
gnash their teeth.
[43] Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their
Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

Saturday

2007-11-03T02:22:00.000-04:00

Nehemiah 4:1-23

[1]

Now when Sanbal'lat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and
greatly enraged, and he ridiculed the Jews.

[2] And he said in the presence of his brethren and of the army of
Sama'ria, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore things?
Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the
stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?"
[3] Tobi'ah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, "Yes, what they are
building -- if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!
[4] Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn back their taunt upon their
own heads, and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are
captives.
[5] Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from
thy sight; for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.
[6]

So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its
height. For the people had a mind to work.

[7]

But when Sanbal'lat and Tobi'ah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the
Ash'dodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going
forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very
angry;

[8] and they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and
to cause confusion in it.
[9] And we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them
day and night.
[10]

But Judah said, "The strength of the burden-bearers is failing, and there
is much rubbish; we are not able to work on the wall."

[11] And our enemies said, "They will not know or see till we come into
the midst of them and kill them and stop the work."
[12] When the Jews who lived by them came they said to us ten times, "From
all the places where they live they will come up against us."
[13] So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places,
I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords,
their spears, and their bows.
[14] And I looked, and arose, and said to the nobles and to the officials
and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the
Lord, who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons,
your daughters, your wives, and your homes."
[15]

When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated
their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.

[16] From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and
half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail; and the leaders
stood behind all the house of Judah,
[17] who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were laden
in such a way that each with one hand labored on the work and with the
other held his weapon.
[18] And each of the builders had his sword girded at his side while he
built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
[19] And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the
people, "The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the
wall, far from one another.
[20] In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us
there. Our God will fight for us."
[21]

So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break
of dawn till the stars came out.

[22] I also said to the people at that time, "Let every man and his
servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us
by night and may labor by day."
[23] So neither I nor my brethren nor my servants nor the men of the guard
who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon in
his hand.

Revelation 7:9:17

[9]

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could
number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues,
standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes,
with palm branches in their hands,

[10] and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who
sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!"
[11] And all the angels stood round the throne and round the elders and
the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne
and worshiped God,
[12] saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and
honor and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen."
[13]

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, clothed in
white robes, and whence have they come?"

[14] I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are they
who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
[15] Therefore are they before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night within his temple;
and he who sits upon the throne will shelter them with his
presence.
[16] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more;
the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
[17] For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water;
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Matthew 13:31-35

[31]

Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like
a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field;

[32] it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the
greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come
and make nests in its branches."
[33]

He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which
a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all
leavened."

[34]

All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he said nothing to
them without a parable.

[35] This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my
mouth in parables,
I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the
world."

Friday

2007-11-02T03:02:00.000-04:00

Nehemiah 2:1-20

[1] In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Ar-ta-xerx'es,
when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now
I had not been sad in his presence.
[2] And the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, seeing you are not
sick? This is nothing else but sadness of the heart." Then I was very much
afraid.
[3] I said to the king, "Let the king live for ever! Why should not my
face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lies
waste, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"
[4] Then the king said to me, "For what do you make request?" So I prayed
to the God of heaven.
[5] And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant
has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of
my fathers' sepulchres, that I may rebuild it."
[6] And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), "How long will
you be gone, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me;
and I set him a time.
[7] And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, let letters be given
me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me
pass through until I come to Judah;
[8] and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may
give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple,
and for the wall of the city, and for the house which I shall occupy." And
the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
[9]

Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and gave
them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the
army and horsemen.

[10] But when Sanbal'lat the Hor'onite and Tobi'ah the servant, the
Ammonite, heard this, it displeased them greatly that some one had come to
seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
[11]

So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days.

[12] Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; and I told no one
what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no beast
with me but the beast on which I rode.
[13] I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Jackal's Well and to
the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem which were broken
down and its gates which had been destroyed by fire.
[14] Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool; but there
was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.
[15] Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall; and
I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned.
[16] And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing;
and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials,
and the rest that were to do the work.
[17]

Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in
ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem,
that we may no longer suffer disgrace."

[18] And I told them of the hand of my God which had been upon me for
good, and also of the words which the king had spoken to me. And they
said, "Let us rise up and build." So they strengthened their hands for the
good work.
[19] But when Sanbal'lat the Hor'onite and Tobi'ah the servant, the
Ammonite, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they derided us and despised us
and said, "What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling
against the king?"
[20] Then I replied to them, "The God of heaven will make us prosper, and
we his servants will arise and build; but you have no portion or right or
memorial in Jerusalem."

Revelation 6:12-7:4

[12]

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great
earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became
like blood,

[13] and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its
winter fruit when shaken by a gale;
[14] the sky vanished like a scroll that is rolled up, and every mountain
and island was removed from its place.
[15] Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the generals and
the rich and the strong, and every one, slave and free, hid in the caves
and among the rocks of the mountains,
[16] calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the
face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;
[17] for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand before
it?"
Rev.7
[1]

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth,
holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth
or sea or against any tree.

[2] Then I saw another angel ascend from the rising of the sun, with the
seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels
who had been given power to harm earth and sea,
[3] saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, till we have
sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads."
[4] And I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty-four
thousand sealed, out of every tribe of the sons of Israel,

Matthew 13:24-30

[24]

Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be
compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field;

[25] but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the
wheat, and went away.
[26] So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared
also.
[27] And the servants of the householder came and said to him, `Sir, did
you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?'
[28] He said to them, `An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him,
`Then do you want us to go and gather them?'
[29] But he said, `No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat
along with them.
[30] Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will
tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be
burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"

Thursday

2007-11-01T03:28:00.000-04:00

Nehemiah 1:1-11

[1] The words of Nehemi'ah the son of Hacali'ah.

Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was
in Susa the capital,

[2] that Hana'ni, one of my brethren, came with certain men out of Judah;
and I asked them concerning the Jews that survived, who had escaped exile,
and concerning Jerusalem.
[3] And they said to me, "The survivors there in the province who escaped
exile are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken
down, and its gates are destroyed by fire."
[4]

When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days; and I
continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

[5] And I said, "O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God who
keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his
commandments;
[6] let thy ear be attentive, and thy eyes open, to hear the prayer of thy
servant which I now pray before thee day and night for the people of
Israel thy servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we
have sinned against thee. Yea, I and my father's house have sinned.
[7] We have acted very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the
commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances which thou didst command
thy servant Moses.
[8] Remember the word which thou didst command thy servant Moses, saying,
`If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples;
[9] but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though
your dispersed be under the farthest skies, I will gather them thence and
bring them to the place which I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.'
[10] They are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy
great power and by thy strong hand.
[11] O Lord, let thy ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to
the prayer of thy servants who delight to fear thy name; and give success
to thy servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man."

Now I was cupbearer to the king.

Revelation 5:11-6:11

[11] Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures
and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and
thousands of thousands,
[12] saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to
receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and
blessing!"
[13] And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth
and in the sea, and all therein, saying, "To him who sits upon the throne
and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever and
ever!"
[14] And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down
and worshiped.
Rev.6
[1]

Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of
the four living creatures say, as with a voice of thunder, "Come!"

[2] And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and its rider had a bow; and a
crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
[3]

When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say,
"Come!"

[4] And out came another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to
take peace from the earth, so that men should slay one another; and he was
given a great sword.
[5]

When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say,
"Come!" And I saw, and behold, a black horse, and its rider had a balance
in his hand;

[6] and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living
creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of
barley for a denarius; but do not harm oil and wine!"
[7]

When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living
creature say, "Come!"

[8] And I saw, and behold, a pale horse, and its rider's name was Death,
and Hades followed him; and they were given power over a fourth of the
earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild
beasts of the earth.
[9]

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those
who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne;

[10] they cried out with a loud voice, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true,
how long before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell
upon the earth?"
[11] Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little
longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren
should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

Matthew 13:18-23

[18]

"Hear then the parable of the sower.

[19] When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand
it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this
is what was sown along the path.
[20] As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word
and immediately receives it with joy;
[21] yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when
tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he
falls away.
[22] As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but
the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it
proves unfruitful.
[23] As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and
understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a
hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."

Wednesday

2007-10-31T03:55:00.000-04:00

Ezra 6:1-22

[1]

Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in Babylonia, in
the house of the archives where the documents were stored.

[2] And in Ecbat'ana, the capital which is in the province of Media, a
scroll was found on which this was written: "A record.
[3] In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree:
Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the
place where sacrifices are offered and burnt offerings are brought; its
height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth sixty cubits,
[4] with three courses of great stones and one course of timber; let the
cost be paid from the royal treasury.
[5] And also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which
Nebuchadnez'zar took out of the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to
Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple which is in Jerusalem,
each to its place; you shall put them in the house of God."
[6]

"Now therefore, Tat'tenai, governor of the province Beyond the River,
She'thar-boz'enai, and your associates the governors who are in the
province Beyond the River, keep away;

[7] let the work on this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews
and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site.
[8] Moreover I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders
of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God; the cost is to be
paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the
tribute of the province from Beyond the River.
[9] And whatever is needed -- young bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt
offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests
at Jerusalem require -- let that be given to them day by day without fail,
[10] that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven, and
pray for the life of the king and his sons.
[11] Also I make a decree that if any one alters this edict, a beam shall
be pulled out of his house, and he shall be impaled upon it, and his house
shall be made a dunghill.
[12] May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king
or people that shall put forth a hand to alter this, or to destroy this
house of God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius make a decree; let it be done
with all diligence."
[13]

Then, according to the word sent by Darius the king, Tat'tenai, the
governor of the province Beyond the River, She'thar-boz'enai, and their
associates did with all diligence what Darius the king had ordered.

[14] And the elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the
prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechari'ah the son of Iddo. They
finished their building by command of the God of Israel and by decree of
Cyrus and Darius and Ar-ta-xerx'es king of Persia;
[15] and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in
the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
[16]

And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the
returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

[17] They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred
bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all
Israel twelve he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
[18] And they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their
courses, for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book
of Moses.
[19]

On the fourteenth day of the first month the returned exiles kept the
passover.

[20] For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all
of them were clean. So they killed the passover lamb for all the returned
exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves;
[21] it was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and
also by every one who had joined them and separated himself from the
pollutions of the peoples of the land to worship the LORD, the God of
Israel.
[22] And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; for
the LORD had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of
Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God,
the God of Israel.

Revelation 5:1-10

[1]

And I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll
written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals;

[2] and I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy
to open the scroll and break its seals?"
[3] And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open
the scroll or to look into it,
[4] and I wept much that no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to
into into it.
[5] Then one of the elders said to me, "Weep not; lo, the Lion of the
tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the
scroll and its seven seals."
[6]

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders,
I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and
with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the
earth;

[7] and he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was
seated on the throne.
[8] And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the
twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and
with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints;
[9] and they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy art thou to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for God
from every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
[10] and hast made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on earth."

Matthew 13:10-17

[10]

Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in
parables?"

[11] And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets
of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
[12] For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance;
but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
[13] This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not
see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
[14] With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: `You
shall indeed hear but never understand,
and you shall indeed see but never perceive.
[15] For this people's heart has grown dull,
and their ears are heavy of hearing,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should perceive with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart,
and turn for me to heal them.'
[16] But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they
hear.
[17] Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see
what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not
hear it.

Tuesday

2007-10-30T02:34:00.000-04:00

Ezra 5:1-17

[1]

Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechari'ah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the
Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who
was over them.

[2] Then Zerub'babel the son of She-al'ti-el and Jeshua the son of
Jo'zadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in
Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.
[3]

At the same time Tat'tenai the governor of the province Beyond the River
and She'thar-boz'enai and their associates came to them and spoke to them
thus, "Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this
structure?"

[4] They also asked them this, "What are the names of the men who are
building this building?"
[5] But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did
not stop them till a report should reach Darius and then answer be
returned by letter concerning it.
[6]

The copy of the letter which Tat'tenai the governor of the province Beyond
the River and She'thar-boz'enai and his associates the governors who were
in the province Beyond the River sent to Darius the king;

[7] they sent him a report, in which was written as follows: "To Darius
the king, all peace.
[8] Be it known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the
house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones, and timber is
laid in the walls; this work goes on diligently and prospers in their
hands.
[9] Then we asked those elders and spoke to them thus, `Who gave you a
decree to build this house and to finish this structure?'
[10] We also asked them their names, for your information, that we might
write down the names of the men at their head.
[11] And this was their reply to us: `We are the servants of the God of
heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many
years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.
[12] But because our fathers had angered the God of heaven, he gave them
into the hand of Nebuchadnez'zar king of Babylon, the Chalde'an, who
destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia.
[13] However in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king
made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt.
[14] And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which
Nebuchadnez'zar had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and
brought into the temple of Babylon, these Cyrus the king took out of the
temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was
Shesh-baz'zar, whom he had made governor;
[15] and he said to him, "Take these vessels, go and put them in the
temple which is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its
site."
[16] Then this Shesh-baz'zar came and laid the foundations of the house of
God which is in Jerusalem; and from that time until now it has been in
building, and it is not yet finished.'
[17] Therefore, if it seem good to the king, let search be made in the
royal archives there in Babylon, to see whether a decree was issued by
Cyrus the king for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. And
let the king send us his pleasure in this matter."

Revelation 4:1-11

[1]

After this I looked, and lo, in heaven an open door! And the first voice,
which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, "Come up hither,
and I will show you what must take place after this."

[2] At once I was in the Spirit, and lo, a throne stood in heaven, with
one seated on the throne!
[3] And he who sat there appeared like jasper and carnelian, and round the
throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald.
[4] Round the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones
were twenty-four elders, clad in white garments, with golden crowns upon
their heads.
[5] From the throne issue flashes of lightning, and voices and peals of
thunder, and before the throne burn seven torches of fire, which are the
seven spirits of God;
[6] and before the throne there is as it were a sea of glass, like
crystal.

And round the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living
creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:

[7] the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like
an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth
living creature like a flying eagle.
[8] And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full
of eyes all round and within, and day and night they never cease to sing,
"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!"
[9] And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to
him who is seated on the throne, who lives for ever and ever,
[10] the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the
throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever; they cast their crowns
before the throne, singing,
[11] "Worthy art thou, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for thou didst create all things,
and by thy will they existed and were created."

Matthew 13:1-9

[1]

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.

[2] And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and
sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach.
[3] And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to
sow.
[4] And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came
and devoured them.
[5] Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and
immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil,
[6] but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root
they withered away.
[7] Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
[8] Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a
hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
[9] He who has ears, let him hear."

Monday

2007-10-29T02:04:00.000-04:00

Zechariah 1:7-17

[7]

On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month which is the month of
Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to
Zechari'ah the son of Berechi'ah, son of Iddo, the prophet; and Zechari'ah
said,

[8] "I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding upon a red horse! He was
standing among the myrtle trees in the glen; and behind him were red,
sorrel, and white horses.
[9] Then I said, `What are these, my lord?' The angel who talked with me
said to me, `I will show you what they are.'
[10] So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, `These
are they whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.'
[11] And they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the
myrtle trees, `We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth
remains at rest.'
[12] Then the angel of the LORD said, `O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou
have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which thou
hast had indignation these seventy years?'
[13] And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who
talked with me.
[14] So the angel who talked with me said to me, `Cry out, Thus says the
LORD of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.
[15] And I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I
was angry but a little they furthered the disaster.
[16] Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with
compassion; my house shall be built in it, says the LORD of hosts, and the
measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.
[17] Cry again, Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again
overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again
choose Jerusalem.'"

