Bible Readings for August 10, 2019

Today our passages are Ezra 10:1-44; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20; Psalm 31:9-18; and Proverbs 21:3. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Ezra 10:1-44 (Contemporary English Version)

Ezra 10

The Plan for Ending Mixed Marriages

 ¹While Ezra was down on his knees in front of God's temple, praying with tears in his eyes, and confessing the sins of the people of Israel, a large number of men, women, and children gathered around him and cried bitterly.     ²Shecaniah son of Jehiel from the family of Elam said:
   Ezra, we have disobeyed God by marrying these foreign women. But there is still hope for the people of Israel, ³if we follow your advice and the advice of others who truly respect the laws of God. We must promise God that we will divorce our foreign wives and send them away, together with their children.
    ⁴Ezra, it's up to you to do something! We will support whatever you do. So be brave!
    ⁵Ezra stood up and made the chief priests, the Levites, and everyone else in Israel swear that they would follow the advice of Shecaniah. ⁶Then Ezra left God's temple and went to spend the night in the living quarters of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He felt sorry for what the people had done, and he did not eat or drink a thing.
    ^7-8The officials and leaders sent a message to all who had returned from Babylonia and were now living in Jerusalem and Judah. It told them to meet in Jerusalem within three days, or else they would lose everything they owned and would no longer be considered part of the people that had returned from Babylonia.
    ⁹Three days later, on the twentieth day of the ninth month, ^[a] everyone from Judah and Benjamin came to Jerusalem and sat in the temple courtyard. It was a serious meeting, and they sat there, trembling in the rain. ¹⁰Ezra the priest stood up and said:
   You have broken God's Law by marrying foreign women, and you have made the whole nation guilty! ¹¹Now you must confess your sins to the LORD God of your ancestors and obey him. Divorce your foreign wives and don't have anything to do with the rest of the foreigners who live around here.
    ¹²Everyone in the crowd shouted:
   You're right! We will do what you say. ¹³But there are so many of us, and we can't just stay out here in this downpour. A lot of us have sinned by marrying foreign women, and the matter can't be settled in only a day or two.
    ¹⁴Why can't our officials stay on in Jerusalem and take care of this for us? Let everyone who has sinned in this way meet here at a certain time with leaders and judges from their own towns. If we take care of this problem, God will surely stop being so terribly angry with us.
    ¹⁵Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah were the only ones who objected, except for the two Levites, Meshullam and Shabbethai.
    ¹⁶Everyone else who had returned from exile agreed with the plan. So Ezra the priest chose men ^[b] who were heads of the families, and he listed their names. They started looking into the matter on the first day of the tenth month, ^[c]¹⁷and they did not finish until the first day of the first month ^[d] of the next year. 

The Men Who Had Foreign Wives

 ^18-19Here is a list of the priests who had agreed to divorce their foreign wives and to sacrifice a ram as a sin offering:   Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah from the family of Joshua son of Jozadak and his brothers; ²⁰Hanani and Zebadiah from the family of Immer; ²¹Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah from the family of Harim; ²²Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah from the family of Pashhur.
    ²³Those Levites who had foreign wives were: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
    ²⁴Eliashib, the musician, had a foreign wife.
   These temple guards had foreign wives:
   Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
    ²⁵Here is a list of the others from Israel who had foreign wives:
   Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, ^[e] and Benaiah from the family of Parosh; ²⁶Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah from the family of Elam;
    ²⁷Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza from the family of Zattu;
    ²⁸Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai from the family of Bebai;
    ²⁹Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth from the family of Bani;
    ³⁰Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh from the family of Pahath Moab;
    ^31-32Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah from the family of Harim;
    ³³Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei from the family of Hashum;
    ^34-37Maadai, Amram, Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu from the family of Bani;
    ^38-42Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph from the family of Binnui; ^[f] ⁴³Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah from the family of Nebo.
    ⁴⁴These men divorced their foreign wives, then sent them and their children away. ^[g] 

Footnotes:

1. Ezra 10:9 ninth month: Chislev, the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-November to mid-December.
2. Ezra 10:16 So. . . men: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
3. Ezra 10:16 tenth month: Tebeth, the tenth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-December to mid-January.
4. Ezra 10:17 first month: See the note at 6.19.
5. Ezra 10:25 Hashabiah: One ancient translation; Hebrew "Malchijah."
6. Ezra 10:38 from the family of Binnui: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
7. Ezra 10:44 away: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 44.

