Bible Readings for August 3, 2017

Today our passages are 2 Chronicles 33:14–34:33; Romans 16:8-27; Psalm 26:1-12; and Proverbs 20:19. 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 Steet, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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2 Chronicles 33:14-34:33 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁴Later, Manasseh rebuilt the eastern section of Jerusalem's outer wall and made it taller. This section went from Gihon Valley north to Fish Gate and around the part of the city called Mount Ophel. He also assigned army officers to each of the fortified cities in Judah. ^[a]

   ¹⁵Manasseh also removed the idols and the stone image of the foreign god from the temple, and he gathered the altars he had built near the temple and in other parts of Jerusalem. He threw all these things outside the city.

   ¹⁶Then he repaired the LORD's altar and offered sacrifices to thank him and sacrifices to ask his blessing. ^[b] He gave orders that everyone in Judah must worship the LORD God of Israel.

   ¹⁷The people obeyed Manasseh, but they worshiped the LORD at their own shrines.

   ¹⁸Everything else Manasseh did while he was king, including his prayer to the LORD God and the warnings from his prophets, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel.

   ¹⁹Hozai ^[c] wrote a lot about Manasseh, including his prayer and God's answer. But Hozai also recorded the evil things Manasseh did before turning back to God, as well as a list of places where Manasseh set up idols, and where he built local shrines and places to worship Asherah.

   ²⁰Manasseh died and was buried near the palace, and his son Amon became king.

   

King Amon of Judah

(2 Kings 21.19-26)

 ²¹Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for two years.

   ²²Amon disobeyed the LORD, just as his father Manasseh had done, and he worshiped and offered sacrifices to the idols his father had made.

   ²³Manasseh had turned back to the LORD, but Amon refused to do that. Instead, he sinned even more than his father.

   ²⁴Some of Amon's officials plotted against him and killed him in his palace.

   ²⁵But the people of Judah killed the murderers of Amon and made his son Josiah king.

   

2 Chronicles 34

King Josiah of Judah

(2 Kings 22.1,2)

 ¹Josiah was eight years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled thirty-one years from Jerusalem.

   ²He followed the example of his ancestor David and always obeyed the LORD.

   

Josiah Stops the Worship of Foreign Gods

(2 Kings 23.4-20)

 ³When Josiah was only sixteen years old he began worshiping God, just as his ancestor David had done. Then, four years later, he decided to destroy the local shrines ^[d] in Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the sacred poles ^[e] for worshiping the goddess Asherah and the idols of foreign gods.

   ⁴He watched as the altars for the worship of the god Baal were torn down, and as the nearby incense altars were smashed. The Asherah poles, the idols, and the stone images were also smashed, and the pieces were scattered over the graves of their worshipers.

   ⁵Josiah then had the bones of the pagan priests burned on the altars. ^[f] And so Josiah got rid of the worship of foreign gods in Judah and Jerusalem.

   ⁶He did the same things in the towns and ruined villages ^[g] in the territories of West Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as the border of Naphtali.

   ⁷Everywhere in the northern kingdom of Israel, Josiah tore down pagan altars and Asherah poles; he crushed idols to dust and smashed incense altars. Then Josiah went back to Jerusalem.

   

Hilkiah Finds The Book of God's Law

(2 Kings 22.3-20)

 ⁸In the eighteenth year of Josiah's rule in Judah, after he had gotten rid of all the sinful things from the land and from the LORD's temple, he sent three of his officials to repair the temple. They were Shaphan son of Azaliah, Governor Maaseiah of Jerusalem, and Joah son of Joahaz, who kept the government records.

   ⁹These three men went to Hilkiah the high priest. They gave him the money that the Levite guards had collected from the people of West Manasseh, Ephraim, and the rest of Israel, as well as those living in Judah, Benjamin, and Jerusalem.

   ¹⁰Then the money was turned over to the men who supervised the repairs to the temple. They used some of it to pay the workers,

   ¹¹and they gave the rest of it to the carpenters and builders, who used it to buy the stone and wood they needed to repair the other buildings that Judah's kings had not taken care of.

   ¹²The workers were honest, and their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah from the Levite clan of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam from the Levite clan of Kohath. Other Levites, who were all skilled musicians,

   ¹³were in charge of carrying supplies and supervising the workers. Other Levites were appointed to stand guard around the temple.

   ¹⁴While the money was being given to these supervisors, Hilkiah found the book that contained the laws that the LORD had given to Moses.