Revelation 1:4-20

[4]

John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and
from the seven spirits who are before his throne,

[5] and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first-born of the
dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

[6] and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory
and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
[7] Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him,
every one who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on
account of him. Even so. Amen.
[8]

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and
who is to come, the Almighty.

[9]

I John, your brother, who share with you in Jesus the tribulation and the
kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos on
account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

[10] I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud
voice like a trumpet
[11] saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven
churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Per'gamum and to Thyati'ra and
to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to La-odice'a."
[12]

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I
saw seven golden lampstands,

[13] and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed
with a long robe and with a golden girdle round his breast;
[14] his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his
eyes were like a flame of fire,
[15] his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his
voice was like the sound of many waters;
[16] in his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth issued a sharp
two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
[17]

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right
hand upon me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last,

[18] and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I
have the keys of Death and Hades.
[19] Now write what you see, what is and what is to take place hereafter.
[20] As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand,
and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the
seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Matthew 12:43-50

[43]

"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through
waterless places seeking rest, but he finds none.

[44] Then he says, `I will return to my house from which I came.' And when
he comes he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
[45] Then he goes and brings with him seven other spirits more evil than
himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man
becomes worse than the first. So shall it be also with this evil
generation."
[46]

While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his
brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.

[48] But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who
are my brothers?"
[49] And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are
my mother and my brothers!
[50] For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and
sister, and mother."

Friday

2007-10-26T04:12:00.000-04:00

Ezra 3:1-13

[1]

When the seventh month came, and the sons of Israel were in the towns, the
people gathered as one man to Jerusalem.

[2] Then arose Jeshua the son of Jo'zadak, with his fellow priests, and
Zerub'babel the son of She-al'ti-el with his kinsmen, and they built the
altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings upon it, as it is
written in the law of Moses the man of God.
[3] They set the altar in its place, for fear was upon them because of the
peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings upon it to the
LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening.
[4] And they kept the feast of booths, as it is written, and offered the
daily burnt offerings by number according to the ordinance, as each day
required,
[5] and after that the continual burnt offerings, the offerings at the new
moon and at all the appointed feasts of the LORD, and the offerings of
every one who made a freewill offering to the LORD.
[6] From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt
offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was
not yet laid.
[7] So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink,
and oil to the Sido'nians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from
Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant which they had from
Cyrus king of Persia.
[8]

Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem,
in the second month, Zerub'babel the son of She-al'ti-el and Jeshua the
son of Jo'zadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their
brethren, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem
from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and
upward, to have the oversight of the work of the house of the LORD.

[9] And Jeshua with his sons and his kinsmen, and Kad'mi-el and his sons,
the sons of Judah, together took the oversight of the workmen in the house
of God, along with the sons of Hen'adad and the Levites, their sons and
kinsmen.
[10]

And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the
priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites,
the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the
directions of David king of Israel;

[11] and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD,
"For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever toward Israel."
And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD,
because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
[12] But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' houses, old
men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the
foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy;
[13] so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful
shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted with
a great shout, and the sound was heard afar.

1 Corinthians 16:10-24

[10] When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is
doing the work of the Lord, as I am.
[11] So let no one despise him. Speed him on his way in peace, that he may
return to me; for I am expecting him with the brethren.
[12]

As for our brother Apol'los, I strongly urged him to visit you with the
other brethren, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come
when he has opportunity.

[13]

Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.

[14] Let all that you do be done in love.
[15]

Now, brethren, you know that the household of Steph'anas were the first
converts in Acha'ia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of
the saints;

[16] I urge you to be subject to such men and to every fellow worker and
laborer.
[17] I rejoice at the coming of Steph'anas and Fortuna'tus and Acha'icus,
because they have made up for your absence;
[18] for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to
such men.
[19]

The churches of Asia send greetings. Aq'uila and Prisca, together with the
church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord.

[20] All the brethren send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
[21]

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.

[22] If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord,
come!
[23] The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
[24] My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 12:22-32

[22]

Then a blind and dumb demoniac was brought to him, and he healed him, so
that the dumb man spoke and saw.

[23] And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of
David?"
[24] But when the Pharisees heard it they said, "It is only by
Be-el'zebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons."
[25] Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided
against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself
will stand;
[26] and if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then
will his kingdom stand?
[27] And if I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul, by whom do your sons cast
them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
[28] But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the
kingdom of God has come upon you.
[29] Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods,
unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his
house.
[30] He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with
me scatters.
[31] Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men,
but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
[32] And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but
whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in
this age or in the age to come.

Thursday

2007-10-25T03:29:00.000-04:00

Ezra 1:1-11

[1] In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD
by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the
spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he made a proclamation throughout
all his kingdom and also put it in writing:
[2]

"Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me
all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house
at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

[3] Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and
let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of
the LORD, the God of Israel -- he is the God who is in Jerusalem;
[4] and let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by
the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts,
besides freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem."
[5]

Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and
the priests and the Levites, every one whose spirit God had stirred to go
up to rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem;

[6] and all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with
gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was
freely offered.
[7] Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD
which Nebuchadnez'zar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the
house of his gods.
[8] Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in charge of Mith'redath the
treasurer, who counted them out to Shesh-baz'zar the prince of Judah.
[9] And this was the number of them: a thousand basins of gold, a thousand
basins of silver, twenty-nine censers,
[10] thirty bowls of gold, two thousand four hundred and ten bowls of
silver, and a thousand other vessels;
[11] all the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand four hundred
and sixty-nine. All these did Shesh-baz'zar bring up, when the exiles were
brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 16:1-9

[1]

Now concerning the contribution for the saints: as I directed the churches
of Galatia, so you also are to do.

[2] On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside
and store it up, as he may prosper, so that contributions need not be made
when I come.
[3] And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to
carry your gift to Jerusalem.
[4] If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.
[5]

I will visit you after passing through Macedo'nia, for I intend to pass
through Macedo'nia,

[6] and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you
may speed me on my journey, wherever I go.
[7] For I do not want to see you now just in passing; I hope to spend some
time with you, if the Lord permits.
[8] But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost,
[9] for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are
many adversaries.

Matthew 12:15-21

[15]

Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he
healed them all,

[16] and ordered them not to make him known.
[17] This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
[18] "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
[19] He will not wrangle or cry aloud,
nor will any one hear his voice in the streets;
[20] he will not break a bruised reed
or quench a smoldering wick,
till he brings justice to victory;
[21] and in his name will the Gentiles hope."

Wednesday

2007-10-25T03:27:00.000-04:00

Lamentations 2:8-15

[8] The LORD determined to lay in ruins
the wall of the daughter of Zion;
he marked it off by the line;
he restrained not his hand from destroying;
he caused rampart and wall to lament,
they languish together.
[9] Her gates have sunk into the ground;
he has ruined and broken her bars;
her king and princes are among the nations;
the law is no more,
and her prophets obtain
no vision from the LORD.
[10] The elders of the daughter of Zion
sit on the ground in silence;
they have cast dust on their heads
and put on sackcloth;
the maidens of Jerusalem
have bowed their heads to the ground.
[11] My eyes are spent with weeping;
my soul is in tumult;
my heart is poured out in grief
because of the destruction of the daughter of my people,
because infants and babes faint
in the streets of the city.
[12] They cry to their mothers,
"Where is bread and wine?"
as they faint like wounded men
in the streets of the city,
as their life is poured out
on their mothers' bosom.
[13] What can I say for you, to what compare you,
O daughter of Jerusalem?
What can I liken to you, that I may comfort you,
O virgin daughter of Zion?
For vast as the sea is your ruin;
who can restore you?
[14] Your prophets have seen for you
false and deceptive visions;
they have not exposed your iniquity
to restore your fortunes,
but have seen for you oracles
false and misleading.
[15] All who pass along the way
clap their hands at you;
they hiss and wag their heads
at the daughter of Jerusalem;
"Is this the city which was called
the perfection of beauty,
the joy of all the earth?"

1 Corinthians 15:51-58

[51]

Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed,

[52] in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the
trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall
be changed.
[53] For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this
mortal nature must put on immortality.
[54] When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on
immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is
swallowed up in victory."
[55] "O death, where is thy victory?
O death, where is thy sting?"
[56] The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
[57] But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ.
[58]

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding
in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in
vain.

Matthew 12:1-14

[1]

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his
disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.

[2] But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples
are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath."
[3] He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he was
hungry, and those who were with him:
[4] how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence,
which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him,
but only for the priests?
[5] Or have you not read in the law how on the sabbath the priests in the
temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?
[6] I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.
[7] And if you had known what this means, `I desire mercy, and not
sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.
[8] For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath."
[9]

And he went on from there, and entered their synagogue.

[10] And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And they asked him,
"Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?" so that they might accuse him.
[11] He said to them, "What man of you, if he has one sheep and it falls
into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?
[12] Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do
good on the sabbath."
[13] Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And the man
stretched it out, and it was restored, whole like the other.
[14] But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him, how to
destroy him.

Tuesday

2007-10-23T02:22:00.000-04:00

Lamentations 1:1-5(6-9)10-12

[1] How lonely sits the city
that was full of people!
How like a widow has she become,
she that was great among the nations!
She that was a princess among the cities
has become a vassal.
[2] She weeps bitterly in the night,
tears on her cheeks;
among all her lovers
she has none to comfort her;
all her friends have dealt treacherously with her,
they have become her enemies.
[3] Judah has gone into exile because of affliction
and hard servitude;
she dwells now among the nations,
but finds no resting place;
her pursuers have all overtaken her
in the midst of her distress.
[4] The roads to Zion mourn,
for none come to the appointed feasts;
all her gates are desolate,
her priests groan;
her maidens have been dragged away,
and she herself suffers bitterly.
[5] Her foes have become the head,
her enemies prosper,
because the LORD has made her suffer
for the multitude of her transgressions;
her children have gone away,
captives before the foe.
[6] From the daughter of Zion has departed
all her majesty.
Her princes have become like harts
that find no pasture;
they fled without strength
before the pursuer.
[7] Jerusalem remembers
in the days of her affliction and bitterness
all the precious things
that were hers from days of old.
When her people fell into the hand of the foe,
and there was none to help her,
the foe gloated over her,
mocking at her downfall.
[8] Jerusalem sinned grievously,
therefore she became filthy;
all who honored her despise her,
for they have seen her nakedness;
yea, she herself groans,
and turns her face away.
[9] Her uncleanness was in her skirts;
she took no thought of her doom;
therefore her fall is terrible,
she has no comforter.
"O LORD, behold my affliction,
for the enemy has triumphed!"
[10] The enemy has stretched out his hands
over all her precious things;
yea, she has seen the nations
invade her sanctuary,
those whom thou didst forbid
to enter thy congregation.
[11] All her people groan
as they search for bread;
they trade their treasures for food
to revive their strength.
"Look, O LORD, and behold,
for I am despised."
[12] "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Look and see
if there is any sorrow like my sorrow
which was brought upon me,
which the LORD inflicted
on the day of his fierce anger.

1 Corinthians 15:41-50

[41] There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and
another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
[42]

So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable,
what is raised is imperishable.

[43] It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in
weakness, it is raised in power.
[44] It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there
is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body.
[45] Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the
last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
[46] But it is not the spiritual which is first but the physical, and then
the spiritual.
[47] The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is
from heaven.
[48] As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is
the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven.
[49] Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also
bear the image of the man of heaven.
[50] I tell you this, brethren: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Matthew 11:25-30

[25]

At that time Jesus declared, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding
and revealed them to babes;

[26] yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.
[27] All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows
the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and
any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
[28] Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest.
[29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
[30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Monday

2007-10-22T03:29:00.000-04:00

Jeremiah 44:1-14

[1]

The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews that dwelt in the
land of Egypt, at Migdol, at Tah'panhes, at Memphis, and in the land of
Pathros,

[2] "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: You have seen all the
evil that I brought upon Jerusalem and upon all the cities of Judah.
Behold, this day they are a desolation, and no one dwells in them,
[3] because of the wickedness which they committed, provoking me to anger,
in that they went to burn incense and serve other gods that they knew not,
neither they, nor you, nor your fathers.
[4] Yet I persistently sent to you all my servants the prophets, saying,
'Oh, do not do this abominable thing that I hate!'
[5] But they did not listen or incline their ear, to turn from their
wickedness and burn no incense to other gods.
[6] Therefore my wrath and my anger were poured forth and kindled in the
cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they became a waste
and a desolation, as at this day.
[7] And now thus says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel: Why do you
commit this great evil against yourselves, to cut off from you man and
woman, infant and child, from the midst of Judah, leaving you no remnant?
[8] Why do you provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, burning
incense to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have come to live,
that you may be cut off and become a curse and a taunt among all the
nations of the earth?
[9] Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, the wickedness of
the kings of Judah, the wickedness of their wives, your own wickedness,
and the wickedness of your wives, which they committed in the land of
Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
[10] They have not humbled themselves even to this day, nor have they
feared, nor walked in my law and my statutes which I set before you and
before your fathers.
[11]

"Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will
set my face against you for evil, to cut off all Judah.

[12] I will take the remnant of Judah who have set their faces to come to
the land of Egypt to live, and they shall all be consumed; in the land of
Egypt they shall fall; by the sword and by famine they shall be consumed;
from the least to the greatest, they shall die by the sword and by famine;
and they shall become an execration, a horror, a curse, and a taunt.
[13] I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have
punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence,
[14] so that none of the remnant of Judah who have come to live in the
land of Egypt shall escape or survive or return to the land of Judah, to
which they desire to return to dwell there; for they shall not return,
except some fugitives."

1 Corinthians 15:30-41

[30] Why am I in peril every hour?
[31] I protest, brethren, by my pride in you which I have in Christ Jesus
our Lord, I die every day!
[32] What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus?
If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
[33] Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."
[34] Come to your right mind, and sin no more. For some have no knowledge
of God. I say this to your shame.
[35]

But some one will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do
they come?"

[36] You foolish man! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.
[37] And what you sow is not the body which is to be, but a bare kernel,
perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.
[38] But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed
its own body.
[39] For not all flesh is alike, but there is one kind for men, another
for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.
[40] There are celestial bodies and there are terrestrial bodies; but the
glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is
another.
[41] There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and
another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

Matthew 11:16-24

[16]

"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting
in the market places and calling to their playmates,

[17] `We piped to you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.'
[18] For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, `He has a
demon';
[19] the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, `Behold, a
glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet
wisdom is justified by her deeds."
[20]

Then he began to upbraid the cities where most of his mighty works had
been done, because they did not repent.