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1 Corinthians 6:1-20 (Contemporary English Version)

1 Corinthians 6

Taking Each Other to Court

 ¹When one of you has a complaint against another, do you take your complaint to a court of sinners? Or do you take it to God's people? ²Don't you know that God's people will judge the world? And if you are going to judge the world, can't you settle small problems? ³Don't you know that we will judge angels? And if that is so, we can surely judge everyday matters. ⁴Why do you take everyday complaints to judges who are not respected by the church? ⁵I say this to your shame. Aren't any of you wise enough to act as a judge between one follower and another? ⁶Why should one of you take another to be tried by unbelievers?     ⁷When one of you takes another to court, all of you lose. It would be better to let yourselves be cheated and robbed. ⁸But instead, you cheat and rob other followers.
    ⁹Don't you know that evil people won't have a share in the blessings of God's kingdom? Don't fool yourselves! No one who is immoral or worships idols or is unfaithful in marriage or is a pervert or behaves like a homosexual ¹⁰will share in God's kingdom. Neither will any thief or greedy person or drunkard or anyone who curses and cheats others. ¹¹Some of you used to be like that. But now the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of God's Spirit have washed you and made you holy and acceptable to God.     

Honor God with Your Body

 ¹²Some of you say, "We can do anything we want to." But I tell you that not everything is good for us. So I refuse to let anything have power over me. ¹³You also say, "Food is meant for our bodies, and our bodies are meant for food." But I tell you that God will destroy them both. We are not supposed to do indecent things with our bodies. We are to use them for the Lord who is in charge of our bodies. ¹⁴God will raise us from death by the same power that he used when he raised our Lord to life.     ¹⁵Don't you know that your bodies are part of the body of Christ? Is it right for me to join part of the body of Christ to a prostitute? No, it isn't! ¹⁶Don't you know that a man who does that becomes part of her body? The Scriptures say, "The two of them will be like one person." ¹⁷But anyone who is joined to the Lord is one in spirit with him.
    ¹⁸Don't be immoral in matters of sex. That is a sin against your own body in a way that no other sin is. ¹⁹You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. ²⁰God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God. 

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Psalm 31:9-18 (Contemporary English Version)

⁹Have pity, LORD!
   I am hurting and almost blind.
   My whole body aches.
    ¹⁰I have known only sorrow
   all my life long,
   and I suffer
   year after year.
   I am weak from sin,
   and my bones are limp.
    ¹¹My enemies insult me.
   Neighbors are even worse,
   and I disgust my friends.
   People meet me on the street,
   and they turn and run.
    ¹²I am completely forgotten
   like someone dead.
   I am merely a broken dish.
    ¹³I hear the crowds whisper,
   "Everyone is afraid!"
   They are plotting and scheming
   to murder me.
    ¹⁴But I trust you, LORD,
   and I claim you as my God.
    ¹⁵My life is in your hands.
   Save me from enemies
   who hunt me down.
    ¹⁶Smile on me, your servant.
   Have pity and rescue me.
    ¹⁷I pray only to you.
   Don't disappoint me.
   Disappoint my cruel enemies
   until they lie silent
   in their graves.
    ¹⁸Silence those proud liars!
   Make them stop bragging
   and insulting your people. 

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Proverbs 21:3 (Contemporary English Version)

³Doing what is right and fair
   pleases the LORD
   more than an offering. 

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Verse of the Day

“[(A special song for the people of Korah and for the music leader.)][God Is Our Mighty Fortress]God is our mighty fortress, always ready to help in times of trouble.” - Psalm 46:1 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American composer and music theorist, James Tenney wrote, “I've come up with another formulation about style: that it's essentially a manifestation of a certain habitual set of limitations. It's what a composer does NOT do that defines a style.”

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A Joke for Today

Mr. Johnson was overweight, so his doctor put him on a diet. 

He said,  I want you to eat regularly for two days, then skip a day, and repeat this procedure for two weeks. The next time I see you, you should have lost at least five pounds.  

