Read the Bible in a Year
Each day, we'll post passages so that you can read the Bible in one year. This is part of The Colossians 13:16 Project, sponsored by Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia. You're invited to worship with us Sundays, at 11:00 a.m. or Saturdays, at 6:30 p.m. You may also want to consider joining one our adult Bible Studies: Thursdays at 12:00 noon and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. We also have a full range of programs for children. If you want more information about the church, check out the other blogs. And please feel free to leave any comments.
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Today our
passages are Lamentations 4:1–5:22; Hebrews 2:1-18; Psalm 103:1-22; and Proverbs
26:23. The readings are the
Contemporary English
Version.
Lamentations 4-5:22 (Contemporary English Version)
Lamentations 4
The Punishment of Jerusalem
The Prophet Speaks:
1The
purest gold is ruined
and has lost its shine;
jewels from the temple
lie scattered in the streets.
2These are Zion's people,
worth more than purest gold;
yet they are counted worthless
like dishes of clay.
3Even jackals
nurse their young, but my people are like ostriches
that abandon their own.
4Babies are so thirsty
that their tongues
are stuck
to the roof of the mouth.
Children go begging for food,
but no one gives them any.
5All who ate expensive foods
lie starving in the streets;
those who grew up in luxury
now sit on trash heaps.
6My nation was punished worse
than the people of Sodom,
whose city was destroyed
in a flash
without the help
of human hands.
7The leaders of Jerusalem
were purer than snow
and whiter than milk;
their bodies were healthy
and glowed like jewels.
8Now they are blacker than tar,
and no one recognizes them;
their skin clings to their bones
and is drier than firewood.
9Being killed with a sword
is better
than slowly
starving to death.
10Life in the city is so bad
that loving mothers
have boiled
and eaten their own children.
11The LORD was so fiercely
angry
that he burned the city of Zion
to the ground.
12Not a king on this earth
or the people of any nation
believed enemies could break
through her gates.
13Jerusalem was punished
because
her prophets and her priests
had sinned and caused the death
of innocent victims.
14Yes, her prophets and priests
were covered with blood;
no one would come near them,
as they wandered
from street to street.
15Instead, everyone shouted,
"Go away! Don't touch us!
You're filthy and unfit
to belong to God's people!"
So they had to leave
and become refugees.
But foreign nations told them,
"You can't stay here!"
16The LORD is the one
who sent them scattering,
and he has forgotten them.
No respect or kindness
will be shown
to the priests or leaders.
17Our eyes became weary,
hopelessly looking
for help
from a nation
that could not save us.
18Enemies hunted us down
on every public street.
Our time was up;
our doom was near.
19They swooped down faster
than eagles from the sky.
They hunted for us in the hills
and set traps to catch us
out in the desert.
20The LORD's chosen leader
was our hope for survival!
We thought he would keep us safe
somewhere among the nations,
but even he was caught
in one of their traps.
21You people of Edom
can celebrate now!
But your time will come
to suffer
and stagger
around naked.
22The people of Zion
have paid for their sins,
and the Lord will soon
let them return home.
But, people of Edom,
you will be punished,
and your sins exposed.
Lamentations 5
A Prayer for Mercy
The People of Jerusalem Pray:
1Our LORD, don't forget
how we have suffered
and been disgraced.
2Foreigners and strangers
have taken our land
and our homes.
3We are like children
whose mothers are widows.
4The water we drink
and the wood we burn
cost far too much.
5We are terribly mistreated;
we are worn out
and can find no rest.
6We had to surrender
to
Egypt and Assyria because we were hungry.
7Our ancestors sinned,
but they are dead,
and we are left to pay
for their sins.
8Slaves are now our rulers,
and there is no one
to set us free.
9We are in danger
from brutal desert tribes;
we must risk our lives
just to bring in our crops.
10Our skin is scorched
from fever and hunger.