[21] "Woe to you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for if the mighty
works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have
repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
[22] But I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for
Tyre and Sidon than for you.
[23] And you, Caper'na-um, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be
brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done
in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
[24] But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment
for the land of Sodom than for you."

Saturday

2007-10-20T04:36:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 25:8-12, 22-26

[8]

In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month -- which was the
nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnez'zar, king of Babylon -- Nebu'zarad'an,
the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to
Jerusalem.

[9] And he burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house and all the
houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down.
[10] And all the army of the Chalde'ans, who were with the captain of the
guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem.
[11] And the rest of the people who were left in the city and the
deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest
of the multitude, Nebu'zarad'an the captain of the guard carried into
exile.
[12] But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to
be vinedressers and plowmen.
[13]

And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the LORD, and the
stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the LORD, the
Chalde'ans broke in pieces, and carried the bronze to Babylon.

[14] And they took away the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and
the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple
service,
[15] the firepans also, and the bowls. What was of gold the captain of the
guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver.
[16] As for the two pillars, the one sea, and the stands, which Solomon
had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these vessels was
beyond weight.
[17] The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and upon it was a
capital of bronze; the height of the capital was three cubits; a network
and pomegranates, all of bronze, were upon the capital round about. And
the second pillar had the like, with the network.
[18]

And the captain of the guard took Serai'ah the chief priest, and
Zephani'ah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold;

[19] and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the
men of war, and five men of the king's council who were found in the city;
and the secretary of the commander of the army who mustered the people of
the land; and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the
city.
[20] And Nebu'zarad'an the captain of the guard took them, and brought
them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
[21] And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death at Riblah
in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile out of its land.
[22]

And over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom
Nebuchadnez'zar king of Babylon had left, he appointed Gedali'ah the son
of Ahi'kam, son of Shaphan, governor.

[23] Now when all the captains of the forces in the open country and their
men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedali'ah governor, they
came with their men to Gedali'ah at Mizpah, namely, Ish'mael the son of
Nethani'ah, and Joha'nan the son of Kare'ah, and Serai'ah the son of
Tanhu'meth the Netoph'athite, and Ja-azani'ah the son of the Ma-ac'athite.
[24] And Gedali'ah swore to them and their men, saying, "Do not be afraid
because of the Chalde'an officials; dwell in the land, and serve the king
of Babylon, and it shall be well with you."
[25] But in the seventh month, Ish'mael the son of Nethani'ah, son of
Eli'shama, of the royal family, came with ten men, and attacked and killed
Gedali'ah and the Jews and the Chalde'ans who were with him at Mizpah.
[26] Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the
forces arose, and went to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chalde'ans.

1 Corinthians 15:12-29

[12]

Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say
that there is no resurrection of the dead?

[13] But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been
raised;
[14] if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your
faith is in vain.
[15] We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of
God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the
dead are not raised.
[16] For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised.
[17] If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still
in your sins.
[18] Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
[19] If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most
to be pitied.
[20]

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of
those who have fallen asleep.

[21] For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection
of the dead.
[22] For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
[23] But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his
coming those who belong to Christ.
[24] Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father
after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
[25] For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
[26] The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
[27] "For God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when
it says, "All things are put in subjection under him," it is plain that he
is excepted who put all things under him.
[28] When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also
be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be
everything to every one.
[29] Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the
dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their
behalf?

Matthew 11:7-15

[7]

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John:
"What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the
wind?

[8] Why then did you go out? To see a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold,
those who wear soft raiment are in kings' houses.
[9] Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more
than a prophet.
[10] This is he of whom it is written, `Behold, I send my messenger before
thy face,
who shall prepare thy way before thee.'
[11] Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one
greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of
heaven is greater than he.
[12] From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has
suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force.
[13] For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John;
[14] and if you are willing to accept it, he is Eli'jah who is to come.
[15] He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Friday

2007-10-19T01:58:00.000-04:00

Jeremiah 38:14-28

[14]

King Zedeki'ah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third
entrance of the temple of the LORD. The king said to Jeremiah, "I will ask
you a question; hide nothing from me."

[15] Jeremiah said to Zedeki'ah, "If I tell you, will you not be sure to
put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me."
[16] Then King Zedeki'ah swore secretly to Jeremiah, "As the LORD lives,
who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the
hand of these men who seek your life."
[17]

Then Jeremiah said to Zedeki'ah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts,
the God of Israel, If you will surrender to the princes of the king of
Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned
with fire, and you and your house shall live.

[18] But if you do not surrender to the princes of the king of Babylon,
then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chalde'ans, and they
shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand."
[19] King Zedeki'ah said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Jews who have
deserted to the Chalde'ans, lest I be handed over to them and they abuse
me."
[20] Jeremiah said, "You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of
the LORD in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your
life shall be spared.
[21] But if you refuse to surrender, this is the vision which the LORD has
shown to me:
[22] Behold, all the women left in the house of the king of Judah were
being led out to the princes of the king of Babylon and were saying, `Your
trusted friends have deceived you
and prevailed against you;
now that your feet are sunk in the mire,
they turn away from you.'
[23] All your wives and your sons shall be led out to the Chalde'ans, and
you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be seized by the
king of Babylon; and this city shall be burned with fire."
[24]

Then Zedeki'ah said to Jeremiah, "Let no one know of these words and you
shall not die.

[25] If the princes hear that I have spoken with you and come to you and
say to you, `Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to
you; hide nothing from us and we will not put you to death,'
[26] then you shall say to them, `I made a humble plea to the king that he
would not send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"
[27] Then all the princes came to Jeremiah and asked him, and he answered
them as the king had instructed him. So they left off speaking with him,
for the conversation had not been overheard.
[28] And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day that
Jerusalem was taken.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

[1]

Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the
gospel, which you received, in which you stand,

[2] by which you are saved, if you hold it fast -- unless you believed in
vain.
[3]

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that
Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures,

[4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance
with the scriptures,
[5] and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
[6] Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most
of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
[7] Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
[8] Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
[9] For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle,
because I persecuted the church of God.
[10] But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was
not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it
was not I, but the grace of God which is with me.
[11] Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Matthew 11:1-6

[1]

And when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on
from there to teach and preach in their cities.

[2]

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word
by his disciples

[3] and said to him, "Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for
another?"
[4] And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see:
[5] the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed
and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news
preached to them.
[6] And blessed is he who takes no offense at me."

Thursday

2007-10-18T01:58:00.000-04:00

Jeremiah 38:1-13

[1]

Now Shephati'ah the son of Mattan, Gedali'ah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the
son of Shelemi'ah, and Pashhur the son of Malchi'ah heard the words that
Jeremiah was saying to all the people,

[2] "Thus says the LORD, He who stays in this city shall die by the sword,
by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes out to the Chalde'ans shall
live; he shall have his life as a prize of war, and live.
[3] Thus says the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of
the army of the king of Babylon and be taken."
[4] Then the princes said to the king, "Let this man be put to death, for
he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and
the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man
is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm."
[5] King Zedeki'ah said, "Behold, he is in your hands; for the king can do
nothing against you."
[6] So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchi'ah, the
king's son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by
ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mire, and Jeremiah
sank in the mire.
[7]

When E'bed-mel'ech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king's house,
heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern -- the king was sitting
in the Benjamin Gate --

[8] E'bed-mel'ech went from the king's house and said to the king,
[9] "My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to
Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern; and he will die
there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city."
[10] Then the king commanded E'bed-mel'ech, the Ethiopian, "Take three men
with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern
before he dies."
[11] So E'bed-mel'ech took the men with him and went to the house of the
king, to a wardrobe of the storehouse, and took from there old rags and
worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes.
[12] Then E'bed-mel'ech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, "Put the rags and
clothes between your armpits and the ropes." Jeremiah did so.
[13] Then they drew Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the
cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

1 Corinthians 14:26-33, 37-40

[26]

What then, brethren? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a
lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be
done for edification.

[27] If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and
each in turn; and let one interpret.
[28] But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silence in
church and speak to himself and to God.
[29] Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is
said.
[30] If a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first be
silent.
[31] For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be
encouraged;
[32] and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
[33] For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.

As in all the churches of the saints,

[34] the women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not
permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says.
[35] If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands
at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
[36] What! Did the word of God originate with you, or are you the only
ones it has reached?
[37]

If any one thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should
acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord.

[38] If any one does not recognize this, he is not recognized.
[39] So, my brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid
speaking in tongues;
[40] but all things should be done decently and in order.

Matthew 10:34-42

[34]

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to
bring peace, but a sword.

[35] For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter
against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
[36] and a man's foes will be those of his own household.
[37] He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and
he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
[38] and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
[39] He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my
sake will find it.
[40]

"He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who
sent me.

[41] He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a
prophet's reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a
righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
[42] And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold
water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his
reward."

Wednesday

2007-10-17T02:56:00.000-04:00

Jeremiah 37:3-21

[3]

King Zedeki'ah sent Jehu'cal the son of Shelemi'ah, and Zephani'ah the
priest, the son of Ma-asei'ah, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "Pray for
us to the LORD our God."

[4] Now Jeremiah was still going in and out among the people, for he had
not yet been put in prison.
[5] The army of Pharaoh had come out of Egypt; and when the Chalde'ans who
were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.
[6]

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet:

[7] "Thus says the LORD, God of Israel: Thus shall you say to the king of
Judah who sent you to me to inquire of me, `Behold, Pharaoh's army which
came to help you is about to return to Egypt, to its own land.
[8] And the Chalde'ans shall come back and fight against this city; they
shall take it and burn it with fire.
[9] Thus says the LORD, Do not deceive yourselves, saying, "The Chalde'ans
will surely stay away from us," for they will not stay away.
[10] For even if you should defeat the whole army of Chalde'ans who are
fighting against you, and there remained of them only wounded men, every
man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.'"
[11]

Now when the Chalde'an army had withdrawn from Jerusalem at the approach
of Pharaoh's army,

[12] Jeremiah set out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to
receive his portion there among the people.
[13] When he was at the Benjamin Gate, a sentry there named Iri'jah the
son of Shelemi'ah, son of Hanani'ah, seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
"You are deserting to the Chalde'ans."
[14] And Jeremiah said, "It is false; I am not deserting to the
Chalde'ans." But Iri'jah would not listen to him, and seized Jeremiah and
brought him to the princes.
[15] And the princes were enraged at Jeremiah, and they beat him and
imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for it had been
made a prison.
[16]

When Jeremiah had come to the dungeon cells, and remained there many days,

[17] King Zedeki'ah sent for him, and received him. The king questioned
him secretly in his house, and said, "Is there any word from the LORD?"
Jeremiah said, "There is." Then he said, "You shall be delivered into the
hand of the king of Babylon."
[18] Jeremiah also said to King Zedeki'ah, "What wrong have I done to you
or your servants or this people, that you have put me in prison?
[19] Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, `The king of
Babylon will not come against you and against this land'?
[20] Now hear, I pray you, O my lord the king: let my humble plea come
before you, and do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the
secretary, lest I die there."
[21] So King Zedeki'ah gave orders, and they committed Jeremiah to the
court of the guard; and a loaf of bread was given him daily from the
bakers' street, until all the bread of the city was gone. So Jeremiah
remained in the court of the guard.

1 Corinthians 14:13-25

[13]

Therefore, he who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to
interpret.

[14] For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.
[15] What am I to do? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the
mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.
[16] Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how can any one in the
position of an outsider say the "Amen" to your thanksgiving when he does
not know what you are saying?
[17] For you may give thanks well enough, but the other man is not
edified.
[18] I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all;
[19] nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind,
in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
[20]

Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; be babes in evil, but in
thinking be mature.

[21] In the law it is written, "By men of strange tongues and by the lips
of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not
listen to me, says the Lord."
[22] Thus, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while
prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.
[23] If, therefore, the whole church assembles and all speak in tongues,
and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?
[24] But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is
convicted by all, he is called to account by all,
[25] the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so, falling on his face,
he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

Matthew 10:24-33

[24]

"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master;

[25] it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant
like his master. If they have called the master of the house Be-el'zebul,
how much more will they malign those of his household.
[26]

"So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be
revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

[27] What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear
whispered, proclaim upon the housetops.
[28] And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
[29] Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall
to the ground without your Father's will.
[30] But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
[31] Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
[32] So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge
before my Father who is in heaven;
[33] but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father
who is in heaven.

Tuesday

2007-10-16T02:46:00.000-04:00

Jeremiah 36:27-37:2

[27]

Now, after the king had burned the scroll with the words which Baruch
wrote at Jeremiah's dictation, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:

[28] "Take another scroll and write on it all the former words that were
in the first scroll, which Jehoi'akim the king of Judah has burned.
[29] And concerning Jehoi'akim king of Judah you shall say, `Thus says the
LORD, You have burned this scroll, saying, "Why have you written in it
that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and
will cut off from it man and beast?"
[30] Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoi'akim king of Judah, He
shall have none to sit upon the throne of David, and his dead body shall
be cast out to the heat by day and the frost by night.
[31] And I will punish him and his offspring and his servants for their
iniquity; I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against
them, but they would not hear.'"
[32]

Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the
son of Neri'ah, who wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words
of the scroll which Jehoi'akim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and
many similar words were added to them.

Jer.37
[1]

Zedeki'ah the son of Josi'ah, whom Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon made
king in the land of Judah, reigned instead of Coni'ah the son of
Jehoi'akim.

[2] But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to
the words of the LORD which he spoke through Jeremiah the prophet.

1 Corinthians 14:1-12

[1]

Make love your aim, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially
that you may prophesy.

[2] For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no
one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.
[3] On the other hand, he who prophesies speaks to men for their
upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.
[4] He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies
edifies the church.
[5] Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. He
who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless some one
interprets, so that the church may be edified.
[6]

Now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how shall I benefit
you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or
teaching?

[7] If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not
give distinct notes, how will any one know what is played?
[8] And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for
battle?
[9] So with yourselves; if you in a tongue utter speech that is not
intelligible, how will any one know what is said? For you will be speaking
into the air.
[10] There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none
is without meaning;
[11] but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a
foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.
[12] So with yourselves; since you are eager for manifestations of the
Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

Matthew 10:16-23

[16]

"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as
serpents and innocent as doves.

[17] Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you
in their synagogues,
[18] and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to
bear testimony before them and the Gentiles.
[19] When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or
what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that
hour;
[20] for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking
through you.
[21] Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child,
and children will rise against parents and have them put to death;
[22] and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures
to the end will be saved.
[23] When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I
say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before
the Son of man comes.