When Mr. Johnson returned, he shocked the doctor by having dropped almost twenty pounds. 

 Why, that s amazing!  the doctor told him.  You did this just by following my instructions?  

The slimmed down Mr. Johnson nodded.  I ll tell you, though, I thought I was going to drop dead that third day.  

 From hunger, you mean.  

 No,  replied Mr. Johnson,  from skipping. 

Bible Readings for August 9, 2019

Today our passages are Ezra 8:21–9:15; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Psalm 31:1-8; and Proverbs 21:1-2. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Ezra 8:21-9:15 (Contemporary English Version)

Ezra Asks the People To Go without Eating and To Pray

 ²¹Beside the Ahava River, ^[a] I ^[b] asked the people to go without eating ^[c] and to pray. We humbled ourselves and asked God to bring us and our children safely to Jerusalem with all of our possessions. ²²I was ashamed to ask the king to send soldiers and cavalry to protect us against enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king that our God takes care of everyone who truly worships him, but that he gets very angry and punishes anyone who refuses to obey. ²³So we went without food and asked God himself to protect us, and he answered our prayers.

The Gifts for the Temple

 ²⁴I ^[d] chose twelve of the leading priests--Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their relatives. ^25-27Then I weighed the gifts that had been given for God's temple, and I divided them among the twelve priests I had chosen. There were gifts of silver and gold, as well as the articles that the king, his advisors and officials, and the people of Israel had contributed. In all there were: 25 tons of silver; 100 silver articles weighing 150 pounds; 7,500 pounds of gold; 20 gold bowls weighing 270 ounces; and 2 polished bronze articles as valuable as gold. ²⁸I said to the priests:    You belong to the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and these things also belong to him. The silver and gold were willingly given as gifts to the LORD. ²⁹Be sure to guard them and keep them safe until you reach Jerusalem. Then weigh them inside God's temple in the presence of the chief priests, the Levites, and the heads of the Israelite families.
    ³⁰The priests and Levites then took charge of the gifts that had been weighed, so they could take them to the temple of our God in Jerusalem.     

The Return to Jerusalem

 ³¹On the twelfth day of the first month, ^[e] we left the Ahava River ^[f] and started for Jerusalem. Our God watched over us, and as we traveled along, he kept our enemies from ambushing us. ³²After arriving in Jerusalem, we rested for three days. ³³Then on the fourth day we went to God's temple, where the silver, the gold, and the other things were weighed and given to the priest Meremoth son of Uriah. With him were Eleazar son of Phinehas and the two Levites, Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. ³⁴Everything was counted, weighed, and recorded.     ³⁵Those who had returned from exile offered sacrifices on the altar to the God of Israel. Twelve bulls were offered for all Israel. Ninety-six rams and seventy-seven ^[g] lambs were offered on the altar. And twelve goats were sacrificed for the sins of the people. ³⁶Some of those who had returned took the king's orders to the governors and officials in Western Province. Then the officials did what they could for the people and for the temple of God. 

Ezra 9

Ezra Condemns Mixed Marriages

 ¹Later the Jewish leaders came to me ^[h] and said: Many Israelites, including priests and Levites, are living just like the people around them. They are even guilty of some of the horrible sins of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.     ²Some Israelite men have married foreign women and have let their sons do the same thing. Our own officials and leaders were the first to commit this disgusting sin, and now God's holy people are mixed with foreigners.
    ³This news made me so angry that I ripped my clothes and tore hair from my head and beard. Then I just sat in shock ⁴until time for the evening sacrifice. Many of our people were greatly concerned and gathered around me, because the God of Israel had warned us to stay away from foreigners.     