11On Zion and everywhere in
Judah
our wives and daughters
are being raped.
12Our rulers are strung up
by their arms,
and our nation's advisors
are treated shamefully.
13Young men are forced
to do the work of slaves;
boys must carry
heavy loads of wood.
14Our leaders are not allowed
to decide cases in court,
and young people
no longer play music.
15Our hearts are sad;
instead of dancing,
we mourn.
16Zion's glory has disappeared!
And we are doomed
because of our sins.
17We feel sick all over
and can't even see straight;
18our city is in ruins,
overrun by wild dogs.
19You will rule forever, LORD!
You are King for all time.
20Why have you forgotten us
for so long?
21Bring us back to you!
Give us a fresh start.
22Or do you despise us so much
that you don't want us?
Hebrews 2:1-18 (Contemporary English Version)
Hebrews 2
This Great Way of Being Saved
1We must give our full attention to what we were told, so
that we won't drift away. 2The message
spoken by angels proved to be true, and all who disobeyed or rejected it were
punished as they deserved. 3So if we
refuse this great way of being saved, how can we hope to escape? The Lord
himself was the first to tell about it, and people who heard the message proved
to us that it was true. 4God himself
showed that his message was true by working all kinds of powerful miracles and
wonders. He also gave his Holy Spirit to anyone he chose to.
The One Who Leads Us To Be Saved
5We know that God did not put the future world under the
power of angels. 6Somewhere in the
Scriptures someone says to God,
"What makes you care
about us humans?
Why are you concerned
for weaklings such as we?
7You made us lower
than the angels
for a while.
Yet you have crowned us
with glory and honor.
8And you have put everything
under our power!"
God has put everything under our power and has not left anything out of
our power. But we still don't see it all under our power. 9What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was made
lower than the angels. Because of God's wonderful kindness, Jesus died for
everyone. And now that Jesus has suffered and died, he is crowned with glory and
honor!
10Everything belongs to God,
and all things were created by his power. So God did the right thing when he
made Jesus perfect by suffering, as Jesus led many of God's children to be saved
and to share in his glory. 11Jesus and
the people he makes holy all belong to the same family. That is why he isn't
ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. 12He even said to God,
"I will tell them your name
and sing your praises
when they come together
to worship."
13He also said,
"I will trust God."
Then he said,
"Here I am with the children
God has given me."
14We are people of flesh and
blood. That is why Jesus became one of us. He died to destroy the devil, who had
power over death. 15But he also died
to rescue all of us who live each day in fear of dying. 16Jesus clearly did not come to help angels, but he did
come to help Abraham's descendants. 17He had to be one of us, so that he could serve God as our
merciful and faithful high priest and sacrifice himself for the forgiveness of
our sins. 18And now that Jesus has
suffered and was tempted, he can help anyone else who is tempted.
Psalm 103:1-22 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 103
(By David.)
The LORD's Wonderful Love
1With all my heart
I praise the LORD,
and with all that I am
I praise his holy name!
2With all my heart
I praise the LORD!
I will never forget
how kind he has been.
3The LORD forgives our sins,
heals us when we are sick,
4and protects us from death.
His kindness and love
are a crown on our heads.
5Each day that we live,
he provides for our needs
and gives us the strength
of a young eagle.
6For all who are mistreated,
the LORD brings justice.
7He taught his Law to Moses
and showed all Israel
what he could do.
8The LORD is merciful!
He is kind and patient,
and his love never fails.
9The LORD won't always be angry
and point out our sins;
10he doesn't punish us
as our sins deserve.
11How great is God's love for
all
who worship him?
Greater than the distance
between heaven and earth!
12How far has the LORD taken
our sins from us?
Farther than the distance
from east to west!
13Just as parents are kind
to their children,
the LORD is kind
to all who worship him,
14because he knows
we are made of dust.
15We humans are like grass
or wild flowers
that quickly bloom.