Monday

2007-10-15T02:30:00.000-04:00

Jeremiah 36:11-26

[11]

When Micai'ah the son of Gemari'ah, son of Shaphan, heard all the words of
the LORD from the scroll,

[12] he went down to the king's house, into the secretary's chamber; and
all the princes were sitting there: Eli'shama the secretary, Delai'ah the
son of Shemai'ah, Elna'than the son of Achbor, Gemari'ah the son of
Shaphan, Zedeki'ah the son of Hanani'ah, and all the princes.
[13] And Micai'ah told them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch
read the scroll in the hearing of the people.
[14] Then all the princes sent Jehu'di the son of Nethani'ah, son of
Shelemi'ah, son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, "Take in your hand the scroll
that you read in the hearing of the people, and come." So Baruch the son
of Neri'ah took the scroll in his hand and came to them.
[15] And they said to him, "Sit down and read it." So Baruch read it to
them.
[16] When they heard all the words, they turned one to another in fear;
and they said to Baruch, "We must report all these words to the king."
[17] Then they asked Baruch, "Tell us, how did you write all these words?
Was it at his dictation?"
[18] Baruch answered them, "He dictated all these words to me, while I
wrote them with ink on the scroll."
[19] Then the princes said to Baruch, "Go and hide, you and Jeremiah, and
let no one know where you are."
[20]

So they went into the court to the king, having put the scroll in the
chamber of Eli'shama the secretary; and they reported all the words to the
king.

[21] Then the king sent Jehu'di to get the scroll, and he took it from the
chamber of Eli'shama the secretary; and Jehu'di read it to the king and
all the princes who stood beside the king.
[22] It was the ninth month, and the king was sitting in the winter house
and there was a fire burning in the brazier before him.
[23] As Jehu'di read three or four columns, the king would cut them off
with a penknife and throw them into the fire in the brazier, until the
entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier.
[24] Yet neither the king, nor any of his servants who heard all these
words, was afraid, nor did they rend their garments.
[25] Even when Elna'than and Delai'ah and Gemari'ah urged the king not to
burn the scroll, he would not listen to them.
[26] And the king commanded Jerah'meel the king's son and Serai'ah the son
of Az'ri-el and Shelemi'ah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the secretary
and Jeremiah the prophet, but the LORD hid them.

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

[4]

Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful;

[5] it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is
not irritable or resentful;
[6] it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.
[7] Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures
all things.
[8]

Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues,
they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

[9] For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect;
[10] but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.
[11] When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I
reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
[12] For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know
in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully
understood.
[13] So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is
love.

Matthew 10:5-15

[5]

These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the
Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans,

[6] but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
[7] And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
[8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You
received without paying, give without pay.
[9] Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts,
[10] no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff;
for the laborer deserves his food.
[11] And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it,
and stay with him until you depart.
[12] As you enter the house, salute it.
[13] And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is
not worthy, let your peace return to you.
[14] And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake
off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.
[15] Truly, I say to you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of
judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomor'rah than for that town.

Saturday

2007-10-15T02:27:00.000-04:00

Jeremiah 35:1-19

[1]

The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoi'akim
the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah:

[2] "Go to the house of the Re'chabites, and speak with them, and bring
them to the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers; then offer them
wine to drink."
[3] So I took Ja-azani'ah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazzini'ah, and
his brothers, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Re'chabites.
[4] I brought them to the house of the LORD into the chamber of the sons
of Hanan the son of Igdali'ah, the man of God, which was near the chamber
of the princes, above the chamber of Ma-asei'ah the son of Shallum, keeper
of the threshold.
[5] Then I set before the Re'chabites pitchers full of wine, and cups; and
I said to them, "Drink wine."
[6] But they answered, "We will drink no wine, for Jon'adab the son of
Rechab, our father, commanded us, `You shall not drink wine, neither you
nor your sons for ever;
[7] you shall not build a house; you shall not sow seed; you shall not
plant or have a vineyard; but you shall live in tents all your days, that
you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.'
[8] We have obeyed the voice of Jon'adab the son of Rechab, our father, in
all that he commanded us, to drink no wine all our days, ourselves, our
wives, our sons, or our daughters,
[9] and not to build houses to dwell in. We have no vineyard or field or
seed;
[10] but we have lived in tents, and have obeyed and done all that
Jon'adab our father commanded us.
[11] But when Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon came up against the land, we
said, `Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the
Chalde'ans and the army of the Syrians.' So we are living in Jerusalem."
[12]

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:

[13] "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and say to the
men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive
instruction and listen to my words? says the LORD.
[14] The command which Jon'adab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to
drink no wine, has been kept; and they drink none to this day, for they
have obeyed their father's command. I have spoken to you persistently, but
you have not listened to me.
[15] I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them
persistently, saying, `Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and
amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then
you shall dwell in the land which I gave to you and your fathers.' But you
did not incline your ear or listen to me.
[16] The sons of Jon'adab the son of Rechab have kept the command which
their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me.
[17] Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel:
Behold, I am bringing on Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all
the evil that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to
them and they have not listened, I have called to them and they have not
answered."
[18]

But to the house of the Re'chabites Jeremiah said, "Thus says the LORD of
hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jon'adab
your father, and kept all his precepts, and done all that he commanded
you,

[19] therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Jon'adab
the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me."

1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3

[27]

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

[28] And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets,
third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers,
administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues.
[29] Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work
miracles?
[30] Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all
interpret?
[31] But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.

1Cor.13
[1]

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a
noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

[2] And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all
knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have
not love, I am nothing.
[3] If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but
have not love, I gain nothing.

Matthew 9:35-10:4

[35]

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every
disease and every infirmity.

[36] When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were
harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
[37] Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few;
[38] pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his
harvest."
Matt.10
[1]

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over
unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every
infirmity.

[2] The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is
called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zeb'edee, and John
his brother;
[3] Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James
the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
[4] Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Wednesday

2007-10-10T02:41:00.000-04:00

2 kings 22:14 - 23:3

[14]

So Hilki'ah the priest, and Ahi'kam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asai'ah
went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, son
of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the
Second Quarter); and they talked with her.

[15] And she said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: `Tell
the man who sent you to me,
[16] Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place and
upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book which the king of Judah
has read.
[17] Because they have forsaken me and have burned incense to other gods,
that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands,
therefore my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be
quenched.
[18] But as to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD,
thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:
Regarding the words which you have heard,
[19] because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the
LORD, when you heard how I spoke against this place, and against its
inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you
have rent your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, says the
LORD.
[20] Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall
be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the
evil which I will bring upon this place.'" And they brought back word to
the king.
2Kgs.23
[1]

Then the king sent, and all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem were
gathered to him.

[2] And the king went up to the house of the LORD, and with him all the
men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests and the
prophets, all the people, both small and great; and he read in their
hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which had been found in
the house of the LORD.
[3] And the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD,
to walk after the LORD and to keep his commandments and his testimonies
and his statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the
words of this covenant that were written in this book; and all the people
joined in the covenant.

1 Corinthians 11:23-34

[23]

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord
Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,

[24] and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body
which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
[25] In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the
new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of me."
[26] For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim
the Lord's death until he comes.
[27]

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an
unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the
Lord.

[28] Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the
cup.
[29] For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and
drinks judgment upon himself.
[30] That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
[31] But if we judged ourselves truly, we should not be judged.
[32] But when we are judged by the Lord, we are chastened so that we may
not be condemned along with the world.
[33]

So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another
--

[34] if any one is hungry, let him eat at home -- lest you come together
to be condemned. About the other things I will give directions when I
come.

Matthew 9:9-17

[9]

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the
tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.

[10]

And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and
sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.

[11] And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why
does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
[12] But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a
physician, but those who are sick.
[13] Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.'
For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
[14]

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the
Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"

[15] And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the
bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken
away from them, and then they will fast.
[16] And no one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the
patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.
[17] Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; if it is, the skins
burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine
is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."

Tuesday

2007-10-09T02:37:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 22:1-13

[1]

Josi'ah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedi'dah the daughter
of Adai'ah of Bozkath.

[2] And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and walked in all
the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right hand
or to the left.
[3]

In the eighteenth year of King Josi'ah, the king sent Shaphan the son of
Azali'ah, son of Meshul'lam, the secretary, to the house of the LORD,
saying,

[4] "Go up to Hilki'ah the high priest, that he may reckon the amount of
the money which has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the
keepers of the threshold have collected from the people;
[5] and let it be given into the hand of the workmen who have the
oversight of the house of the LORD; and let them give it to the workmen
who are at the house of the LORD, repairing the house,
[6] that is, to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, as
well as for buying timber and quarried stone to repair the house.
[7] But no accounting shall be asked from them for the money which is
delivered into their hand, for they deal honestly."
[8]

And Hilki'ah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found
the book of the law in the house of the LORD." And Hilki'ah gave the book
to Shaphan, and he read it.

[9] And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king,
"Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and
have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of
the house of the LORD."
[10] Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, "Hilki'ah the priest has
given me a book." And Shaphan read it before the king.
[11]

And when the king heard the words of the book of the law, he rent his
clothes.

[12] And the king commanded Hilki'ah the priest, and Ahi'kam the son of
Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micai'ah, and Shaphan the secretary, and
Asai'ah the king's servant, saying,
[13] "Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all
Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is
the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have
not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written
concerning us."

1 Corinthians 11:2, 17-22

[2]

I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the
traditions even as I have delivered them to you.

[3] But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the
head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
[4] Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his
head,
[5] but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled dishonors
her head -- it is the same as if her head were shaven.
[6] For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her
hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her
wear a veil.
[7] For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory
of God; but woman is the glory of man.
[8] (For man was not made from woman, but woman from man.
[9] Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.)
[10] That is why a woman ought to have a veil on her head, because of the
angels.
[11] (Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of
woman;
[12] for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all
things are from God.)
[13] Judge for yourselves; is it proper for a woman to pray to God with
her head uncovered?
[14] Does not nature itself teach you that for a man to wear long hair is
degrading to him,
[15] but if a woman has long hair, it is her pride? For her hair is given
to her for a covering.
[16] If any one is disposed to be contentious, we recognize no other
practice, nor do the churches of God.
[17]

But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you
come together it is not for the better but for the worse.

[18] For, in the first place, when you assemble as a church, I hear that
there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it,
[19] for there must be factions among you in order that those who are
genuine among you may be recognized.
[20] When you meet together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat.
[21] For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is
hungry and another is drunk.
[22] What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise
the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say
to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

Matthew 9:1-8

[1]

And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.

[2] And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and
when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son;
your sins are forgiven."
[3] And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is
blaspheming."
[4] But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in
your hearts?
[5] For which is easier, to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say,
`Rise and walk'?
[6] But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to
forgive sins" -- he then said to the paralytic -- "Rise, take up your bed
and go home."
[7] And he rose and went home.
[8] When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who
had given such authority to men.

Monday

2007-10-08T01:08:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 21:1-18

[1]

Manas'seh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Heph'zibah.

[2] And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the
abominable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the
people of Israel.
[3] For he rebuilt the high places which Hezeki'ah his father had
destroyed; and he erected altars for Ba'al, and made an Ashe'rah, as Ahab
king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served
them.
[4] And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had
said, "In Jerusalem will I put my name."
[5] And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of
the house of the LORD.
[6] And he burned his son as an offering, and practiced soothsaying and
augury, and dealt with mediums and with wizards. He did much evil in the
sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.
[7] And the graven image of Ashe'rah that he had made he set in the house
of which the LORD said to David and to Solomon his son, "In this house,
and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I
will put my name for ever;
[8] and I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander any more out of the
land which I gave to their fathers, if only they will be careful to do
according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law
that my servant Moses commanded them."
[9] But they did not listen, and Manas'seh seduced them to do more evil
than the nations had done whom the LORD destroyed before the people of
Israel.
[10]

And the LORD said by his servants the prophets,

[11] "Because Manas'seh king of Judah has committed these abominations,
and has done things more wicked than all that the Amorites did, who were
before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols;
[12] therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I am
bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such evil that the ears of every one who
hears of it will tingle.
[13] And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Sama'ria, and
the plummet of the house of Ahab; and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a
dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.
[14] And I will cast off the remnant of my heritage, and give them into
the hand of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all
their enemies,
[15] because they have done what is evil in my sight and have provoked me
to anger, since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this
day."
[16]

Moreover Manas'seh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled
Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin which he made Judah to
sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.

[17]

Now the rest of the acts of Manas'seh, and all that he did, and the sin
that he committed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of
the Kings of Judah?

[18] And Manas'seh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of
his house, in the garden of Uzza; and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1

[14]

Therefore, my beloved, shun the worship of idols.

[15] I speak as to sensible men; judge for yourselves what I say.
[16] The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the
blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in
the body of Christ?
[17] Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all
partake of the one bread.
[18] Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices
partners in the altar?
[19] What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that
an idol is anything?
[20] No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not
to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.
[21] You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You
cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
[22] Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
[23]

"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are
lawful," but not all things build up.

[24] Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
[25] Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question
on the ground of conscience.
[26] For "the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."
[27] If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed
to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the
ground of conscience.
[28] (But if some one says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice,"
then out of consideration for the man who informed you, and for
conscience' sake --
[29] I mean his conscience, not yours -- do not eat it.) For why should my
liberty be determined by another man's scruples?
[30] If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that
for which I give thanks?
[31] So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory
of God.
[32] Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,
[33] just as I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my
own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
1Cor.11
[1]

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Matthew 8:28-34

[28]

And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two
demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could
pass that way.

[29] And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of
God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"
[30] Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them.
[31] And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us away into the
herd of swine."
[32] And he said to them, "Go." So they came out and went into the swine;
and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and
perished in the waters.
[33] The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and
what had happened to the demoniacs.
[34] And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw
him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.

Friday

2007-10-05T02:35:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 19:1-20

[1]

When King Hezeki'ah heard it, he rent his clothes, and covered himself
with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.

[2] And he sent Eli'akim, who was over the household, and Shebna the
secretary, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet
Isaiah the son of Amoz.
[3] They said to him, "Thus says Hezeki'ah, This day is a day of distress,
of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to the birth, and there is
no strength to bring them forth.
[4] It may be that the LORD your God heard all the words of the
Rab'shakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the
living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard;
therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left."
[5] When the servants of King Hezeki'ah came to Isaiah,
[6] Isaiah said to them, "Say to your master, `Thus says the LORD: Do not
be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the
servants of the king of Assyria have reviled me.
[7] Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and
return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his
own land.'"
[8]

The Rab'shakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria fighting against
Libnah; for he heard that the king had left Lachish.

[9] And when the king heard concerning Tirha'kah king of Ethiopia,
"Behold, he has set out to fight against you," he sent messengers again to
Hezeki'ah, saying,
[10] "Thus shall you speak to Hezeki'ah king of Judah: `Do not let your
God on whom you rely deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be
given into the hand of the king of Assyria.
[11] Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all
lands, destroying them utterly. And shall you be delivered?
[12] Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations which my
fathers destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were
in Tel-assar?
[13] Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city
of Sepharva'im, the king of Hena, or the king of Ivvah?'"
[14]

Hezeki'ah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read
it; and Hezeki'ah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before
the LORD.

[15] And Hezeki'ah prayed before the LORD, and said: "O LORD the God of
Israel, who art enthroned above the cherubim, thou art the God, thou
alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
[16] Incline thy ear, O LORD, and hear; open thy eyes, O LORD, and see;
and hear the words of Sennach'erib, which he has sent to mock the living
God.
[17] Of a truth, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations
and their lands,
[18] and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but
the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore they were destroyed.
[19] So now, O LORD our God, save us, I beseech thee, from his hand, that
all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou, O LORD, art God alone."
[20]

Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezeki'ah, saying, "Thus says the
LORD, the God of Israel: Your prayer to me about Sennach'erib king of
Assyria I have heard.