Ezra's Prayer

 ⁵At the time of the evening sacrifice, I was still sitting there in sorrow with my clothes all torn. So I got down on my knees, then lifted my arms, ⁶and prayed:    I am much too ashamed to face you, LORD God. Our sins and our guilt have swept over us like a flood that reaches up to the heavens. ⁷Since the time of our ancestors, all of us have sinned. That's why we, our kings, and our priests have often been defeated by other kings. They have killed some of us and made slaves of others; they have taken our possessions and made us ashamed, just as we are today.
    ⁸But for now, LORD God, you have shown great kindness to us. You made us truly happy by letting some of us settle in this sacred place and by helping us in our time of slavery. ⁹We are slaves, but you have never turned your back on us. You love us, and because of you, the kings of Persia have helped us. It's as though you have given us new life! You let us rebuild your temple and live safely in Judah and Jerusalem.
    ¹⁰Our God, what can we say now? Even after all this, we have disobeyed the commands ¹¹that were given to us by your servants the prophets. They said the land you are giving us is full of sinful and wicked people, who never stop doing disgusting things. ^[i] ¹²And we were warned not to let our daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters. Your prophets also told us never to help those foreigners or even let them live in peace. You wanted us to become strong and to enjoy the good things in the land, then someday to leave it to our children forever.
    ¹³You punished us because of our terrible sins. But you did not punish us nearly as much as we deserve, and you have brought some of us back home. ¹⁴Why should we disobey your commands again by letting our sons and daughters marry these foreigners who do such disgusting things? That would make you angry enough to destroy us all! ¹⁵LORD God of Israel, you have been more than fair by letting a few of us survive. But once again, our sins have made us ashamed to face you.
    

Footnotes:

1. Ezra 8:21 River: See the note at 8.15.
2. Ezra 8:21 I: See the note at 8.1.
3. Ezra 8:21 to go without eating: The Jews often went without eating as a way of worshiping God. This is sometimes called "fasting."
4. Ezra 8:24 I: See the note at 8.1.
5. Ezra 8:31 first month: See the note at 6.19.
6. Ezra 8:31 River: See the note at 8.15.
7. Ezra 8:35 seventy-seven: Or "seventy-two."
8. Ezra 9:1 me: Ezra.
9. Ezra 9:11 doing disgusting things: Probably worshiping idols.

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1 Corinthians 5:1-13 (Contemporary English Version)

1 Corinthians 5

Immoral Followers

 ¹I have heard terrible things about some of you. In fact, you are behaving worse than the Gentiles. A man is even sleeping with his own stepmother. ^[a] ²You are proud, when you ought to feel bad enough to chase away anyone who acts like that. ^3-4I am with you only in my thoughts. But in the name of our Lord Jesus I have already judged this man, as though I were with you in person. So when you meet together and the power of the Lord Jesus is with you, I will be there too. ⁵You must then hand that man over to Satan. His body will be destroyed, but his spirit will be saved when the Lord Jesus returns.     ⁶Stop being proud! Don't you know how a little yeast can spread through the whole batch of dough? ⁷Get rid of the old yeast! Then you will be like fresh bread made without yeast, and that is what you are. Our Passover lamb is Christ, who has already been sacrificed. ⁸So don't celebrate the festival by being evil and sinful, which is like serving bread made with yeast. Be pure and truthful and celebrate by using bread made without yeast.
    ⁹In my other letter ^[b] I told you not to have anything to do with immoral people. ¹⁰But I wasn't talking about the people of this world. You would have to leave this world to get away from everyone who is immoral or greedy or who cheats or worships idols. ¹¹I was talking about your own people who are immoral or greedy or worship idols or curse others or get drunk or cheat. Don't even eat with them! ¹²Why should I judge outsiders? Aren't we supposed to judge only church members? ¹³God judges everyone else. The Scriptures say, "Chase away any of your own people who are evil." 

Footnotes:

1. 1 Corinthians 5:1 is even sleeping with his own stepmother: Or "has even married his own stepmother."
2. 1 Corinthians 5:9 other letter: An unknown letter that Paul wrote to the Christians at Corinth before he wrote this one.

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Psalm 31:1-8 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 31

(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

A Prayer for Protection

 ¹I come to you, LORD,    for protection.
   Don't let me be ashamed.
   Do as you have promised
   and rescue me.
    ²Listen to my prayer
   and hurry to save me.
   Be my mighty rock ^[a] and the fortress
   where I am safe.
    ³You, LORD God,
   are my mighty rock
   and my fortress.
   Lead me and guide me,
   so that your name
   will be honored.
    ⁴Protect me from hidden traps
   and keep me safe.
    ⁵You are faithful,
   and I trust you
   because you rescued me.
    ⁶I hate the worshipers
   of worthless idols,
   but I trust you, LORD.
    ⁷I celebrate and shout
   because you are kind.
   You saw all my suffering,
   and you cared for me.
    ⁸You kept me from the hands
   of my enemies,
   and you set me free.
    