16But a scorching wind blows,
and they quickly wither
to be forever forgotten.
17The LORD is always kind
to those who worship him,
and he keeps his promises
to their descendants
18who faithfully obey him.
19God has set up his kingdom
in heaven,
and he rules
the whole creation.
20All of you mighty angels,
who obey God's commands,
come and praise your LORD!
21All of you thousands
who serve and obey God,
come and praise your LORD!
22All of God's creation
and all that he rules,
come and praise your LORD!
With all my heart
I praise the LORD!
Proverbs 26:23 (Contemporary English Version)
23Hiding hateful thoughts
behind smooth
talk is like coating a clay pot
with a cheap glaze.
Verse of the Day
“Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring
lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. But you must resist the devil
and stay strong in your faith. You know that all over the world the Lord's
followers are suffering just as you are.” - 1
Peter 5:8-9
Thought
for the Day
English novelist and poet, Charlotte Brontë
wrote, “Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or
registering wrongs.”
Today our
passages are Lamentations 2:20–3:66; Hebrews 1:1-14; Psalm 102:1-28; and
Proverbs 26:21-22. The readings are the
Contemporary English
Version.
Lamentations 2:20-3:66 (Contemporary English
Version)
Jerusalem Speaks:
20Think
about it, LORD!
Have you ever been this cruel
to anyone before?
Is it right for mothers
to eat their children,
or for priests and prophets
to be killed in your temple?
21My people, both young and
old,
lie dead in the streets.
Because you were angry,
my young men and women
were brutally slaughtered.
22When you were angry, LORD,
you invited my enemies
like guests for a party.
No one survived that day;
enemies killed my children,
my own little ones.
Lamentations 3
There Is Still Hope
The Prophet Speaks:
1I have
suffered much
because God was angry.
2He chased me into a dark
place,
where no light could enter.
3I am the only one he punishes
over and over again,
without ever stopping.
4God caused my skin and flesh
to waste away,
and he crushed my bones.
5He attacked and surrounded me
with hardships and trouble;
6he forced me to sit in the
dark
like someone long dead.
7God built a fence around me
that I cannot climb over,
and he chained me down.
8Even when I shouted
and prayed for help,
he refused to listen.
9God put big rocks in my way
and made me follow
a crooked path.
10God was like a bear or a lion
waiting in ambush for me;
11he dragged me from the road,
then tore me to shreds.
12God took careful aim
and shot his arrows
13straight through my heart.
14I am a joke to everyone--
no one ever stops
making fun of me.
15God has turned my life sour.
16He made me eat gravel
and rubbed me in the dirt.
17I cannot find peace
or remember happiness.
18I tell myself, "I am
finished!
I can't count on the LORD
to do anything for me."
19Just thinking of my troubles
and my lonely wandering
makes me miserable.
20That's all I ever think
about,
and I am depressed.
21Then I remember something
that fills me with hope.
22The LORD's kindness never
fails!
If he had not been merciful,
we would have been destroyed.
23The LORD can always be trusted
to show mercy each morning.
24Deep in my heart I say,
"The LORD is all I need;
I can depend on him!"
25The LORD is kind to everyone
who trusts and obeys him.
26It is good to wait patiently
for the LORD to save us.
27When we are young,
it is good to struggle hard
28and to sit silently alone,
if this is what
the LORD intends.
29Being rubbed in the dirt
can teach us a lesson;
30we can also learn from insults
and hard knocks.
31The Lord won't always reject
us!
32He causes a lot of suffering,
but he also has pity
because of his great love.
33The Lord doesn't enjoy
sending grief or pain.
34Don't trample prisoners
under your feet
35or cheat anyone out of
what is rightfully theirs.
God Most High sees everything,
36and he knows
when you refuse
to give someone a fair trial.
37No one can do anything
without the Lord's approval.
38Good and bad each happen
at the command
of God Most High.
39We're still alive!