1 Corinthians 9:16-27

[16] For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For
necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
[17] For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my
own will, I am entrusted with a commission.
[18] What then is my reward? Just this: that in my preaching I may make
the gospel free of charge, not making full use of my right in the gospel.
[19]

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that
I might win the more.

[20] To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under
the law I became as one under the law -- though not being myself under the
law -- that I might win those under the law.
[21] To those outside the law I became as one outside the law -- not being
without law toward God but under the law of Christ -- that I might win
those outside the law.
[22] To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become
all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
[23] I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its
blessings.
[24]

Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one
receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

[25] Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to
receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
[26] Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air;
[27] but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I
myself should be disqualified.

Matthew 8:1-17

[1]

When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him;

[2] and behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord,
if you will, you can make me clean."
[3] And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be
clean." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
[4] And Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to any one; but go,
show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for
a proof to the people."
[5]

As he entered Caper'na-um, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him

[6] and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible
distress."
[7] And he said to him, "I will come and heal him."
[8] But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you
come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.
[9] For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to
one, `Go,' and he goes, and to another, `Come,' and he comes, and to my
slave, `Do this,' and he does it."
[10] When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed
him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.
[11] I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,
[12] while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness;
there men will weep and gnash their teeth."
[13] And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have
believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.
[14]

And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick
with a fever;

[15] he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and served
him.
[16] That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons;
and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick.
[17] This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "He took
our infirmities and bore our diseases."

Wednesday

2007-10-04T01:27:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 18:9-25

[9]

In the fourth year of King Hezeki'ah, which was the seventh year of
Hoshe'a son of Elah, king of Israel, Shalmane'ser king of Assyria came up
against Sama'ria and besieged it

[10] and at the end of three years he took it. In the sixth year of
Hezeki'ah, which was the ninth year of Hoshe'a king of Israel, Sama'ria
was taken.
[11] The king of Assyria carried the Israelites away to Assyria, and put
them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of
the Medes,
[12] because they did not obey the voice of the LORD their God but
transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the LORD
commanded; they neither listened nor obeyed.
[13]

In the fourteenth year of King Hezeki'ah Sennach'erib king of Assyria came
up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.

[14] And Hezeki'ah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish,
saying, "I have done wrong; withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I
will bear." And the king of Assyria required of Hezeki'ah king of Judah
three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
[15] And Hezeki'ah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of
the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king's house.
[16] At that time Hezeki'ah stripped the gold from the doors of the temple
of the LORD, and from the doorposts which Hezeki'ah king of Judah had
overlaid and gave it to the king of Assyria.
[17] And the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rab'saris, and the
Rab'shakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezeki'ah at Jerusalem.
And they went up and came to Jerusalem. When they arrived, they came and
stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the
Fuller's Field.
[18] And when they called for the king, there came out to them Eli'akim
the son of Hilki'ah, who was over the household, and Shebnah the
secretary, and Jo'ah the son of Asaph, the recorder.
[19]

And the Rab'shakeh said to them, "Say to Hezeki'ah, `Thus says the great
king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this confidence of yours?

[20] Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? On whom
do you now rely, that you have rebelled against me?
[21] Behold, you are relying now on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff,
which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh
king of Egypt to all who rely on him.
[22] But if you say to me, "We rely on the LORD our God," is it not he
whose high places and altars Hezeki'ah has removed, saying to Judah and to
Jerusalem, "You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem"?
[23] Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will
give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders
upon them.
[24] How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my
master's servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
[25] Moreover, is it without the LORD that I have come up against this
place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and
destroy it.'"

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

[1]

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that "all of us possess
knowledge." "Knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up.

[2] If any one imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as
he ought to know.
[3] But if one loves God, one is known by him.
[4]

Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol
has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one."

[5] For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth -- as
indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords" --
[6] yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and
for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things
and through whom we exist.
[7]

However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through being hitherto
accustomed to idols, eat food as really offered to an idol; and their
conscience, being weak, is defiled.

[8] Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat,
and no better off if we do.
[9] Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling
block to the weak.
[10] For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol's
temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food
offered to idols?
[11] And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for
whom Christ died.
[12] Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience
when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
[13] Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never
eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.

Matthew 7:13-21

[13]

"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that
leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

[14] For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and
those who find it are few.
[15]

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but
inwardly are ravenous wolves.

[16] You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns,
or figs from thistles?
[17] So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil
fruit.
[18] A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good
fruit.
[19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into
the fire.
[20] Thus you will know them by their fruits.
[21]

"Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Wednesday

2007-10-03T03:20:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 18:9-25

[9]

In the fourth year of King Hezeki'ah, which was the seventh year of
Hoshe'a son of Elah, king of Israel, Shalmane'ser king of Assyria came up
against Sama'ria and besieged it

In the fourteenth year of King Hezeki'ah Sennach'erib king of Assyria came
up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.

And the Rab'shakeh said to them, "Say to Hezeki'ah, `Thus says the great
king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this confidence of yours?

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

[1]

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that "all of us possess
knowledge." "Knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up.

[2] If any one imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as
he ought to know.
[3] But if one loves God, one is known by him.
[4]

Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol
has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one."

However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through being hitherto
accustomed to idols, eat food as really offered to an idol; and their
conscience, being weak, is defiled.

Matthew 7:13-21

[13]

"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that
leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

[14] For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and
those who find it are few.
[15]

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but
inwardly are ravenous wolves.

"Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Tuesday

2007-10-02T01:40:00.000-04:00

2 Chronicles 29:1-3; 30:1 (2-9) 10-27

[1]

Hezeki'ah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned
twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abi'jah the daughter
of Zechari'ah.

[2] And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all
that David his father had done.
[3]

In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of
the house of the LORD, and repaired them.
[1]

Hezeki'ah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to E'phraim
and Manas'seh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at
Jerusalem, to keep the passover to the LORD the God of Israel.

[2] For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had
taken counsel to keep the passover in the second month --
[3] for they could not keep it in its time because the priests had not
sanctified themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled
in Jerusalem --
[4] and the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly.
[5] So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from
Beer-sheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the passover to
the LORD the God of Israel, at Jerusalem; for they had not kept it in
great numbers as prescribed.
[6] So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the
king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying, "O people of
Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he
may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the
kings of Assyria.
[7] Do not be like your fathers and your brethren, who were faithless to
the LORD God of their fathers, so that he made them a desolation, as you
see.
[8] Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves
to the LORD, and come to his sanctuary, which he has sanctified for ever,
and serve the LORD your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.
[9] For if you return to the LORD, your brethren and your children will
find compassion with their captors, and return to this land. For the LORD
your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from
you, if you return to him."
[10]

So the couriers went from city to city through the country of E'phraim and
Manas'seh, and as far as Zeb'ulun; but they laughed them to scorn, and
mocked them.

[11] Only a few men of Asher, of Manas'seh, and of Zeb'ulun humbled
themselves and came to Jerusalem.
[12] The hand of God was also upon Judah to give them one heart to do what
the king and the princes commanded by the word of the LORD.
[13]

And many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened
bread in the second month, a very great assembly.

[14] They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and
all the altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the
Kidron valley.
[15] And they killed the passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second
month. And the priests and the Levites were put to shame, so that they
sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into the house of the
LORD.
[16] They took their accustomed posts according to the law of Moses the
man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the
hand of the Levites.
[17] For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified
themselves; therefore the Levites had to kill the passover lamb for every
one who was not clean, to make it holy to the LORD.
[18] For a multitude of the people, many of them from E'phraim, Manas'seh,
Is'sachar, and Zeb'ulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the
passover otherwise than as prescribed. For Hezeki'ah had prayed for them,
saying, "The good LORD pardon every one
[19] who sets his heart to seek God, the LORD the God of his fathers, even
though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness."
[20] And the LORD heard Hezeki'ah, and healed the people.
[21] And the people of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the
feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites
and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with all their might
to the LORD.
[22] And Hezeki'ah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good
skill in the service of the LORD. So the people ate the food of the
festival for seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to
the LORD the God of their fathers.
[23]

Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast for another
seven days; so they kept it for another seven days with gladness.

[24] For Hezeki'ah king of Judah gave the assembly a thousand bulls and
seven thousand sheep for offerings, and the princes gave the assembly a
thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep. And the priests sanctified
themselves in great numbers.
[25] The whole assembly of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, and the
whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of
the land of Israel, and the sojourners who dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.
[26] So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon
the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in
Jerusalem.
[27] Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people, and
their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy habitation in
heaven.

1Corinthians 7:32-40

[32]

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about
the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord;

[33] but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please
his wife,
[34] and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is
anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit;
but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her
husband.
[35] I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you,
but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the
Lord.
[36]

If any one thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed,
if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let
them marry -- it is no sin.

[37] But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no
necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in
his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.
[38] So that he who marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains
from marriage will do better.
[39]

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If the husband dies,
she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

[40] But in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I
think that I have the Spirit of God.

Matthew 7:1-12

[1]

"Judge not, that you be not judged.

[2] For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the
measure you give will be the measure you get.
[3] Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not
notice the log that is in your own eye?
[4] Or how can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your
eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?
[5] You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you
will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
[6]

"Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.

[7]

"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it
will be opened to you.

[8] For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him
who knocks it will be opened.
[9] Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a
stone?
[10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?
[11] If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things
to those who ask him!
[12] So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for
this is the law and the prophets.

Monday

2007-10-01T03:28:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 17:24-41

[24]

And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath,
and Sephar-va'im, and placed them in the cities of Sama'ria instead of the
people of Israel; and they took possession of Sama'ria, and dwelt in its
cities.

[25] And at the beginning of their dwelling there, they did not fear the
LORD; therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
[26] So the king of Assyria was told, "The nations which you have carried
away and placed in the cities of Sama'ria do not know the law of the god
of the land; therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they are
killing them, because they do not know the law of the god of the land."
[27] Then the king of Assyria commanded, "Send there one of the priests
whom you carried away thence; and let him go and dwell there, and teach
them the law of the god of the land."
[28] So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Sama'ria came
and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.
[29]

But every nation still made gods of its own, and put them in the shrines
of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in the
cities in which they dwelt;

[30] the men of Babylon made Suc'coth-be'noth, the men of Cuth made
Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashi'ma,
[31] and the Av'vites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sephar'vites burned
their children in the fire to Adram'melech and Anam'melech, the gods of
Sephar-va'im.
[32] They also feared the LORD, and appointed from among themselves all
sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in
the shrines of the high places.
[33] So they feared the LORD but also served their own gods, after the
manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.
[34] To this day they do according to the former manner.

They do not fear the LORD, and they do not follow the statutes or the
ordinances or the law or the commandment which the LORD commanded the
children of Jacob, whom he named Israel.

[35] The LORD made a covenant with them, and commanded them, "You shall
not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice
to them;
[36] but you shall fear the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt
with great power and with an outstretched arm; you shall bow yourselves to
him, and to him you shall sacrifice.
[37] And the statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment
which he wrote for you, you shall always be careful to do. You shall not
fear other gods,
[38] and you shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You
shall not fear other gods,
[39] but you shall fear the LORD your God, and he will deliver you out of
the hand of all your enemies."
[40] However they would not listen, but they did according to their former
manner.
[41]

So these nations feared the LORD, and also served their graven images;
their children likewise, and their children's children -- as their fathers
did, so they do to this day.

1 Corinthians 7:25-31

[25]

Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my
opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.

[26] I think that in view of the present distress it is well for a person
to remain as he is.
[27] Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a
wife? Do not seek marriage.
[28] But if you marry, you do not sin, and if a girl marries she does not
sin. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you
that.
[29] I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; from now
on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,
[30] and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who
rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though
they had no goods,
[31] and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with
it. For the form of this world is passing away.

Matthew 6:25-34

[25]

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall
eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on.
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

[26] Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather
into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more
value than they?
[27] And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of
life?
[28] And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the
field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;
[29] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like
one of these.
[30] But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive
and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O
men of little faith?
[31] Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What
shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'
[32] For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father
knows that you need them all.
[33] But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these
things shall be yours as well.
[34]

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious
for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.

Friday

2007-09-28T03:03:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 9:17-37

[17]

Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the
company of Jehu as he came, and said, "I see a company." And Joram said,
"Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, `Is it peace?'"

[18] So a man on horseback went to meet him, and said, "Thus says the
king, `Is it peace?'" And Jehu said, "What have you to do with peace? Turn
round and ride behind me." And the watchman reported, saying, "The
messenger reached them, but he is not coming back."
[19] Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them, and said, "Thus
the king has said, `Is it peace?'" And Jehu answered, "What have you to do
with peace? Turn round and ride behind me."
[20] Again the watchman reported, "He reached them, but he is not coming
back. And the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for
he drives furiously."
[21]

Joram said, "Make ready." And they made ready his chariot. Then Joram king
of Israel and Ahazi'ah king of Judah set out, each in his chariot, and
went to meet Jehu, and met him at the property of Naboth the Jezreelite.

[22] And when Joram saw Jehu, he said, "Is it peace, Jehu?" He answered,
"What peace can there be, so long as the harlotries and the sorceries of
your mother Jez'ebel are so many?"
[23] Then Joram reined about and fled, saying to Ahazi'ah, "Treachery, O
Ahazi'ah!"
[24] And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and shot Joram between
the shoulders, so that the arrow pierced his heart, and he sank in his
chariot.
[25] Jehu said to Bidkar his aide, "Take him up, and cast him on the plot
of ground belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember, when you and I
rode side by side behind Ahab his father, how the LORD uttered this oracle
against him:
[26] `As surely as I saw yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of
his sons -- says the LORD -- I will requite you on this plot of ground.'
Now therefore take him up and cast him on the plot of ground, in
accordance with the word of the LORD."
[27]

When Ahazi'ah the king of Judah saw this, he fled in the direction of
Beth-haggan. And Jehu pursued him, and said, "Shoot him also"; and they
shot him in the chariot at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he
fled to Megid'do, and died there.

[28]

His servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his
tomb with his fathers in the city of David.

[29] In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab, Ahazi'ah began to
reign over Judah.
[30] When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jez'ebel heard of it; and she painted her
eyes, and adorned her head, and looked out of the window.
[31] And as Jehu entered the gate, she said, "Is it peace, you Zimri,
murderer of your master?"
[32] And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, "Who is on my
side? Who?" Two or three eunuchs looked out at him.
[33] He said, "Throw her down." So they threw her down; and some of her
blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and they trampled on her.
[34] Then he went in and ate and drank; and he said, "See now to this
cursed woman, and bury her; for she is a king's daughter."
[35] But when they went to bury her, they found no more of her than the
skull and the feet and the palms of her hands.
[36] When they came back and told him, he said, "This is the word of the
LORD, which he spoke by his servant Eli'jah the Tishbite, `In the
territory of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jez'ebel;
[37] and the corpse of Jez'ebel shall be as dung upon the face of the
field in the territory of Jezreel, so that no one can say, This is
Jez'ebel.'"