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 31:2 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.

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Proverbs 21:1-2 (Contemporary English Version)

Proverbs 21

The LORD Is In Charge

 ¹The LORD controls rulers,    just as he determines
   the course of rivers.
    ²We may think we are doing
   the right thing,
   but the LORD always knows
   what is in our hearts. 

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Verse of the Day

“Five sparrows are sold for just two pennies, but God doesn't forget a one of them. Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don't be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.” - Luke 12:6-7 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Australian-English writer who spent most of her career in England, P. L. Travers wrote, “I cannot summon up inspiration; I myself am summoned.”

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A Joke for Today

21 Reasons Why The English Language Is Hard To Learn

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) After a number of injections my jaw got number.

19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

21) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Bible Readings for August 8, 2019

Today our passages are Ezra 7:1–8:20; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21; Psalm 30:1-12; and Proverbs 20:28-30. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Ezra 7-8:20 (Contemporary English Version)

Ezra 7

Ezra Comes to Jerusalem

 ^1-6Much later, when Artaxerxes ^[a] was king of Persia, Ezra came to Jerusalem from Babylonia. Ezra was the son of Seraiah and the grandson of Azariah. His other ancestors were Hilkiah, Shallum, Zadok, Ahitub, Amariah, Azariah, Meraioth, Zerahiah, Uzzi, Bukki, Abishua, Phinehas, Eleazar, and Aaron, the high priest. Ezra was an expert in the Law that the LORD God of Israel had given to Moses, and the LORD made sure that the king gave Ezra everything he asked for.     ⁷Other Jews, including priests, Levites, musicians, the temple guards, and servants, came to Jerusalem with Ezra. This happened during the seventh year that Artaxerxes ^[b] was king. ^8-9God helped Ezra, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month ^[c] of that seventh year, after leaving Babylonia on the first day of the first month. ^[d] ¹⁰Ezra had spent his entire life studying and obeying the Law of the LORD and teaching it to others. 

Artaxerxes Gives a Letter to Ezra

 ¹¹Ezra was a priest and an expert in the laws and commands that the LORD had given to Israel. One day King Artaxerxes gave Ezra a letter which said:     ¹²Greetings from the great King Artaxerxes to Ezra the priest and expert in the teachings of the God of heaven.
    ^13-14Any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom may go with you to Jerusalem if they want to. My seven advisors and I agree that you may go to Jerusalem and Judah to find out if ^[e] the laws of your God are being obeyed. ¹⁵When you go, take the silver and gold that I and my advisors are freely giving to the God of Israel, whose temple is in Jerusalem. ¹⁶Take the silver and gold that you collect from everywhere in Babylonia. Also take the gifts that your own people and priests have so willingly contributed for the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
    ¹⁷Use the money carefully to buy the best bulls, rams, lambs, grain, and wine. Then sacrifice them on the altar at God's temple in Jerusalem. ¹⁸If any silver or gold is left, you and your people may use it for whatever pleases your God. ¹⁹Give your God the other articles that have been contributed for use in his temple. ²⁰If you need to get anything else for the temple, you may have the money you need from the royal treasury.
    ²¹Ezra, you are a priest and an expert in the laws of the God of heaven, and I order all treasurers in Western Province to do their very best to help you. ²²They will be allowed to give as much as 7,500 pounds of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of olive oil, and all the salt you need.
    ²³They must provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his temple, so that he won't be angry with me and with the kings who rule after me. ²⁴We want you to know that no priests, Levites, musicians, guards, temple servants, or any other temple workers will have to pay any kind of taxes.
    ²⁵Ezra, use the wisdom God has given you and choose officials and leaders to govern the people of Western Province. These leaders should know God's laws and have them taught to anyone who doesn't know them. ²⁶Everyone who fails to obey God's Law or the king's law will be punished without pity. They will either be executed or put in prison or forced to leave their country, or have all they own taken away.     