We shouldn't complain
when we are being punished
for our sins.
40Instead, we should think
about the way we are living,
and turn back to the LORD.
41When we lift our hands
in prayer to God in heaven,
we should offer him our hearts
and say, 42"We've sinned!
We've rebelled against you,
and you haven't forgiven us!
43Anger is written all over
you,
as you pursue and slaughter us
without showing pity.
44You are behind a wall of
clouds
that blocks out our prayers.
45You allowed nations
to treat us like garbage;
46our enemies curse us.
47We are terrified and trapped,
caught and crushed."
48My people are destroyed!
Tears flood my eyes,
49and they won't stop
50until the LORD looks down
from heaven and helps.
51I am horrified when I see
what enemies have done
to the young women of our city.
52No one had reason to hate me,
but I was hunted down
like a bird.
53Then they tried to kill me
by tossing me into a pit
and throwing stones at me.
54Water covered my head--
I thought I was gone.
55From the bottom of the pit,
I prayed to you, LORD.
56I begged you to listen.
"Help!" I shouted. "Save me!"
You answered my prayer
57and came when I was in need.
You told me, "Don't worry!"
58You rescued me
and saved my life.
59You saw them abuse me, LORD,
so make things right.
60You know every plot
they have made against me.
61Yes, you know their insults
and their evil plans.
62All day long they attack
with words and whispers.
63No matter what they are
doing,
they keep on mocking me.
64Pay them back for everything
they have done, LORD!
65Put your curse on them
and make them suffer.
66Get angry and go after them
until not a trace is left
under the heavens.
Hebrews 1:1-14 (Contemporary English Version)
Hebrews 1
1Long ago in many
ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. 2But now at last, God sent his Son to bring
his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will
someday belong to the Son. 3God's Son
has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way. By his
own mighty word, he holds the universe together.
After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side of
the glorious God in heaven. 4He had
become much greater than the angels, and the name he was given is far greater
than any of theirs.
God's Son Is Greater than Angels
5God has never said
to any of the angels,
"You are my Son, because today
I have become your Father!"
Neither has God said
to any of them,
"I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son!"
6When God brings his first-born
Son
into the world, he commands all of his angels to worship him. 7And when God speaks about the angels, he
says,
"I change my angels into wind
and my servants
into flaming fire."
8But God says about his Son,
"You are God,
and you will rule
as King forever!
Your
royal power brings about justice.
9You loved justice
and hated evil,
and so I, your God,
have chosen you.
I appointed you
and made you happier
than any of your friends."
10The Scriptures also say,
"In the beginning, Lord,
you were the one
who laid the foundation
of the earth
and created the heavens.
11They will all disappear
and wear out like clothes,
but you will last forever.
12You will roll them up
like a robe
and change them
like a garment.
But you are always the same,
and you will live forever."
13God never said to any
of the angels,
"Sit at my right side
until I make your enemies
into a footstool for you!"
14Angels are merely spirits
sent to serve people who are going to be saved.
Psalm 102:1-28 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 102
(A prayer for someone who hurts and needs to ask the LORD for help.)
A Prayer in Time of Trouble
1I pray to you, LORD!
Please listen.
2Don't hide from me
in my time of trouble.
Pay attention to my prayer
and quickly give an answer.
3My days disappear like smoke,
and my bones are burning
as though in a furnace.
4I am wasting away like grass,
and my appetite is gone.
5My groaning never stops,
and my bones can be seen
through my skin.
6I am like a lonely owl
in the desert
7or a restless sparrow
alone on a roof.
8My enemies insult me all day,
and they use my name
for a curse word.
9Instead of food,
I have ashes to eat
and tears to drink,
10because you are furious
and have thrown me aside.
11My life fades like a shadow
at the end of day
and withers like grass.
12Our LORD, you are King
forever
and will always be famous.
13You will show pity to Zion
because the time has come.
14We, your servants,
love each stone in the city,
and we are sad to see them
lying in the dirt.
