Bible Readings for April 4, 2015

Today our passages are Deuteronomy 26:1–27:26; Luke 10:38–11:13; Psalm 76:1-12; and Proverbs 12:15-17. The readings are the Contemporary English Version. 

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Deuteronomy 26-27:26 (Contemporary English Version)

Deuteronomy 26

Give the LORD the First Part of Your Harvest

Moses said to Israel:

 ¹The LORD is giving you the land, and soon you will conquer it, settle down, ²and plant crops. And when you begin harvesting each of your crops, the very first things you pick must be put in a basket. Take them to the place where the LORD your God chooses to be worshiped, ³and tell the priest, " Long ago the LORD our God promised our ancestors that he would give us this land. And today, I thank him for keeping his promise and giving me a share of the land."     ⁴The priest will take the basket and set it in front of the LORD's altar. ⁵Then, standing there in front of the place of worship, you must pray:
   My ancestor was homeless,
   an Aramean who went to live
   in Egypt.
   There were only a few
   in his family then,
   but they became great
   and powerful,
   a nation of many people.
    ⁶The Egyptians were cruel
   and had no pity on us.
   They mistreated our people
   and forced us into slavery.
    ⁷We called out for help
   to you,
   the LORD God
   of our ancestors.
   You heard our cries;
   you knew we were in trouble
   and abused.
    ⁸Then you terrified the Egyptians
   with your mighty miracles
   and rescued us from Egypt.
    ⁹You brought us here
   and gave us this land
   rich with milk and honey.
    ¹⁰Now, LORD, I bring to you
   the best of the crops
   that you have given me.
   After you say these things, place the basket in front of the LORD's altar and bow down to worship him.
    ¹¹Then you and your family must celebrate by eating a meal at the place of worship to thank the LORD your God for giving you such a good harvest. And remember to invite the Levites and the foreigners who live in your town.
   

Ten Percent of the Harvest

Moses said to Israel:

 ¹²Every year you are to give ten percent of your harvest to the LORD. ^[a] But every third year, ^[b] this ten percent must be given to the poor who live in your town, including Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows. That way, they will have enough to eat. ¹³Then you must pray: Our LORD and our God, you have said that ten percent of my harvest is sacred. I have obeyed your command and given this to the poor, including the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows.     ¹⁴I have not eaten any of this sacred food while I was in mourning; in fact, I never touched it when I was unclean. ^[c] And none of it has been offered as a sacrifice to the spirits of the dead. I have done everything exactly as you commanded. ¹⁵Our LORD, look down from your temple in heaven and bless your people Israel. You promised our ancestors that you would give us this land rich with milk and honey, and you have kept your promise.
   

The LORD Is Your God, and You Are His People

Moses said to Israel:

 ¹⁶Today the LORD your God has commanded you to obey these laws and teachings with all your heart and soul.     ¹⁷In response, you have agreed that the LORD will be your God, that you will obey all his laws and teachings, and that you will listen when he speaks to you.
    ¹⁸Since you have agreed to obey the LORD, he has agreed that you will be his people and that you will belong to him, just as he promised. ¹⁹The LORD created all nations, but he will make you more famous than any of them, and you will receive more praise and honor. You will belong only to the LORD your God, just as he promised.
   

Deuteronomy 27

Build an Altar on Mount Ebal

 ¹Moses stood together with the leaders and told the people of Israel:    Obey all the laws and teachings that I am giving you today. ^2-4Soon you will enter the land that the LORD your God is giving to you. He is the God your ancestors worshiped, and he has promised that this land is rich with milk and honey.
   After you cross the Jordan River, go to Mount Ebal. Set up large slabs of stone, then cover them with white plaster and write on them a copy of these laws.
    ⁵At this same place, build an altar for offering sacrifices to the LORD your God. But don't use stones that have been cut with iron tools. ⁶Look for stones that can be used without being cut. Then offer sacrifices to please the LORD, ^[d] burning them completely on the altar. ⁷Next, offer sacrifices to ask the LORD's blessing, ^[e] and serve the meat at a sacred meal where you will celebrate in honor of the LORD. ⁸Don't forget to write out a copy of these laws on the stone slabs that you are going to set up. Make sure that the writing is easy to read.
   

Curses on Those Who Disobey

 ⁹Moses stood together with the priests ^[f] and said, " Israel, be quiet and listen to me! Today you have become the people of the LORD your God. ^{[g] 10}So you must obey his laws and teachings that I am giving you." ¹¹That same day, Moses gave them the following instructions:     ^12-13After you cross the Jordan River, you will go to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. ^[h] The tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Ephraim, Manasseh, ^[i] and Benjamin will go up on Mount Gerizim, where they will bless the people of Israel. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali will go up on Mount Ebal where they will agree to the curses. ^14-26The people of the Levi tribe will speak each curse in a loud voice, then the rest of the people ^[j] will agree to that curse by saying, " Amen!" Here are the curses: We ask the LORD to put a curse on anyone who makes an idol or worships idols, even secretly. The LORD is disgusted with idols.
   We ask the LORD to put a curse on all who do not show respect for their father and mother.
   We ask the LORD to put a curse on anyone who moves the rocks that mark property lines.
   We ask the LORD to put a curse on anyone who tells blind people to go the wrong way.
   We ask the LORD to put a curse on anyone who keeps the poor from getting justice, whether these poor are foreigners, widows, or orphans.
   We ask the LORD to put a curse on any man who sleeps with his father's wife; that man has shown no respect for his father's marriage.
   We ask the LORD to put a curse on anyone who has sex with an animal.
   We ask the LORD to put a curse on any man who sleeps with his sister or his half sister or his mother-in-law.
   We ask the LORD to put a curse on anyone who commits murder, even when there are no witnesses to the crime.
   We ask the LORD to put a curse on anyone who accepts money to murder an innocent victim.
   We ask the LORD to put a curse on anyone who refuses to obey his laws.
   And so, to each of these curses, the people will answer, " Amen!"
   