Ezra Praises God

 ²⁷Because King Artaxerxes was so kind, Ezra said:    Praise the LORD God of our ancestors! He made sure that the king honored the LORD's temple in Jerusalem. ²⁸God has told the king, his advisors, and his powerful officials to treat me with kindness. The LORD God has helped me, and I have been able to bring many Jewish leaders back to Jerusalem.
    

Ezra 8

The Families Who Came Back with Ezra

 ¹Artaxerxes was king of Persia when I ^[f] led the following chiefs of the family groups from Babylonia to Jerusalem: ^2-14Gershom of the Phinehas family;    Daniel of the Ithamar family;
   Hattush son of Shecaniah of the David family;
   Zechariah and 150 other men of the Parosh family, who had family records;
   Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah with 200 men of the Pahath Moab family;
   Shecaniah son of Jahaziel with 300 men of the Zattu family; ^[g] Ebed son of Jonathan with 50 men of the Adin family;
   Jeshaiah son of Athaliah with 70 men of the Elam family;
   Zebadiah son of Michael with 80 men of the Shephatiah family;
   Obadiah son of Jehiel with 218 men of the Joab family;
   Shelomith son of Josiphiah with 160 men of the Bani family; ^[h] Zechariah son of Bebai with 28 men of the Bebai family;
   Johanan son of Hakkatan with 110 men of the Azgad family;
   Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah who returned sometime later with 60 men of the Adonikam family;
   Uthai and Zaccur with 70 men of the Bigvai family.     

Ezra Finds Levites for the Temple

 ¹⁵I ^[i] brought everyone together by the river ^[j] that flows to the town of Ahava ^[k] where we camped for three days. Not one Levite could be found among the people and priests. ¹⁶So I sent for the leaders Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam. I also sent for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were very wise. ¹⁷Then I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, ^[l] and I told them to ask him and his temple workers to send people to serve in God's temple. ¹⁸God was kind to us and had them send a skillful man named Sherebiah, who was a Levite from the family of Mahli. Eighteen of his relatives came with him. ¹⁹We were also sent Hashabiah and Jeshaiah from the family of Merari along with twenty of their relatives. ²⁰In addition, 220 others came to help the Levites in the temple. The ancestors of these workers had been chosen years ago by King David ^[m] and his officials, and they were all listed by name. 

Footnotes:

1. Ezra 7:1 Artaxerxes: Either Artaxerxes I (ruled from 465 to 425 B.C.) or Artaxerxes II (ruled from 405-358 B.C.).
2. Ezra 7:7 seventh year. . . Artaxerxes: 458 B.C. if this is Artaxerxes I; 398 B.C., if this is Artaxerxes II (see the note at 7.1-6).
3. Ezra 7:8 fifth month: Ab, the fifth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-July to mid-August.
4. Ezra 7:8 first month: See the note at 6.19.
5. Ezra 7:13 find out if: Or "make sure that."
6. Ezra 8:1 I: Ezra.
7. Ezra 8:2 of the Zattu family: One ancient translation; these words are not in the Hebrew text, but see 2.2-20, where Zattu is mentioned.
8. Ezra 8:2 of the Bani family: One ancient translation; these words are not in the Hebrew text, but see 2.2-20.
9. Ezra 8:15 I: See the note at 8.1.
10. Ezra 8:15 river: Or "canal."
11. Ezra 8:15 town of Ahava: A town (or place) in Babylonia, but the exact location is unknown.
12. Ezra 8:17 Casiphia: The location is not known.
13. Ezra 8:20 King David: See the note at 3.10.

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1 Corinthians 4:1-21 (Contemporary English Version)