   ¹⁵Hilkiah handed the book to Shaphan the official and said, "Look what I found here in the temple--The Book of God's Law."

   ¹⁶Shaphan took the book to Josiah and reported, "Your officials are doing everything you wanted.

   ¹⁷They have collected the money from the temple and have given it to the men supervising the repairs.

   ¹⁸But there's something else, Your Majesty. The priest Hilkiah gave me this book." Then Shaphan read it aloud.

   ¹⁹When Josiah heard what was in The Book of God's Law, he tore his clothes in sorrow.

   ²⁰At once he called together Hilkiah, Shaphan, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, ^[h] and his own servant Asaiah. He said,

   ²¹"The LORD must be furious with me and everyone else in Israel and Judah, because our ancestors did not obey the laws written in this book. Go find out what the LORD wants us to do."

   ²²Hilkiah and the four other men left right away and went to talk with Huldah the prophet. Her husband was Shallum, ^[i] who was in charge of the king's clothes. Huldah lived in the northern part of Jerusalem, and when they met in her home,

   ²³she said: You were sent here by King Josiah, and this is what the LORD God of Israel says to him:

   ²⁴"Josiah, I am the LORD! And I intend to punish this country and everyone in it, just as this book says.

   ²⁵The people of Judah and Israel have rejected me. They have offered sacrifices to foreign gods and have worshiped their own idols. I can't stand it any longer. I am furious.

   ^26-27"Josiah, listen to what I am going to do. I noticed how sad you were when you heard that this country and its people would be completely wiped out. You even tore your clothes in sorrow, and I heard you cry.

   ²⁸So before I destroy this place, I will let you die in peace."

   The men left and reported to Josiah what Huldah had said.

   

Josiah Reads The Book of God's Law

(2 Kings 23.1-3)

 ²⁹King Josiah called together the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem.

   ³⁰Then he went to the LORD's temple, together with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, the priests, and the Levites.

   Finally, when everybody was there, he read aloud The Book of God's Law ^[j] that had been found in the temple.

   ³¹After Josiah had finished reading, he stood in the place reserved for the king. He promised in the LORD's name to faithfully obey the LORD and to follow his laws and teachings that were written in the book.

   ³²Then he asked the people of Jerusalem and Benjamin to make that same promise and to obey the God their ancestors had worshiped.

   ³³Josiah destroyed all the idols in the territories of Israel, and he commanded everyone in Israel to worship only the LORD God. The people did not turn away from the LORD God of their ancestors for the rest of Josiah's rule as king.

   

Footnotes:

1. 2 Chronicles 33:14 fortified cities in Judah: At this time, Judah was under the control of Assyria. The fortifications mentioned in this verse may have been done under orders from Assyrian officials, hoping to strengthen their southern border against the rising power of Egypt.
2. 2 Chronicles 33:16 sacrifices to ask his blessing: See the note at 29.33.
3. 2 Chronicles 33:19 Hozai: Or "The prophets."
4. 2 Chronicles 34:3 local shrines: See the note at 11.15.
5. 2 Chronicles 34:3 sacred poles: See the note at 14.3.
6. 2 Chronicles 34:5 the bones of the pagan priests burned on the altars: This made the altars unclean, so that they could not be used in worshiping any god.
7. 2 Chronicles 34:6 ruined villages: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
8. 2 Chronicles 34:20 Abdon son of Micah: Also called "Achbor son of Micaiah" (see 2 Kings 22.12).
9. 2 Chronicles 34:22 Shallum: Hebrew "Shallum son of Tokhath son of Hasrah."
10. 2 Chronicles 34:30 The Book of God's Law: The Hebrew text has "The Book of God's Agreement," which is the same as "The Book of God's Law" in verses 15 and 19. In traditional translations this is called "The Book of the Covenant."

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Romans 16:8-27 (Contemporary English Version)

⁸Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend whose faith is in the Lord.

    ⁹Greet Urbanus, who serves Christ along with us.

   Greet my dear friend Stachys.

    ¹⁰Greet Apelles, a faithful servant of Christ.

   Greet Aristobulus and his family.

    ¹¹Greet Herodion, who is a relative ^[a] of mine. Greet Narcissus and the others in his family, who have faith in the Lord.

    ¹²Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who work hard for the Lord.

   Greet my dear friend Persis. She also works hard for the Lord.

    ¹³Greet Rufus, that special servant of the Lord, and greet his mother, who has been like a mother to me.