1 Corinthains 7:1-9

[1]

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote. It is well for a man not
to touch a woman.

[2] But because of the temptation to immorality, each man should have his
own wife and each woman her own husband.
[3] The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise
the wife to her husband.
[4] For the wife does not rule over her own body, but the husband does;
likewise the husband does not rule over his own body, but the wife does.
[5] Do not refuse one another except perhaps by agreement for a season,
that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again,
lest Satan tempt you through lack of self-control.
[6] I say this by way of concession, not of command.
[7] I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own special gift
from God, one of one kind and one of another.
[8]

To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain
single as I do.

[9] But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is
better to marry than to be aflame with passion.

Matthew 6:7-15

[7]

"And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they
think that they will be heard for their many words.

[8] Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you
ask him.
[9] Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
[10] Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
[11] Give us this day our daily bread;
[12] And forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our debtors;
[13] And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
[14] For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also
will forgive you;
[15] but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your
Father forgive your trespasses.

Thursday

2007-09-27T02:09:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 9:1-16

[1]

Then Eli'sha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said
to him, "Gird up your loins, and take this flask of oil in your hand, and
go to Ramoth-gilead.

[2] And when you arrive, look there for Jehu the son of Jehosh'aphat, son
of Nimshi; and go in and bid him rise from among his fellows, and lead him
to an inner chamber.
[3] Then take the flask of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, `Thus
says the LORD, I anoint you king over Israel.' Then open the door and
flee; do not tarry."
[4]

So the young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.

[5] And when he came, behold, the commanders of the army were in council;
and he said, "I have an errand to you, O commander." And Jehu said, "To
which of us all?" And he said, "To you, O commander."
[6] So he arose, and went into the house; and the young man poured the oil
on his head, saying to him, "Thus says the LORD the God of Israel, I
anoint you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel.
[7] And you shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may
avenge on Jez'ebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of
all the servants of the LORD.
[8] For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab
every male, bond or free, in Israel.
[9] And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jerobo'am the son
of Nebat, and like the house of Ba'asha the son of Ahi'jah.
[10] And the dogs shall eat Jez'ebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none
shall bury her." Then he opened the door, and fled.
[11]

When Jehu came out to the servants of his master, they said to him, "Is
all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?" And he said to them, "You
know the fellow and his talk."

[12] And they said, "That is not true; tell us now." And he said, "Thus
and so he spoke to me, saying, `Thus says the LORD, I anoint you king over
Israel.'"
[13] Then in haste every man of them took his garment, and put it under
him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet, and proclaimed, "Jehu is
king."
[14]

Thus Jehu the son of Jehosh'aphat the son of Nimshi conspired against
Joram. (Now Joram with all Israel had been on guard at Ramoth-gilead
against Haz'ael king of Syria;

[15] but King Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds
which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Haz'ael king of
Syria.) So Jehu said, "If this is your mind, then let no one slip out of
the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel."
[16] Then Jehu mounted his chariot, and went to Jezreel, for Joram lay
there. And Ahazi'ah king of Judah had come down to visit Joram.

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

[12]

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All
things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything.

[13] "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food" -- and God
will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality,
but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
[14] And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.
[15] Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I
therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a
prostitute? Never!
[16] Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one
body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh."
[17] But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.
[18] Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the
body; but the immoral man sins against his own body.
[19] Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within
you, which you have from God? You are not your own;
[20] you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

[1]

"Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them;
for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

[2]

"Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites
do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men.
Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

[3] But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right
hand is doing,
[4] so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret
will reward you.
[5]

"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to
stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may
be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

[6] But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to
your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will
reward you.
[7]

"And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they
think that they will be heard for their many words.

"And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they
disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say
to you, they have received their reward.

[17] But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
[18] that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in
secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Wednesday

2007-09-26T02:54:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 6:1-23

[1]

Now the sons of the prophets said to Eli'sha, "See, the place where we
dwell under your charge is too small for us.

[2] Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us
make a place for us to dwell there." And he answered, "Go."
[3] Then one of them said, "Be pleased to go with your servants." And he
answered, "I will go."
[4] So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down
trees.
[5] But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water; and he
cried out, "Alas, my master! It was borrowed."
[6] Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the
place, he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float.
[7] And he said, "Take it up." So he reached out his hand and took it.
[8]

Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel
with his servants, saying, "At such and such a place shall be my camp."

[9] But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, "Beware that you
do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there."
[10] And the king of Israel sent to the place of which the man of God told
him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than
once or twice.
[11]

And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this
thing; and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you not show me
who of us is for the king of Israel?"

[12] And one of his servants said, "None, my lord, O king; but Eli'sha,
the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you
speak in your bedchamber."
[13] And he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him."
It was told him, "Behold, he is in Dothan."
[14] So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army; and they came
by night, and surrounded the city.
[15]

When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out,
behold, an army with horses and chariots was round about the city. And the
servant said, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"

[16] He said, "Fear not, for those who are with us are more than those who
are with them."
[17] Then Eli'sha prayed, and said, "O LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes
that he may see." So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he
saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire
round about Eli'sha.
[18] And when the Syrians came down against him, Eli'sha prayed to the
LORD, and said, "Strike this people, I pray thee, with blindness." So he
struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Eli'sha.
[19] And Eli'sha said to them, "This is not the way, and this is not the
city; follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." And he
led them to Sama'ria.
[20] As soon as they entered Sama'ria, Eli'sha said, "O LORD, open the
eyes of these men, that they may see." So the LORD opened their eyes, and
they saw; and lo, they were in the midst of Sama'ria.
[21] When the king of Israel saw them he said to Eli'sha, "My father,
shall I slay them? Shall I slay them?"
[22] He answered, "You shall not slay them. Would you slay those whom you
have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water
before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master."
[23] So he prepared for them a great feast; and when they had eaten and
drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians
came no more on raids into the land of Israel.

1 Corinthians 5:9-6:8

[9]

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral men;

[10] not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and
robbers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
[11] But rather I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the
name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater,
reviler, drunkard, or robber -- not even to eat with such a one.
[12] For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside
the church whom you are to judge?
[13] God judges those outside. "Drive out the wicked person from among
you."
1Cor.6
[1]

When one of you has a grievance against a brother, does he dare go to law
before the unrighteous instead of the saints?

[2] Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world
is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?
[3] Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, matters
pertaining to this life!
[4] If then you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who are
least esteemed by the church?
[5] I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no man among you
wise enough to decide between members of the brotherhood,
[6] but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?
[7]

To have lawsuits at all with one another is defeat for you. Why not rather
suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?

[8] But you yourselves wrong and defraud, and that even your own brethren.

Matthew 5:38-48

[38]

"You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye and a tooth for a
tooth.'

[39] But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one
strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also;
[40] and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your
cloak as well;
[41] and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
[42] Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow
from you.
[43]

"You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate
your enemy.'

[44] But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you,
[45] so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes
his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and
on the unjust.
[46] For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even
the tax collectors do the same?
[47] And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than
others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
[48] You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Tuesday

2007-09-25T03:14:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 5:19-27

[19] He said to him, "Go in peace."

But when Na'aman had gone from him a short distance,

[20] Geha'zi, the servant of Eli'sha the man of God, said, "See, my master
has spared this Na'aman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he
brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him, and get something from
him."
[21] So Geha'zi followed Na'aman. And when Na'aman saw some one running
after him, he alighted from the chariot to meet him, and said, "Is all
well?"
[22] And he said, "All is well. My master has sent me to say, `There have
just now come to me from the hill country of E'phraim two young men of the
sons of the prophets; pray, give them a talent of silver and two festal
garments.'"
[23] And Na'aman said, "Be pleased to accept two talents." And he urged
him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two festal
garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they carried them
before Geha'zi.
[24] And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and put
them in the house; and he sent the men away, and they departed.
[25] He went in, and stood before his master, and Eli'sha said to him,
"Where have you been, Geha'zi?" And he said, "Your servant went nowhere."
[26] But he said to him, "Did I not go with you in spirit when the man
turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and
garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, menservants and
maidservants?
[27] Therefore the leprosy of Na'aman shall cleave to you, and to your
descendants for ever." So he went out from his presence a leper, as white
as snow.

1 Corinthians 5:1-8

[1]

It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind
that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father's
wife.

[2] And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has
done this be removed from among you.
[3]

For though absent in body I am present in spirit, and as if present, I
have already pronounced judgment

[4] in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing.
When you are assembled, and my spirit is present, with the power of our
Lord Jesus,
[5] you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,
that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
[6]

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens
the whole lump?

[7] Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really
are unleavened. For Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed.
[8] Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven,
the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity
and truth.

Matthew 5:27-37

[27]

"You have heard that it was said, `You shall not commit adultery.'

[28] But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has
already committed adultery with her in his heart.
[29] If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away;
it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body
be thrown into hell.
[30] And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it
away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole
body go into hell.
[31]

"It was also said, `Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a
certificate of divorce.'

[32] But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the
ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a
divorced woman commits adultery.
[33]

"Again you have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not
swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.'

[34] But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is
the throne of God,
[35] or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is
the city of the great King.
[36] And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or
black.
[37] Let what you say be simply `Yes' or `No'; anything more than this
comes from evil.

Monday

2007-09-24T03:31:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 5:1-19

[1]

Na'aman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with
his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to
Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.

[2] Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little maid
from the land of Israel, and she waited on Na'aman's wife.
[3] She said to her mistress, "Would that my lord were with the prophet
who is in Sama'ria! He would cure him of his leprosy."
[4] So Na'aman went in and told his lord, "Thus and so spoke the maiden
from the land of Israel."
[5] And the king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the
king of Israel."

So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of
gold, and ten festal garments.

[6] And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, "When
this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Na'aman my servant,
that you may cure him of his leprosy."
[7] And when the king of Israel read the letter, he rent his clothes and
said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me
to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a
quarrel with me."
[8]

But when Eli'sha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his
clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Why have you rent your clothes? Let
him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel."

[9] So Na'aman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the door
of Eli'sha's house.
[10] And Eli'sha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the
Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be
clean."
[11] But Na'aman was angry, and went away, saying, "Behold, I thought that
he would surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the
LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and cure the leper.
[12] Are not Aba'na and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all
the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?" So he
turned and went away in a rage.
[13] But his servants came near and said to him, "My father, if the
prophet had commanded you to do some great thing, would you not have done
it? How much rather, then, when he says to you, `Wash, and be clean'?"
[14] So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan,
according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like
the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
[15]

Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came
and stood before him; and he said, "Behold, I know that there is no God in
all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant."

[16] But he said, "As the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will receive none."
And he urged him to take it, but he refused.
[17] Then Na'aman said, "If not, I pray you, let there be given to your
servant two mules' burden of earth; for henceforth your servant will not
offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD.
[18] In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes
into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow
myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon,
the LORD pardon your servant in this matter."
[19] He said to him, "Go in peace."

1 Corinthians 4:8-21

[8]

Already you are filled! Already you have become rich! Without us you have
become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the
rule with you!

[9] For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like
men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world,
to angels and to men.
[10] We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are
weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute.
[11] To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and
buffeted and homeless,
[12] and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless;
when persecuted, we endure;
[13] when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as
the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things.
[14]

I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved
children.

[15] For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many
fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
[16] I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
[17] Therefore I sent to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the
Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in
every church.
[18] Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you.
[19] But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out
not the talk of these arrogant people but their power.
[20] For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
[21] What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a
spirit of gentleness?

Matthew 5:21-26

[21]

"You have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not kill;
and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.'

[22] But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall
be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the
council, and whoever says, `You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of
fire.
[23] So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember
that your brother has something against you,
[24] leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to
your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
[25] Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him
to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to
the guard, and you be put in prison;
[26] truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the
last penny.

Saturday

2007-09-22T03:57:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 2:1-18

[1]

Now when the LORD was about to take Eli'jah up to heaven by a whirlwind,
Eli'jah and Eli'sha were on their way from Gilgal.

[2] And Eli'jah said to Eli'sha, "Tarry here, I pray you; for the LORD has
sent me as far as Bethel." But Eli'sha said, "As the LORD lives, and as
you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.
[3] And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Eli'sha,
and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take away your
master from over you?" And he said, "Yes, I know it; hold your peace."
[4]

Eli'jah said to him, "Eli'sha, tarry here, I pray you; for the LORD has
sent me to Jericho." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself
live, I will not leave you." So they came to Jericho.

[5] The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Eli'sha, and
said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master
from over you?" And he answered, "Yes, I know it; hold your peace."
[6]

Then Eli'jah said to him, "Tarry here, I pray you; for the LORD has sent
me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself
live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on.

[7] Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went, and stood at some
distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan.
[8] Then Eli'jah took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the water,
and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of
them could go over on dry ground.
[9]

When they had crossed, Eli'jah said to Eli'sha, "Ask what I shall do for
you, before I am taken from you." And Eli'sha said, "I pray you, let me
inherit a double share of your spirit."

[10] And he said, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am
being taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if you do not see me, it
shall not be so."
[11] And as they still went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and
horses of fire separated the two of them. And Eli'jah went up by a
whirlwind into heaven.
[12] And Eli'sha saw it and he cried, "My father, my father! the chariots
of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw him no more.

Then he took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces.

[13] And he took up the mantle of Eli'jah that had fallen from him, and
went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.
[14] Then he took the mantle of Eli'jah that had fallen from him, and
struck the water, saying, "Where is the LORD, the God of Eli'jah?" And
when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to
the other; and Eli'sha went over.
[15]

Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him over against
them, they said, "The spirit of Eli'jah rests on Eli'sha." And they came
to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him.

[16] And they said to him, "Behold now, there are with your servants fifty
strong men; pray, let them go, and seek your master; it may be that the
Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or
into some valley." And he said, "You shall not send."
[17] But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, "Send." They
sent therefore fifty men; and for three days they sought him but did not
find him.
[18] And they came back to him, while he tarried at Jericho, and he said
to them, "Did I not say to you, Do not go?"

1 Corinthians 4:1-7

[1]

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of
the mysteries of God.

[2] Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.
[3] But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or
by any human court. I do not even judge myself.
[4] I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby
acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.
[5] Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord
comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will
disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his
commendation from God.
[6]

I have applied all this to myself and Apol'los for your benefit, brethren,
that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of
you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.

[7] For who sees anything different in you? What have you that you did not
receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a
gift?

Matthew 4:17-20

[17] From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand."
[18]

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is
called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they
were fishermen.

[19] And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
[20] Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Friday

2007-09-21T01:57:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 1:1:2-17

[2]

Now Ahazi'ah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Sama'ria,
and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, "Go, inquire of
Ba'al-ze'bub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this
sickness."

[3] But the angel of the LORD said to Eli'jah the Tishbite, "Arise, go up
to meet the messengers of the king of Sama'ria, and say to them, `Is it
because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of
Ba'al-ze'bub, the god of Ekron?'
[4] Now therefore thus says the LORD, `You shall not come down from the
bed to which you have gone, but you shall surely die.'" So Eli'jah went.
[5]

The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, "Why have you
returned?"