1 Corinthians 4

The Work of the Apostles

 ¹Think of us as servants of Christ who have been given the work of explaining God's mysterious ways. ²And since our first duty is to be faithful to the one we work for, ³it doesn't matter to me if I am judged by you or even by a court of law. In fact, I don't judge myself. ⁴I don't know of anything against me, but that doesn't prove that I am right. The Lord is my judge. ⁵So don't judge anyone until the Lord returns. He will show what is hidden in the dark and what is in everyone's heart. Then God will be the one who praises each of us.     ⁶Friends, I have used Apollos and myself as examples to teach you the meaning of the saying, "Follow the rules." I want you to stop saying that one of us is better than the other. ⁷What is so special about you? What do you have that you were not given? And if it was given to you, how can you brag? ⁸Are you already satisfied? Are you now rich? Have you become kings while we are still nobodies? I wish you were kings. Then we could have a share in your kingdom.
    ⁹It seems to me that God has put us apostles in the worst possible place. We are like prisoners on their way to death. Angels and the people of this world just laugh at us. ¹⁰Because of Christ we are thought of as fools, but Christ has made you wise. We are weak and hated, but you are powerful and respected. ¹¹Even today we go hungry and thirsty and don't have anything to wear except rags. We are mistreated and don't have a place to live. ¹²We work hard with our own hands, and when people abuse us, we wish them well. When we suffer, we are patient. ¹³When someone curses us, we answer with kind words. Until now we are thought of as nothing more than the trash and garbage of this world.
    ¹⁴I am not writing to embarrass you. I want to help you, just as parents help their own dear children. ¹⁵Ten thousand people may teach you about Christ, but I am your only father. You became my children when I told you about Christ Jesus, ¹⁶and I want you to be like me. ¹⁷That's why I sent Timothy to you. I love him like a son, and he is a faithful servant of the Lord. Timothy will tell you what I do to follow Christ and how it agrees with what I always teach about Christ in every church.
    ¹⁸Some of you think I am not coming for a visit, and so you are bragging. ¹⁹But if the Lord lets me come, I will soon be there. Then I will find out if the ones who are doing all this bragging really have any power. ²⁰God's kingdom isn't just a lot of words. It is power. ²¹What do you want me to do when I arrive? Do you want me to be hard on you or to be kind and gentle? 

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Psalm 30:1-12 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 30

(A psalm by David for the dedication of the temple.)

A Prayer of Thanks

 ¹I will praise you, LORD!    You saved me from the grave
   and kept my enemies
   from celebrating my death.
    ²I prayed to you, LORD God,
   and you healed me,
    ³saving me from death
   and the grave.
    ⁴Your faithful people, LORD,
   will praise you with songs
   and honor your holy name.
    ⁵Your anger lasts a little while,
   but your kindness lasts
   for a lifetime.
   At night we may cry,
   but when morning comes
   we will celebrate.
    ⁶I was carefree and thought,
   "I'll never be shaken!"
    ⁷You, LORD, were my friend,
   and you made me strong
   as a mighty mountain.
   But when you hid your face,
   I was crushed.
    ⁸I prayed to you, LORD,
   and in my prayer I said,
    ⁹"What good will it do you
   if I am in the grave?
   Once I have turned to dust,
   how can I praise you
   or tell how loyal you are?
    ¹⁰Have pity, LORD! Help!"
    ¹¹You have turned my sorrow
   into joyful dancing.
   No longer am I sad
   and wearing sackcloth. ^[a] ¹²I thank you from my heart,
   and I will never stop
   singing your praises,
   my LORD and my God.
    

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 30:11 sackcloth: A rough, dark-colored cloth made from goat or camel hair and used to make grain sacks. It was worn in times of trouble or sorrow.

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Proverbs 20:28-30 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁸Rulers are protected
   by God's mercy and loyalty,
   but ^[a] they must be merciful for their kingdoms to last.
    ²⁹Young people take pride
   in their strength,
   but the gray hairs of wisdom
   are even more beautiful.
    ³⁰A severe beating can knock all
   of the evil out of you!
    

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 20:28 by God's mercy. . . but: Or " by their mercy. . . and."

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Verse of the Day

 

“The LORD is pleased with his people, and he gives victory to those who are humble.” - Psalm 149:4 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

John Russell, known by his courtesy title Lord John Russell before 1861, was a leading Whig and Liberal politician who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1846–1852, and 1865–1866 during the early Victorian era, wrote, “It is impossible that the whisper of a faction should prevail against the voice of a nation.”

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A Joke for Today

Dear John,

I have been unable to sleep since I broke off our engagement. Won't you forgive and forget? Your absence is breaking my heart. I was a fool, nobody can take your place. I love you.

All my love,

Judi xxxxoooxxxx

P.S. Congratulations on winning this week's lottery.