    ¹⁴Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, and Hermas, as well as our friends who are with them.

    ¹⁵Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all of God's people who are with them.

    ¹⁶Be sure to give each other a warm greeting.

   All of Christ's churches greet you.

    ¹⁷My friends, I beg you to watch out for anyone who causes trouble and divides the church by refusing to do what all of you were taught. Stay away from them! ¹⁸They want to serve themselves and not Christ the Lord. Their flattery and fancy talk fool people who don't know any better. ¹⁹I am glad that everyone knows how well you obey the Lord. But still, I want you to understand what is good and not have anything to do with evil. ²⁰Then God, who gives peace, will soon crush Satan under your feet. I pray that our Lord Jesus will be kind to you.

    ²¹Timothy, who works with me, sends his greetings, and so do my relatives, ^[b] Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater. ²²I, Tertius, also send my greetings. I am a follower of the Lord, and I wrote this letter. ^[c] ^23-24Gaius welcomes me and the whole church into his home, and he sends his greetings.

   Erastus, the city treasurer, and our dear friend Quartus send their greetings too. ^[d]

Paul's Closing Prayer

 ²⁵Praise God! He can make you strong by means of my good news, which is the message about ^[e] Jesus Christ. For ages and ages this message was kept secret, ²⁶but now at last it has been told. The eternal God commanded his prophets to write about the good news, so that all nations would obey and have faith. ²⁷And now, because of Jesus Christ, we can praise the only wise God forever! Amen. ^[f]

Footnotes:

1. Romans 16:11 relative(s): See the note at verse 7.
2. Romans 16:21 relative(s): See the note at verse 7.
3. Romans 16:22 I wrote this letter: Paul probably dictated this letter to Tertius.
4. Romans 16:23 send their greetings too: Some manuscripts add, " I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ will always be kind to you. Amen."
5. Romans 16:25 about: Or " from."
6. Romans 16:27 Amen: Some manuscripts have verses 25-27 after 14.23. Others have the verses here and after 14.23, and one manuscript has them after 15.33.

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Psalm 26:1-12 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 26

(By David.)

The Prayer of an Innocent Person

 ¹Show that I am right, LORD!

   I stay true to myself,

   and I have trusted you

   without doubting.

    ²Test my thoughts and find out

   what I am like.

    ³I never forget your kindness,

   and I am always faithful

   to you. ^[a] ⁴I don't spend my time

   with worthless liars

    ⁵or go with evil crowds.

    ⁶I wash my hands, LORD,

   to show my innocence,

   and I worship at your altar,

    ⁷while gratefully singing

   about your wonders.

    ⁸I love the temple

   where you live,

   and where

   your glory shines.

    ⁹Don't sweep me away,

   as you do sinners.

   Don't punish me with death

   as you do those people

   who are brutal

    ¹⁰or full of meanness

   or who bribe others.

    ¹¹I stay true to myself.

   Be kind and rescue me.

    ¹²Now I stand on solid ground!

   And when your people meet,

   I will praise you, LORD.

   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 26:3 I am. . . to you: Or " I trust your faithfulness."

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Proverbs 20:19 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁹Stay away from gossips--

   they tell everything.

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Verse of the Day

“But the LORD told him, "Samuel, don't think Eliab is the one just because he's tall and handsome. He isn't the one I've chosen. People judge others by what they look like, but I judge people by what is in their hearts.” - 1 Samuel 16:7

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

German scientist, satirist, and Anglophile, Georg C. Lichtenberg wrote, “Everyone is a genius at least once a year. The real geniuses simply have their bright ideas closer together.”

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A Joke for Today

The Pope met with his Cardinals to discuss a proposal from Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Israel. "Your Holiness", said one of his Cardinals, Mr. Netanyahu wants to challenge you to a game of golf to show the friendship and ecumenical spirit shared by the Jewish and Catholic faiths."

The Pope thought this was a good idea, but he had never held a golf club in his hand. "Don't we have a Cardinal to represent me?" he asked.

"None that plays very well," a Cardinal replied. "But," he added, "there is a man named Jack Nicklaus, an American golfer who is a devout Catholic. We can offer to make him a Cardinal, then ask him to play Mr. Netanyahu as your personal representative. In addition, to showing our spirit of cooperation, we'll also win the match."