Footnotes:

1. Deuteronomy 26:12 Every year. . . LORD: See 14.22-29.
2. Deuteronomy 26:12 every third year: Probably the third and sixth years of the seven-year cycle described in 15.1-11 and Leviticus 25.1-7.
3. Deuteronomy 26:14 in mourning. . . unclean: Touching a dead body made a person unclean and unfit to worship God. Ten percent of the harvest belonged to God, and was not to be touched by an unclean person.
4. Deuteronomy 27:6 sacrifices to please the LORD: See the note at 12.5-19.
5. Deuteronomy 27:7 sacrifices to ask the LORD's blessing: These sacrifices have traditionally been called " peace offerings" or " offerings of well-being." A main purpose was to ask for the LORD's blessing, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called " sacrifices to ask the LORD's blessing."
6. Deuteronomy 27:9 priests: See the note at 17.8-12.
7. Deuteronomy 27:9 Today you have become the people of the LORD your God: As a result of the agreement that the LORD had made with them, recorded in 26.16-19.
8. Deuteronomy 27:12 Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal: These mountains were separated by a valley.
9. Deuteronomy 27:12 Ephraim, Manasseh: The Hebrew text has " Joseph" ; the descendants of Joseph formed the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.
10. Deuteronomy 27:14 the rest of the people: Or " all the people who are standing on Mount Ebal."

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Luke 10:38-11:13 (Contemporary English Version)

Martha and Mary

 ³⁸The Lord and his disciples were traveling along and came to a village. When they got there, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. ³⁹She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said. ⁴⁰Martha was worried about all that had to be done. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, "Lord, doesn't it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!"     ⁴¹The Lord answered, "Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, ⁴²but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her."
   

Luke 11

Prayer

(Matthew 6.9-13; 7.7-11)

 ¹When Jesus had finished praying, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his followers to pray."     ²So Jesus told them, "Pray in this way:
   `Father, help us
   to honor your name.
   Come and set up
   your kingdom.
    ³Give us each day
   the food we need. ^{[a] 4}Forgive our sins,
   as we forgive everyone
   who has done wrong to us.
   And keep us
   from being tempted.' "
    ⁵Then Jesus went on to say:
   Suppose one of you goes to a friend in the middle of the night and says, "Let me borrow three loaves of bread. ⁶A friend of mine has dropped in, and I don't have a thing for him to eat." ⁷And suppose your friend answers, "Don't bother me! The door is bolted, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up to give you something."
    ⁸He may not get up and give you the bread, just because you are his friend. But he will get up and give you as much as you need, simply because you are not ashamed to keep on asking.
    ⁹So I tell you to ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. ¹⁰Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. ¹¹Which one of you fathers would give your hungry child a snake if the child asked for a fish? ¹²Which one of you would give your child a scorpion if the child asked for an egg? ¹³As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks.
   

Footnotes:

1. Luke 11:3 the food we need: Or " food for today" or " food for the coming day."

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Psalm 76:1-12 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 76

(A song and a psalm for the music leader. Use stringed instruments.)

God Always Wins

 ¹You, our God,    are famous in Judah
   and honored in Israel.
    ²Your home is on Mount Zion
   in the city of peace.
    ³There you destroyed
   fiery arrows, shields, swords,
   and all the other weapons.
    ⁴You are more glorious than
   the eternal mountains. ^{[a] 5}Brave warriors were robbed
   of what they had taken,
   and now they lie dead,
   unable to lift an arm.
    ⁶God of Jacob, when you roar,
   enemy chariots and horses
   drop dead in their tracks.
    ⁷Our God, you are fearsome,
   and no one can oppose you
   when you are angry.
    ⁸From heaven you announced
   your decisions as judge!
   And all who live on this earth
   were terrified and silent
    ⁹when you took over as judge,
   ready to rescue
   everyone in need.
    ¹⁰Even the most angry people
   will praise you
   when you are furious. ^{[b] 11}Everyone, make your promises
   to the LORD your God
   and do what you promise.
   The LORD is fearsome,
   and all of his servants
   should bring him gifts.
    ¹²God destroys the courage
   of rulers and kings
   and makes cowards of them.
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 76:4 the eternal mountains: One ancient translation; Hebrew " the mountains of victims (of wild animals)."
2. Psalm 76:10 furious: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 10.

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Proverbs 12:15-17 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁵Fools think they know
   what is best,
   but a sensible person
   listens to advice.
    ¹⁶Losing your temper is foolish;
   ignoring an insult is smart.
    ¹⁷An honest person
   tells the truth in court,
   but a dishonest person
   tells nothing but lies.

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Verse of the Day

“Christ sacrificed his life's blood to set us free, which means that our sins are now forgiven. Christ did this because God was so kind to us. God has great wisdom and understanding,” - Ephesians 1:7

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

 

American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio personality, Garrison Keillor wrote, “Thank you, God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough.”