15Our LORD, the nations
will honor you,
and all kings on earth
will praise your glory.
16You will rebuild
the city of Zion.
Your glory will be seen,
17and the prayers of the
homeless
will be answered.
18Future generations must also
praise the LORD,
so write this for them:
19"From his holy temple,
the LORD looked down
at the earth.
20He listened to the groans
of prisoners,
and he rescued everyone
who was doomed to die."
21All Jerusalem should praise
you, our LORD,
22when people from every nation
meet to worship you.
23I should still be strong,
but you, LORD, have made
an old person of me.
24You will live forever!
Years mean nothing to you.
Don't cut my life in half!
25In the beginning, LORD,
you laid the earth's foundation
and created the heavens.
26They will all disappear
and wear out like clothes.
You change them,
as you would a coat,
but you last forever.
27You are always the same.
Years cannot change you.
28Every generation of those
who serve you
will live in your presence.
Proverbs 26:21-22 (Contemporary English Version)
21Troublemakers start trouble,
just as sparks and fuel
start a fire.
22There is nothing so delicious
as the taste of gossip!
It melts in your mouth.
Verse of the Day
“You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve.
This is God's gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn't
something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.” - Ephesians
2:8-9
Thought
for Day
The second president of the United States, John Adams wrote, “The
Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the
minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their
duties and obligations... This radical change in the principles, opinions,
sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American
Revolution.”
Today our
passages are Lamentations 1:1–2:19; Philemon 1-25; Psalm 101:1-8; and Proverbs
26:20. The readings are the
Contemporary English
Version.
Lamentations 1-2:19 (Contemporary English Version)
Lamentations 1
Lonely Jerusalem
The Prophet Speaks:
1Jerusalem, once so crowded,
lies deserted and lonely.
This city that was known
all over the world
is now like a widow.
This queen of the nations
has been made a slave.
2Each night, bitter tears
flood her cheeks.
None of her former lovers
are there to offer comfort;
her friends
have betrayed her and are now her enemies.
3The people of Judah are
slaves,
suffering in a foreign land,
with no rest from sorrow.
Their enemies captured them
and were terribly cruel.
4The roads to Zion mourn
because no one travels there
to celebrate the festivals.
The city gates are deserted;
priests are weeping.
Young women are raped;
Zion is in sorrow!
5Enemies now rule the city
and live as they please.
The LORD has punished Jerusalem
because of her awful sins;
he has let her people
be dragged away.
6Zion's glory has disappeared.
Her leaders are like deer
that cannot find pasture;
they are hunted down
till their strength is gone.
7Her people recall the good
life
that once was theirs;
now they suffer
and are scattered.
No one was there to protect them
from their enemies
who sneered
when their city was taken.
8Jerusalem's horrible sins
have made the city a joke.
Those who once admired her
now hate her instead--
she has been disgraced;
she groans and turns away.
9Her sins had made her filthy,
but she wasn't worried
about what could happen.
And when Jerusalem fell,
it was so tragic.
No one gave her comfort
when she cried out,
"Help! I'm in trouble, LORD!
The enemy has won."
10Zion's treasures were stolen.
Jerusalem saw foreigners
enter her place of worship,
though the LORD
had forbidden them
to belong to his people.
11Everyone in the city groans
while searching for food;
they trade their valuables
for barely enough scraps
to stay alive.
Jerusalem shouts to the LORD,
"Please look and see
how miserable I am!"
Jerusalem Speaks:
12No
passerby even cares.
Why doesn't someone notice
my terrible sufferings?
You were fiercely angry, LORD,
and you punished me
worst of all.
13From heaven you sent a fire
that burned in my bones;
you set a trap for my feet
and made me turn back.
All day long you leave me
in shock from constant pain.
14You have tied my sins
around my neck,
and they weigh so heavily
that my strength is gone.