Everyone agreed it was a good idea. The call was made. Of course, Nicklaus was honored and agreed to play. The day after the match, Nicklaus reported to the Vatican to inform the Pope of the result. "I have some good news and some bad news, your Holiness, " said the golfer.

"Tell me the good news first, Cardinal Nicklaus," said the Pope.

"Well, your Holiness, I don't like to brag, but even though I've played some pretty terrific rounds of golf in my life, this was the best I have ever played, by far. I must have been inspired from above. My drives were long and true, my irons were accurate and purposeful, and my putting was perfect. With all due respect, my play was truly miraculous.

"There's bad news?", the Pope asked.

"Yes," Nicklaus sighed. "I lost to Rabbi Tiger Woods by seven strokes."

Bible Readings for December 13, 2015

Today our passages are Obadiah 1-21; Revelation 4:1-11; Psalm 132:1-18; and Proverbs 29:24-25. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you missed a day, you can find all the readings at our blog, The Bible in a Year. 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. 

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Obadiah 1-21 (Contemporary English Version)

Obadiah 1

Edom's Pride and Punishment

 ¹The LORD God gave Obadiah    a message ^[a] about Edom, and this is what we heard:
   "I, the LORD, have sent
   a messenger
   with orders for the nations
   to attack Edom."
    ²The LORD said to Edom:
   I will make you the weakest
   and most despised nation.
    ³You live in a mountain fortress, ^[b] because your pride
   makes you feel safe from attack,
   but you are mistaken.
    ⁴I will still bring you down,
   even if you fly higher
   than an eagle
   or nest among the stars.
   I, the LORD, have spoken!
    ⁵If thieves break in at night,
   they steal
   only what they want.
   And people who harvest grapes
   always leave some unpicked.
   But, Edom, you are doomed!
    ⁶Everything you treasure most
   will be taken from you.
    ⁷Your allies can't be trusted.
   They will force you out
   of your own country.
   Your best friends
   will trick and trap you,
   even before you know it.
    ⁸Edom, when this happens,
   I, the LORD,
   will destroy
   all your marvelous wisdom.
    ⁹Warriors from the city of Teman ^[c] will be terrified,
   and you descendants of Esau ^[d] will be wiped out.
   

The LORD Condemns Edom's Cruelty

 ¹⁰You were cruel to your relatives,    the descendants of Jacob. ^[e] Now you will be destroyed,
   disgraced forever.
    ¹¹You stood there and watched
   as foreigners entered Jerusalem
   and took what they wanted.
   In fact, you were no better
   than those foreigners.
    ¹²Why did you celebrate
   when such a dreadful disaster
   struck your relatives?
   Why were you so pleased
   when everyone in Judah
   was suffering?
    ¹³They are my people,
   and you were cruel to them.
   You went through their towns,
   sneering
   and stealing
   whatever was left.
    ¹⁴In their time of torment,
   you ambushed refugees
   and handed them over
   to their attackers.
   

The LORD Will Judge the Nations

 ¹⁵The day is coming    when I, the LORD,
   will judge the nations.
   And, Edom, you will pay in full
   for what you have done.
    ¹⁶I forced the people of Judah ^[f] to drink the wine of my anger
   on my sacred mountain.
   Soon the neighboring nations
   must drink their fill--
   then vanish without a trace.
   

Victory for Israel

 ¹⁷The LORD's people who escape    will go to Mount Zion,
   and it will be holy.
   Then Jacob's descendants
   will capture the land of those
   who took their land.
    ¹⁸Israel ^[g] will be a fire, and Edom will be straw
   going up in flames.
   The LORD has spoken!
    ¹⁹The people of Israel
   who live in the Southern Desert
   will take the land of Edom.
   Those who live in the hills
   will capture Philistia,
   Ephraim, and Samaria.
   And the tribe of Benjamin
   will conquer Gilead.
    ²⁰Those who return from captivity
   will control Phoenicia
   as far as Zarephath. ^[h] Captives from Jerusalem
   who were taken to Sepharad ^[i] will capture the towns
   of the Southern Desert.
    ²¹Those the LORD has saved
   will live on Mount Zion
   and rule over Edom. ^[j] Then the kingdom will belong
   to the LORD.
   