[6] And they said to him, "There came a man to meet us, and said to us,
`Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, Thus says the LORD, Is
it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of
Ba'al-ze'bub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the
bed to which you have gone, but shall surely die.'"
[7] He said to them, "What kind of man was he who came to meet you and
told you these things?"
[8] They answered him, "He wore a garment of haircloth, with a girdle of
leather about his loins." And he said, "It is Eli'jah the Tishbite."
[9]

Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went
up to Eli'jah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "O
man of God, the king says, `Come down.'"

[10] But Eli'jah answered the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, let
fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then fire came
down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
[11]

Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty.
And he went up and said to him, "O man of God, this is the king's order,
`Come down quickly!'"

[12] But Eli'jah answered them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down
from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then the fire of God came
down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
[13]

Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the
third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before
Eli'jah, and entreated him, "O man of God, I pray you, let my life, and
the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight.

[14] Lo, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the two former captains
of fifty men with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in your
sight."
[15] Then the angel of the LORD said to Eli'jah, "Go down with him; do not
be afraid of him." So he arose and went down with him to the king,
[16] and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, `Because you have sent
messengers to inquire of Ba'al-ze'bub, the god of Ekron, -- is it because
there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? -- therefore you shall
not come down from the bed to which you have gone, but you shall surely
die.'"
[17]

So he died according to the word of the LORD which Eli'jah had spoken.
Jeho'ram, his brother, became king in his stead in the second year of
Jeho'ram the son of Jehosh'aphat, king of Judah, because Ahazi'ah had no
son.

1 Corinthians 3:16-23

[16]

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in
you?

[17] If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's
temple is holy, and that temple you are.
[18]

Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you thinks that he is wise in
this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

[19] For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written,
"He catches the wise in their craftiness,"
[20] and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."
[21] So let no one boast of men. For all things are yours,
[22] whether Paul or Apol'los or Cephas or the world or life or death or
the present or the future, all are yours;
[23] and you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

Matthew 5:11-16

[11]

"Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds
of evil against you falsely on my account.

[12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men
persecuted the prophets who were before you.
[13]

"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall
its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be
thrown out and trodden under foot by men.

[14]

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.

[15] Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand,
and it gives light to all in the house.
[16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Thursday

2007-09-20T02:49:00.000-04:00

1 Kings 22:29-45

[29]

So the king of Israel and Jehosh'aphat the king of Judah went up to
Ramoth-gilead.

[30] And the king of Israel said to Jehosh'aphat, "I will disguise myself
and go into battle, but you wear your robes." And the king of Israel
disguised himself and went into battle.
[31] Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his
chariots, "Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of
Israel."
[32] And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehosh'aphat, they said,
"It is surely the king of Israel." So they turned to fight against him;
and Jehosh'aphat cried out.
[33] And when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of
Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
[34] But a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and struck the king of
Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate; therefore he said to
the driver of his chariot, "Turn about, and carry me out of the battle,
for I am wounded."
[35] And the battle grew hot that day, and the king was propped up in his
chariot facing the Syrians, until at evening he died; and the blood of the
wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot.
[36] And about sunset a cry went through the army, "Every man to his city,
and every man to his country!"
[37]

So the king died, and was brought to Sama'ria; and they buried the king in
Sama'ria.

[38] And they washed the chariot by the pool of Sama'ria, and the dogs
licked up his blood, and the harlots washed themselves in it, according to
the word of the LORD which he had spoken.
[39] Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory
house which he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not
written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
[40] So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahazi'ah his son reigned in his
stead.
[41]

Jehosh'aphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year
of Ahab king of Israel.

[42] Jehosh'aphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azu'bah the
daughter of Shilhi.
[43] He walked in all the way of Asa his father; he did not turn aside
from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD; yet the high
places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and burned
incense on the high places.
[44] Jehosh'aphat also made peace with the king of Israel.
[45]

1 Corinthians 2:14-3:15

[14]

The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for
they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they
are spiritually discerned.

[15] The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by
no one.
[16] "For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But
we have the mind of Christ.
1Cor.3
[1]

But I, brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as men of the
flesh, as babes in Christ.

[2] I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not ready for it;
and even yet you are not ready,
[3] for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife
among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving like ordinary men?
[4] For when one says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to
Apol'los," are you not merely men?
[5]

What then is Apol'los? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed,
as the Lord assigned to each.

[6] I planted, Apol'los watered, but God gave the growth.
[7] So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God
who gives the growth.
[8] He who plants and he who waters are equal, and each shall receive his
wages according to his labor.
[9] For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
[10]

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I
laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take
care how he builds upon it.

[11] For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ.
[12] Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, straw --
[13] each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it,
because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of
work each one has done.
[14] If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he
will receive a reward.
[15] If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he
himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Matthew 5:1-10

[1]

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his
disciples came to him.

[2] And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
[3] "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[4] "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
[5] "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
[6] "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they
shall be satisfied.
[7] "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
[8] "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
[9] "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
[10] "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Wednesday

2007-09-19T00:33:00.000-04:00

1 Kings 22:1-28

[1]

For three years Syria and Israel continued without war.

[2] But in the third year Jehosh'aphat the king of Judah came down to the
king of Israel.
[3] And the king of Israel said to his servants, "Do you know that
Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we keep quiet and do not take it out of
the hand of the king of Syria?"
[4] And he said to Jehosh'aphat, "Will you go with me to battle at
Ramoth-gilead?" And Jehosh'aphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as you
are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."
[5]

And Jehosh'aphat said to the king of Israel, "Inquire first for the word
of the LORD."

[6] Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four
hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go to battle against
Ramoth-gilead, or shall I forbear?" And they said, "Go up; for the Lord
will give it into the hand of the king."
[7] But Jehosh'aphat said, "Is there not here another prophet of the LORD
of whom we may inquire?"
[8] And the king of Israel said to Jehosh'aphat, "There is yet one man by
whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micai'ah the son of Imlah; but I hate
him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil." And
Jehosh'aphat said, "Let not the king say so."
[9] Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, "Bring quickly
Micai'ah the son of Imlah."
[10] Now the king of Israel and Jehosh'aphat the king of Judah were
sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor
at the entrance of the gate of Sama'ria; and all the prophets were
prophesying before them.
[11] And Zedeki'ah the son of Chena'anah made for himself horns of iron,
and said, "Thus says the LORD, `With these you shall push the Syrians
until they are destroyed.'"
[12] And all the prophets prophesied so, and said, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead
and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of the king."
[13]

And the messenger who went to summon Micai'ah said to him, "Behold, the
words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king; let your
word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably."

[14] But Micai'ah said, "As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that
I will speak."
[15] And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, "Micai'ah,
shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?" And he
answered him, "Go up and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of
the king."
[16] But the king said to him, "How many times shall I adjure you that you
speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"
[17] And he said, "I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep
that have no shepherd; and the LORD said, `These have no master; let each
return to his home in peace.'"
[18] And the king of Israel said to Jehosh'aphat, "Did I not tell you that
he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"
[19] And Micai'ah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the
LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him
on his right hand and on his left;
[20] and the LORD said, `Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall
at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said one thing, and another said another.
[21] Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, `I will
entice him.'
[22] And the LORD said to him, `By what means?' And he said, `I will go
forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And
he said, `You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go forth and do
so.'
[23] Now therefore behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of
all these your prophets; the LORD has spoken evil concerning you."
[24]

Then Zedeki'ah the son of Chena'anah came near and struck Micai'ah on the
cheek, and said, "How did the Spirit of the LORD go from me to speak to
you?"

[25] And Micai'ah said, "Behold, you shall see on that day when you go
into an inner chamber to hide yourself."
[26] And the king of Israel said, "Seize Micai'ah, and take him back to
Amon the governor of the city and to Jo'ash the king's son;
[27] and say, `Thus says the king, "Put this fellow in prison, and feed
him with scant fare of bread and water, until I come in peace."'"
[28] And Micai'ah said, "If you return in peace, the LORD has not spoken
by me." And he said, "Hear, all you peoples!"

1 Corinthians 2:1-13

[1]

When I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the
testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom.

[2] For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him
crucified.
[3] And I was with you in weakness and in much fear and trembling;
[4] and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom,
but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
[5] that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power
of God.
[6]

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of
this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.

[7] But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed
before the ages for our glorification.
[8] None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they
would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
[9] But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him,"
[10] God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches
everything, even the depths of God.
[11] For what person knows a man's thoughts except the spirit of the man
which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the
Spirit of God.
[12] Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit
which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by
God.
[13] And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by
the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit.

Matthew 4:18-25

[18]

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is
called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they
were fishermen.

[19] And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
[20] Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
[21] And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of
Zeb'edee and John his brother, in the boat with Zeb'edee their father,
mending their nets, and he called them.
[22] Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
[23]

And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching
the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity
among the people.

[24] So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the
sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs,
epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.
[25] And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decap'olis and
Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

Tuesday

2007-09-18T02:25:00.000-04:00

1 Kings 21:17-29

[17]

Then the word of the LORD came to Eli'jah the Tishbite, saying,

[18] "Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Sama'ria;
behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take
possession.
[19] And you shall say to him, `Thus says the LORD, "Have you killed, and
also taken possession?"' And you shall say to him, `Thus says the LORD:
"In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick
your own blood."'"
[20]

Ahab said to Eli'jah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" He answered, "I
have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the
sight of the LORD.

[21] Behold, I will bring evil upon you; I will utterly sweep you away,
and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel;
[22] and I will make your house like the house of Jerobo'am the son of
Nebat, and like the house of Ba'asha the son of Ahi'jah, for the anger to
which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin.
[23] And of Jez'ebel the LORD also said, `The dogs shall eat Jez'ebel
within the bounds of Jezreel.'
[24] Any one belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat;
and any one of his who dies in the open country the birds of the air shall
eat."
[25]

(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the
LORD like Ahab, whom Jez'ebel his wife incited.

[26] He did very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had
done, whom the LORD cast out before the people of Israel.)
[27]

And when Ahab heard those words, he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth
upon his flesh, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about
dejectedly.

[28] And the word of the LORD came to Eli'jah the Tishbite, saying,
[29] "Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has
humbled himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but in
his son's days I will bring the evil upon his house."

1 Corinthians 1:20-31

[20] Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of
this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
[21] For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through
wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those
who believe.
[22] For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,
[23] but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly
to Gentiles,
[24] but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power
of God and the wisdom of God.
[25] For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God
is stronger than men.
[26]

For consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to
worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth;

[27] but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God
chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong,
[28] God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are
not, to bring to nothing things that are,
[29] so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
[30] He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our
wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption;
[31] therefore, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord."

Matthew 4:12-17

[12]

Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee;

[13] and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Caper'na-um by the sea, in
the territory of Zeb'ulun and Naph'tali,
[14] that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
[15] "The land of Zeb'ulun and the land of Naph'tali,
toward the sea, across the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles --
[16] the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned."
[17] From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Monday

2007-09-18T02:23:00.000-04:00

1 Kings 21:1-16

[1]

Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of
Ahab king of Sama'ria.

[2] And after this Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your vineyard, that I may
have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house; and I will
give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will
give you its value in money."
[3] But Naboth said to Ahab, "The LORD forbid that I should give you the
inheritance of my fathers."
[4] And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth
the Jezreelite had said to him; for he had said, "I will not give you the
inheritance of my fathers." And he lay down on his bed, and turned away
his face, and would eat no food.
[5]

But Jez'ebel his wife came to him, and said to him, "Why is your spirit so
vexed that you eat no food?"

[6] And he said to her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and
said to him, `Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it please you,
I will give you another vineyard for it'; and he answered, `I will not
give you my vineyard.'"
[7] And Jez'ebel his wife said to him, "Do you now govern Israel? Arise,
and eat bread, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the
vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."
[8]

So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and she
sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who dwelt with Naboth in his
city.

[9] And she wrote in the letters, "Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high
among the people;
[10] and set two base fellows opposite him, and let them bring a charge
against him, saying, `You have cursed God and the king.' Then take him
out, and stone him to death."
[11] And the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who dwelt in his
city, did as Jez'ebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the
letters which she had sent to them,
[12] they proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
[13] And the two base fellows came in and sat opposite him; and the base
fellows brought a charge against Naboth, in the presence of the people,
saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the
city, and stoned him to death with stones.
[14] Then they sent to Jez'ebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned; he is
dead."
[15]

As soon as Jez'ebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead,
Jez'ebel said to Ahab, "Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth
the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not
alive, but dead."

[16] And as soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down
to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

1 Corinthians 1:1-19

[1] Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and
our brother Sos'thenes,
[2]

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ
Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call
on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

[3]

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

[4]

I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was
given you in Christ Jesus,

[5] that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all
knowledge --
[6] even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you --
[7] so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the
revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ;
[8] who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
[9] God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
[10]

I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all
of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be
united in the same mind and the same judgment.

[11] For it has been reported to me by Chlo'e's people that there is
quarreling among you, my brethren.
[12] What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I
belong to Apol'los," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ."
[13] Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized
in the name of Paul?
[14] I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Ga'ius;
[15] lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name.
[16] (I did baptize also the household of Steph'anas. Beyond that, I do
not know whether I baptized any one else.)
[17] For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and
not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its
power.
[18]

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us
who are being saved it is the power of God.

[19] For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart."

Matthew 4:1-11

[1]

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by
the devil.

[2] And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was
hungry.
[3] And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God,
command these stones to become loaves of bread."
[4] But he answered, "It is written, `Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
[5] Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle
of the temple,
[6] and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for
it is written, `He will give his angels charge of you,'
and `On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.'"
[7] Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, `You shall not tempt the Lord
your God.'"
[8] Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all
the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them;
[9] and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down
and worship me."
[10] Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! for it is written, `You shall
worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.'"
[11] Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to
him.

Saturday

2007-09-15T03:39:00.000-04:00

1 Kings 18:41 - 19:8

[41]

And Eli'jah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of
the rushing of rain."

[42] So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Eli'jah went up to the top
of Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon the earth, and put his face
between his knees.
[43] And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." And he
went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And he said, "Go again
seven times."
[44] And at the seventh time he said, "Behold, a little cloud like a man's
hand is rising out of the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, `Prepare
your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.'"
[45] And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind,
and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.
[46] And the hand of the LORD was on Eli'jah; and he girded up his loins
and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
1Kgs.19
[1]

Ahab told Jez'ebel all that Eli'jah had done, and how he had slain all the
prophets with the sword.

[2] Then Jez'ebel sent a messenger to Eli'jah, saying, "So may the gods do
to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of
them by this time tomorrow."
[3] Then he was afraid, and he arose and went for his life, and came to
Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
[4]

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat
down under a broom tree; and he asked that he might die, saying, "It is
enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am no better than my
fathers."

[5] And he lay down and slept under a broom tree; and behold, an angel
touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat."
[6] And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot
stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank, and lay down again.
[7] And the angel of the LORD came again a second time, and touched him,
and said, "Arise and eat, else the journey will be too great for you."
[8] And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food
forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.

Philippians 3:17-4:7

[17]

Brethren, join in imitating me, and mark those who so live as you have an
example in us.