You have put me in the power
of enemies
too strong for me.
15You, LORD, have turned back
my warriors
and crushed
my young heroes.
Judah was a woman untouched,
but you let her be trampled
like grapes in a wine pit.
16Because of this, I mourn,
and tears flood my eyes.
No one is here to comfort
or to encourage me;
we have lost the war--
my people are suffering.
The Prophet Speaks:
17Zion
reaches out her hands,
but no one offers comfort.
The LORD has turned
the neighboring nations
against Jacob's descendants.
Jerusalem is merely a filthy rag
to her neighbors.
Jerusalem Speaks:
18The LORD
was right,
but I refused to obey him.
Now I ask all of you to look
at my sufferings--
even my young people
have been dragged away.
19I called out to my lovers,
but they betrayed me.
My priests and my leaders died
while searching the city
for scraps of food.
20Won't you look and see
how upset I am, our LORD?
My stomach is in knots,
and my heart is broken
because I betrayed you.
In the streets and at home,
my people are slaughtered.
21Everyone heard my groaning,
but no one offered comfort.
My enemies know of the trouble
that you have brought on me,
and it makes them glad.
Hurry and punish them,
as you have promised.
22Don't let their evil deeds
escape your sight.
Punish them as much
as you have punished me
because of my sins.
I never stop groaning--
I've lost all hope!
Lamentations 2
The LORD Was Like an Enemy
The Prophet Speaks:
1The Lord
was angry!
So he disgraced
Zion though it was Israel's pride
and his own place of rest.
In his anger he threw Zion down
from heaven to earth.
2The LORD had no mercy!
He destroyed the homes
of Jacob's descendants.
In his anger he tore down
every walled city in Judah;
he toppled the nation
together with its leaders,
leaving them in shame.
3The Lord was so furiously
angry
that he wiped out
the whole army
of Israel by not supporting them
when the enemy attacked.
He was like a raging fire
that swallowed up
the descendants of Jacob.
4He attacked like an enemy
with a bow and arrows,
killing our loved ones.
He has burned to the ground
the homes on Mount Zion.
5The Lord was like an enemy!
He left Israel in ruins
with its palaces
and fortresses destroyed,
and with everyone in Judah
moaning and weeping.
6He shattered his temple
like a hut in a garden;
he completely wiped out
his meeting place,
and did away with festivals
and Sabbaths
in the city of Zion.
In his fierce anger he rejected
our king and priests.
7The Lord abandoned his altar
and his temple;
he let Zion's enemies
capture her fortresses.
Noisy shouts were heard
from the temple,
as if it were a time
of celebration.
8The LORD had decided
to tear down the walls of Zion
stone by stone.
So he started destroying
and did not stop
until walls and fortresses
mourned and trembled.
9Zion's gates have fallen
facedown on the ground;
the bars that locked the gates
are smashed to pieces.
Her king and royal family
are prisoners
in foreign lands.
Her priests don't teach,
and her prophets don't have
a message from the LORD.
10Zion's leaders are silent.
They just sit on the ground,
tossing dirt on their heads
and wearing sackcloth.
Her young women can do nothing
but stare at the ground.
11My eyes are red from crying,
my stomach is in knots,
and I feel sick all over.
My people are being wiped out,
and children lie helpless
in the streets of the city.
12A child begs its mother
for food and drink,
then blacks out
like a wounded soldier
lying in the street.
The child slowly dies
in its mother's arms.
13Zion, how can I comfort you?
How great is your pain?
Lovely city of Jerusalem,
how can I heal your wounds,
gaping as wide as the sea?
14Your prophets deceived you
with false visions
and lying messages--
they should have warned you
to leave your sins
and be saved from disaster.
15Those who pass by
shake their heads and sneer
as they make fun and shout,
"What a lovely city you were,
the happiest on earth,
but look at you now!"
16Zion, your enemies curse you
and snarl like wild animals,
while shouting,
"This is the day
we've waited for!