Footnotes:

1. Obadiah 1:1 message: Or "vision."
2. Obadiah 1:3 mountain fortress: The Hebrew text has "rocky cliff," which sounds like "Sela," the capital of Edom, a fortress city built on a mountain.
3. Obadiah 1:9 Teman: A famous city in Edom.
4. Obadiah 1:9 descendants of Esau: The people of Edom were descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob (Israel).
5. Obadiah 1:10 descendants of Jacob: Jacob and Esau were brothers (see the note on Esau at verse 9).
6. Obadiah 1:16 I forced. . . Judah: Or "I will force the people of Edom."
7. Obadiah 1:18 Israel: Hebrew "The descendants of Jacob and of Joseph."
8. Obadiah 1:20 Those who return. . . Zarephath: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
9. Obadiah 1:20 Sepharad: Possibly the city of Sardis, the capital of Lydia, a country north and west of Media. This would refer to those captives from Judah who had been taken beyond the kingdom of Babylonia.
10. Obadiah 1:21 Those the LORD. . . Edom: Or "Leaders on (from) Mount Zion will save the people and rule over Edom."

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Revelation 4:1-11 (Contemporary English Version)

Revelation 4

Worship in Heaven

 ¹After this, I looked and saw a door that opened into heaven. Then the voice that had spoken to me at first and that sounded like a trumpet said, "Come up here! I will show you what must happen next." ²Right then the Spirit took control of me, and there in heaven I saw a throne and someone sitting on it. ³The one who was sitting there sparkled like precious stones of jasper ^[a] and carnelian. ^[b] A rainbow that looked like an emerald ^[c] surrounded the throne. ⁴Twenty-four other thrones were in a circle around that throne. And on each of these thrones there was an elder dressed in white clothes and wearing a gold crown. ⁵Flashes of lightning and roars of thunder came out from the throne in the center of the circle. Seven torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne. ⁶Also in front of the throne was something that looked like a glass sea, clear as crystal.    Around the throne in the center were four living creatures covered front and back with eyes. ⁷The first creature was like a lion, the second one was like a bull, the third one had the face of a human, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. ⁸Each of the four living creatures had six wings, and their bodies were covered with eyes. Day and night they never stopped singing,
   "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord,
   the all-powerful God,
   who was and is
   and is coming!"
    ⁹The living creatures kept praising, honoring, and thanking the one who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever. ¹⁰At the same time the twenty-four elders knelt down before the one sitting on the throne. And as they worshiped the one who lives forever, they placed their crowns in front of the throne and said,
    ¹¹"Our Lord and God,
   you are worthy
   to receive glory,
   honor, and power.
   You created all things,
   and by your decision they are
   and were created."
   

Footnotes:

1. Revelation 4:3 jasper: Usually green or clear.
2. Revelation 4:3 carnelian: Usually deep-red or reddish-white.
3. Revelation 4:3 emerald: A precious stone, usually green.

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Psalm 132:1-18 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 132

(A song for worship.)

The LORD Is Always with His People

 ¹Our LORD, don't forget David    and how he suffered.
    ²Mighty God of Jacob,
   remember how he promised:
    ³"I won't go home
   or crawl into bed
    ⁴or close my eyelids,
    ⁵until I find a home for you,
   the mighty LORD God of Jacob."
    ⁶When we were in Ephrath,
   we heard
   that the sacred chest
   was somewhere near Jaar.
    ⁷Then we said, "Let's go
   to the throne of the LORD
   and worship at his feet."
    ⁸Come to your new home, LORD,
   you and the sacred chest
   with all of its power.
    ⁹Let victory be like robes
   for the priests;
   let your faithful people
   celebrate and shout.
    ¹⁰David is your chosen one,
   so don't reject him.
    ¹¹You made a solemn promise
   to David, when you said,
   "I, the LORD, promise
   that someone in your family
   will always be king.
    ¹²If they keep our agreement
   and follow my teachings,
   then someone in your family
   will rule forever."
    ¹³You have gladly chosen Zion
   as your home, our LORD.
    ¹⁴You said, "This is my home!
   I will live here forever.
    ¹⁵I will bless Zion with food,
   and even the poor will eat
   until they are full.
    ¹⁶Victory will be like robes
   for the priests,
   and its faithful people
   will celebrate and shout.
    ¹⁷I will give mighty power
   to the kingdom of David.
   Each one of my chosen kings
   will shine like a lamp
    ¹⁸and wear a sparkling crown.
   But I will disgrace
   their enemies."

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Proverbs 29:24-25 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁴If you take part in a crime
   you are your worst enemy,
   because even under oath
   you can't tell the truth.
    ²⁵Don't fall into the trap
   of being a coward--
   trust the LORD,
   and you will be safe.