[18] For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with
tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
[19] Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in
their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
[20] But our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the
Lord Jesus Christ,
[21] who will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the
power which enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Phil.4
[1]

Therefore, my brethren, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand
firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

[2] I entreat Eu-o'dia and I entreat Syn'tyche to agree in the Lord.
[3] And I ask you also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they have
labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the
rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
[4]

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

[5] Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand.
[6] Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
[7] And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 3:13-17

[13]

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.

[14] John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you,
and do you come to me?"
[15] But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for
us to fulfil all righteousness." Then he consented.
[16] And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water,
and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove, and alighting on him;
[17] and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with
whom I am well pleased."

Friday

2007-09-14T02:49:00.000-04:00

1 Kings 18:20-40

[20]

So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel, and gathered the prophets
together at Mount Carmel.

[21] And Eli'jah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you
go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him;
but if Ba'al, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word.
[22] Then Eli'jah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet
of the LORD; but Ba'al's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
[23] Let two bulls be given to us; and let them choose one bull for
themselves, and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire
to it; and I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood, and put
no fire to it.
[24] And you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of
the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, he is God." And all the people
answered, "It is well spoken."
[25] Then Eli'jah said to the prophets of Ba'al, "Choose for yourselves
one bull and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of
your god, but put no fire to it."
[26] And they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it,
and called on the name of Ba'al from morning until noon, saying, "O Ba'al,
answer us!" But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped
about the altar which they had made.
[27] And at noon Eli'jah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god;
either he is musing, or he has gone aside, or he is on a journey, or
perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened."
[28] And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their custom with
swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.
[29] And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of
the oblation, but there was no voice; no one answered, no one heeded.
[30]

Then Eli'jah said to all the people, "Come near to me"; and all the people
came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been
thrown down;

[31] Eli'jah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of
the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, "Israel
shall be your name";
[32] and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he
made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of
seed.
[33] And he put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces and laid it
on the wood. And he said, "Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the
burnt offering, and on the wood."
[34] And he said, "Do it a second time"; and they did it a second time.
And he said, "Do it a third time"; and they did it a third time.
[35] And the water ran round about the altar, and filled the trench also
with water.
[36]

And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Eli'jah the prophet came
near and said, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known
this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that
I have done all these things at thy word.

[37] Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that thou, O
LORD, art God, and that thou hast turned their hearts back."
[38] Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and
the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was
in the trench.
[39] And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they
said, "The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God."
[40] And Eli'jah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Ba'al; let not one
of them escape." And they seized them; and Eli'jah brought them down to
the brook Kishon, and killed them there.

Philipians 3:1-16

[1]

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you
is not irksome to me, and is safe for you.

[2]

Look out for the dogs, look out for the evil-workers, look out for those
who mutilate the flesh.

[3] For we are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit, and glory
in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh.
[4] Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If any
other man thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
[5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe
of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law a Pharisee,
[6] as to zeal a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the
law blameless.
[7] But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
[8] Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all
things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ
[9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on
law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God
that depends on faith;
[10] that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share
his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
[11] that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
[12]

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press
on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

[13] Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing
I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies
ahead,
[14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in
Christ Jesus.
[15] Let those of us who are mature be thus minded; and if in anything you
are otherwise minded, God will reveal that also to you.
[16] Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Matthew 3:1-12

[1]

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

[2] "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
[3] For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight."
[4] Now John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle around
his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
[5] Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about
the Jordan,
[6] and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their
sins.
[7]

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees coming for baptism,
he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the
wrath to come?

[8] Bear fruit that befits repentance,
[9] and do not presume to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our
father'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up
children to Abraham.
[10] Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree
therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the
fire.
[11]

"I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is
mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

[12] His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing
floor and gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn
with unquenchable fire."

Thursday

2007-09-13T02:30:00.000-04:00

1 Kings 18:1-19

[1]

After many days the word of the LORD came to Eli'jah, in the third year,
saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth."

[2] So Eli'jah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in
Sama'ria.
[3] And Ahab called Obadi'ah, who was over the household. (Now Obadi'ah
revered the LORD greatly;
[4] and when Jez'ebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, Obadi'ah took a
hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and fed them with
bread and water.)
[5] And Ahab said to Obadi'ah, "Go through the land to all the springs of
water and to all the valleys; perhaps we may find grass and save the
horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals."
[6] So they divided the land between them to pass through it; Ahab went in
one direction by himself, and Obadi'ah went in another direction by
himself.
[7]

And as Obadi'ah was on the way, behold, Eli'jah met him; and Obadi'ah
recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, "Is it you, my lord
Eli'jah?"

[8] And he answered him, "It is I. Go, tell your lord, `Behold, Eli'jah is
here.'"
[9] And he said, "Wherein have I sinned, that you would give your servant
into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
[10] As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom whither my
lord has not sent to seek you; and when they would say, `He is not here,'
he would take an oath of the kingdom or nation, that they had not found
you.
[11] And now you say, `Go, tell your lord, "Behold, Eli'jah is here."'
[12] And as soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the LORD will
carry you whither I know not; and so, when I come and tell Ahab and he
cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have revered the
LORD from my youth.
[13] Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jez'ebel killed the
prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred men of the LORD'S prophets by
fifties in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
[14] And now you say, `Go, tell your lord, "Behold, Eli'jah is here"'; and
he will kill me."
[15] And Eli'jah said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I
will surely show myself to him today."
[16] So Obadi'ah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet
Eli'jah.
[17]

When Ahab saw Eli'jah, Ahab said to him, "Is it you, you troubler of
Israel?"

[18] And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but you have, and your
father's house, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and
followed the Ba'als.
[19] Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and
the four hundred and fifty prophets of Ba'al and the four hundred prophets
of Ashe'rah, who eat at Jez'ebel's table."

Philippians 2:12-30

[12]

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in
my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling;

[13] for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good
pleasure.
[14]

Do all things without grumbling or questioning,

[15] that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without
blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you
shine as lights in the world,
[16] holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be
proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
[17] Even if I am to be poured as a libation upon the sacrificial offering
of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
[18] Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
[19]

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may be
cheered by news of you.

[20] I have no one like him, who will be genuinely anxious for your
welfare.
[21] They all look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
[22] But Timothy's worth you know, how as a son with a father he has
served with me in the gospel.
[23] I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go
with me;
[24] and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself shall come also.
[25]

I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphrodi'tus my brother and
fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my
need,

[26] for he has been longing for you all, and has been distressed because
you heard that he was ill.
[27] Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not
only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
[28] I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at
seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.
[29] So receive him in the Lord with all joy; and honor such men,
[30] for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to
complete your service to me.

Matthew 2:13-23

[13]

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to
Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee
to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search
for the child, to destroy him."

[14] And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed
to Egypt,
[15] and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what
the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son."
[16]

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a
furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem
and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the
time which he had ascertained from the wise men.

[17] Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
[18] "A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled,
because they were no more."
[19]

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to
Joseph in Egypt, saying,

[20] "Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel,
for those who sought the child's life are dead."
[21] And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land
of Israel.
[22] But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in place of his
father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he
withdrew to the district of Galilee.
[23] And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken
by the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

Wednesday

2007-09-12T02:02:00.000-04:00

1 Kings 17:1-24

[1]

Now Eli'jah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD
the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew
nor rain these years, except by my word."

[2] And the word of the LORD came to him,
[3] "Depart from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook
Cherith, that is east of the Jordan.
[4] You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to
feed you there."
[5] So he went and did according to the word of the LORD; he went and
dwelt by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan.
[6] And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread
and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.
[7] And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the
land.
[8]

Then the word of the LORD came to him,

[9] "Arise, go to Zar'ephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there.
Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you."
[10] So he arose and went to Zar'ephath; and when he came to the gate of
the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her
and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink."
[11] And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring
me a morsel of bread in your hand."
[12] And she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only
a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a cruse; and now, I am
gathering a couple of sticks, that I may go in and prepare it for myself
and my son, that we may eat it, and die."
[13] And Eli'jah said to her, "Fear not; go and do as you have said; but
first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make
for yourself and your son.
[14] For thus says the LORD the God of Israel, `The jar of meal shall not
be spent, and the cruse of oil shall not fail, until the day that the LORD
sends rain upon the earth.'"
[15] And she went and did as Eli'jah said; and she, and he, and her
household ate for many days.
[16] The jar of meal was not spent, neither did the cruse of oil fail,
according to the word of the LORD which he spoke by Eli'jah.
[17]

After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill;
and his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him.

[18] And she said to Eli'jah, "What have you against me, O man of God? You
have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of
my son!"
[19] And he said to her, "Give me your son." And he took him from her
bosom, and carried him up into the upper chamber, where he lodged, and
laid him upon his own bed.
[20] And he cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, hast thou brought calamity
even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?"
[21] Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried to
the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this child's soul come into him again."
[22] And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Eli'jah; and the soul of the
child came into him again, and he revived.
[23] And Eli'jah took the child, and brought him down from the upper
chamber into the house, and delivered him to his mother; and Eli'jah said,
"See, your son lives."
[24] And the woman said to Eli'jah, "Now I know that you are a man of God,
and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth."

Philippians 2:1-11

[1]

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any
participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,

[2] complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being
in full accord and of one mind.
[3] Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others
better than yourselves.
[4] Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the
interests of others.
[5] Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
[6] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God
a thing to be grasped,
[7] but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the
likeness of men.
[8] And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient
unto death, even death on a cross.
[9] Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
[10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on
earth and under the earth,
[11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of
God the Father.

Matthew 2:1-12

[1]

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the
king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying,

[2] "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his
star in the East, and have come to worship him."
[3] When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem
with him;
[4] and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he
inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
[5] They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the
prophet:
[6] `And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will govern my people Israel.'"
[7]

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what
time the star appeared;

[8] and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for
the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come
and worship him."
[9] When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star
which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest
over the place where the child was.
[10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy;
[11] and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and
they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they
offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
[12] And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to
their own country by another way.

Tuesday

2007-09-10T22:35:00.000-04:00

1 Kings 16:23-34

[23] In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign
over Israel, and reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah.
[24] He bought the hill of Sama'ria from Shemer for two talents of silver;
and he fortified the hill, and called the name of the city which he built,
Sama'ria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.
[25]

Omri did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did more evil than
all who were before him.

[26] For he walked in all the way of Jerobo'am the son of Nebat, and in
the sins which he made Israel to sin, provoking the LORD, the God of
Israel, to anger by their idols.
[27] Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and the might that he
showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of
Israel?
[28] And Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Sama'ria; and Ahab
his son reigned in his stead.
[29]

In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began
to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in
Sama'ria twenty-two years.

[30] And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD more than
all that were before him.
[31] And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of
Jerobo'am the son of Nebat, he took for wife Jez'ebel the daughter of
Ethba'al king of the Sido'nians, and went and served Ba'al, and worshiped
him.
[32] He erected an altar for Ba'al in the house of Ba'al, which he built
in Sama'ria.
[33] And Ahab made an Ashe'rah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God
of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
[34] In his days Hi'el of Bethel built Jericho; he laid its foundation at
the cost of Abi'ram his first-born, and set up its gates at the cost of
his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke
by Joshua the son of Nun.

Philippians 1:12-30

[12]

I want you to know, brethren, that what has happened to me has really
served to advance the gospel,

[13] so that it has become known throughout the whole praetorian guard and
to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ;
[14] and most of the brethren have been made confident in the Lord because
of my imprisonment, and are much more bold to speak the word of God
without fear.
[15]

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good
will.

[16] The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the
defense of the gospel;
[17] the former proclaim Christ out of partisanship, not sincerely but
thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.
[18] What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth,
Christ is proclaimed; and in that I rejoice.
[19]

Yes, and I shall rejoice. For I know that through your prayers and the
help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,

[20] as it is my eager expectation and hope that I shall not be at all
ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored
in my body, whether by life or by death.
[21] For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
[22] If it is to be life in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me.
Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.
[23] I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with
Christ, for that is far better.
[24] But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
[25] Convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you
all, for your progress and joy in the faith,
[26] so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus,
because of my coming to you again.
[27]

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that
whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you stand
firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of
the gospel,

[28] and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear
omen to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from
God.
[29] For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should
not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
[30] engaged in the same conflict which you saw and now hear to be mine.

Mark 16:1-8

[1]

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Mag'dalene, and Mary the mother of
James, and Salo'me, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.

[2] And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when
the sun had risen.
[3] And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for
us from the door of the tomb?"
[4] And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; -- it was
very large.
[5] And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side,
dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed.
[6] And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth,
who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they
laid him.
[7] But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to
Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you."
[8] And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and
astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for
they were afraid.
[9]

Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to
Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.

[10] She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and
wept.
[11] But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they
would not believe it.
[12]

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were
walking into the country.

[13] And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.
[14]

Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and
he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they
had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.

[15] And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to
the whole creation.
[16] He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not
believe will be condemned.
[17] And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they
will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
[18] they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it
will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will
recover."
[19]

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into
heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

[20] And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked
with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.

Monday

2007-09-10T03:07:00.000-04:00

1 Kings 13:1-10

[1]

And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the LORD to
Bethel. Jerobo'am was standing by the altar to burn incense.

[2] And the man cried against the altar by the word of the LORD, and said,
"O altar, altar, thus says the LORD: `Behold, a son shall be born to the
house of David, Josi'ah by name; and he shall sacrifice upon you the
priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and men's bones
shall be burned upon you.'"
[3] And he gave a sign the same day, saying, "This is the sign that the
LORD has spoken: `Behold, the altar shall be torn down, and the ashes that
are upon it shall be poured out.'"
[4] And when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried
against the altar at Bethel, Jerobo'am stretched out his hand from the
altar, saying, "Lay hold of him." And his hand, which he stretched out
against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself.
[5] The altar also was torn down, and the ashes poured out from the altar,
according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the
LORD.
[6] And the king said to the man of God, "Entreat now the favor of the
LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me." And
the man of God entreated the LORD; and the king's hand was restored to
him, and became as it was before.
[7] And the king said to the man of God, "Come home with me, and refresh
yourself, and I will give you a reward."
[8] And the man of God said to the king, "If you give me half your house,
I will not go in with you. And I will not eat bread or drink water in this
place;
[9] for so was it commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, `You shall
neither eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the way that you came.'"
[10] So he went another way, and did not return by the way that he came to
Bethel.

Philippians 1:1-11

[1] Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philip'pi, with the bishops
and deacons:

[2]

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

[3]

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

[4] always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
[5] thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until
now.
[6] And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to
completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
[7] It is right for me to feel thus about you all, because I hold you in
my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my
imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.
[8] For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of
Christ Jesus.
[9] And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with
knowledge and all discernment,
[10] so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and
blameless for the day of Christ,
[11] filled with the fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus
Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Mark 15:40-47

[40]

There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary
Mag'dalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and
Salo'me,

[41] who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered to him; and
also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.
[42]

And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is,
the day before the sabbath,

[43] Joseph of Arimathe'a, a respected member of the council, who was also
himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate,
and asked for the body of Jesus.
[44] And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the
centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead.
[45] And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted
the body to Joseph.
[46] And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the
linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock;
and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
[47] Mary Mag'dalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.