At last, we've got you!"
17The LORD has done everything
that he had planned
and threatened long ago.
He destroyed you without mercy
and let your enemies boast
about
their powerful forces.
18Zion, deep in your heart
you cried out to the Lord.
Now let your tears overflow
your walls day and night.
Don't ever lose hope
or let your tears stop.
19Get up and pray for help
all through the night.
Pour out your feelings
to the Lord,
as you would pour water
out of a jug.
Beg him to save your people,
who are starving to death
at every street crossing.
Philemon 1-25 (Contemporary English Version)
Philemon 1
1From Paul, who is
in jail for serving Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, who is like a brother
because of our faith.
Philemon, you work with us and are very dear to us. This letter is to you
2and to the church that meets in
your home. It is also to our dear friend Apphia and to Archippus, who serves the
Lord as we do.
3I pray that God our Father and
our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!
Philemon's Love and Faith
4Philemon, each time I mention you in my prayers, I thank
God.
5I hear about your faith in our
Lord Jesus and about your love for all of God's people.
6As you share your faith with
others, I pray that they may come to know all the blessings Christ has given us.
7My friend, your love has made
me happy and has greatly encouraged me. It has also cheered the hearts of God's
people.
Paul Speaks to Philemon about Onesimus
8Christ gives me the courage to tell you what to do.
9But I would rather ask you to
do it simply because of love. Yes, as someone
in jail for Christ,
10I beg you to help Onesimus!
He is like a son to me because I led him to Christ here in jail.
11Before this, he was useless to
you, but now he is useful both to you and to me.
12Sending Onesimus back to you
makes me very sad.
13I would like to keep him here
with me, where he could take your place in helping me while I am here in prison
for preaching the good news.
14But I won't do anything unless
you agree to it first. I want your act of kindness to come from your heart, and
not be something you feel forced to do.
15Perhaps Onesimus was taken
from you for a little while so that you could have him back for good,
16but not as a slave. Onesimus
is much more than a slave. To me he is a dear friend, but to you he is even
more, both as a person and as a follower of the Lord.
17If you consider me a friend
because of Christ, then welcome Onesimus as you would welcome me.
18If he has cheated you or owes
you anything, charge it to my account.
19With my own hand I write: I,
PAUL, WILL PAY YOU BACK. But don't forget that you owe me your life.
20My dear friend and follower of
Christ our Lord, please cheer me up by doing this for me.
21I am sure you will do all I
have asked, and even more.
22Please get a room ready for
me. I hope your prayers will be answered, and I can visit you.
23Epaphras is also here in jail
for being a follower of Christ Jesus. He sends his greetings,
24and so do Mark, Aristarchus,
Demas, and Luke, who work together with me.
25I pray that the Lord Jesus
Christ will be kind to you!
Psalm 101:1-8 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 101
(A psalm by David.)
A King and His Promises
1I
will sing to you, LORD!
I will celebrate your kindness
and your justice.
2Please help me learn
to do the right thing,
and I will be honest and fair
in my own kingdom.
3I refuse to be corrupt
or to take part
in anything crooked,
4and I won't be dishonest
or deceitful.
5Anyone who spreads gossip
will be silenced,
and no one who is conceited
will be my friend.
6I will find trustworthy people
to serve as my advisors,
and only an honest person
will serve as an official.
7No one who cheats or lies
will have a position
in my royal court.
8Each morning I will silence
any lawbreakers I find
in the countryside
or in the city of the LORD.
Proverbs 26:20 (Contemporary English Version)
20Where there is no fuel
a fire goes out;
where there is no gossip
arguments come to an end.
Verse of the Day
“[Christ Brings New Life]Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer
your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That's the most
sensible way to serve God.” - Romans
12:1
Thought
for the Day
Ancient Greek fabulist or story teller, Aesop wrote, “After all is said
and done, more is said than
done.”
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