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Verse of the Day

“Herod brought together the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses and asked them, "Where will the Messiah be born?" They told him, "He will be born in Bethlehem, just as the prophet wrote, 'Bethlehem in the land of Judea, you are very important among the towns of Judea. From your town will come a leader, who will be like a shepherd for my people Israel.” - Matthew 2:4-6

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

 

German scientist, satirist, and Anglophile, Georg C. Lichtenberg wrote, “Man loves company - even if it is only that of a small burning candle.”

Bible Readings for June 27, 2014

Today our passages are 2 Kings 10:32–12:21; Acts 18:1-22; Psalm 145:1-21; and Proverbs 18:1. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. If you missed a day, you can find all the readings at our blog, The Bible in a Year.

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2 Kings 10:32-12:21 (The Message)

 ^32-33 It was about this time that God began to shrink Israel. Hazael hacked away at the borders of Israel from the Jordan to the east—all the territory of Gilead, Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh from Aroer near the Brook Arnon. In effect, all Gilead and Bashan.
 ^34-36 The rest of the life and times of Jehu, his accomplishments and fame, are written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. Jehu died and was buried in the family plot in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz was the next king. Jehu ruled Israel from Samaria for twenty-eight years.

2 Kings 11

Athaliah of Judah

 ^1-3Athaliah was the mother of Ahaziah. When she saw that her son was dead, she took over. She began by massacring the entire royal family. But Jehosheba, daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Ahaziah's son Joash and kidnapped him from among the king's sons slated for slaughter. She hid him and his nurse in a private room away from Athaliah. He didn't get killed. He was there with her, hidden away for six years in The Temple of God. Athaliah, oblivious to his existence, ruled the country.  ⁴ In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the captains of the bodyguards and the Palace Security Force. They met him in The Temple of God. He made a covenant with them, swore them to secrecy, and only then showed them the young prince.
 ^5-8 Then he commanded them, "These are your instructions: Those of you who come on duty on the Sabbath and guard the palace, and those of you who go off duty on the Sabbath and guard The Temple of God, are to join forces at the time of the changing of the guard and form a ring around the young king, weapons at the ready. Kill anyone who tries to break through your ranks. Your job is to stay with the king at all times and places, coming and going."
 ^9-11 The captains obeyed the orders of Jehoiada the priest. Each took his men, those who came on duty on the Sabbath and those who went off duty on the Sabbath, and presented them to Jehoiada the priest. The priest armed the officers with spears and shields originally belonging to King David, stored in The Temple of God. Well-armed, the guards took up their assigned positions for protecting the king, from one end of The Temple to the other, surrounding both Altar and Temple.
 ¹² Then the priest brought the prince into view, crowned him, handed him the scroll of God's covenant, and made him king. As they anointed him, everyone applauded and shouted, "Long live the king!"
 ^13-14 Athaliah heard the shouting of guards and people and came to the crowd gathered at The Temple of God. Astonished, she saw the king standing beside the throne, flanked by the captains and heralds, with everybody beside themselves with joy, trumpets blaring. Athaliah ripped her robes in dismay and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"
 ^15-16 Jehoiada the priest ordered the military officers, "Drag her outside and kill anyone who tries to follow her!" (The priest had said, "Don't kill her inside The Temple of God.") So they dragged her out to the palace's horse corral; there they killed her.
 ¹⁷ Jehoiada now made a covenant between God and the king and the people: They were God's people. Another covenant was made between the king and the people.
 ^18-20 The people poured into the temple of Baal and tore it down, smashing altar and images to smithereens. They killed Mattan the priest in front of the altar.
    Jehoiada then stationed sentries in The Temple of God. He arranged for the officers of the bodyguard and the palace security, along with the people themselves, to escort the king down from The Temple of God through the Gate of the Guards and into the palace. There he sat on the royal throne. Everybody celebrated the event. And the city was safe and undisturbed—they had killed Athaliah with the royal sword.
 ²¹ Joash was seven years old when he became king.

2 Kings 12

Joash of Judah

 ¹ In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash began his kingly rule. He was king for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Gazelle. She was from Beersheba.  ^2-3 Taught and trained by Jehoiada the priest, Joash did what pleased God for as long as he lived. (Even so, he didn't get rid of the sacred fertility shrines—people still frequented them, sacrificing and burning incense.)
 ^4-5 Joash instructed the priests: "Take the money that is brought into The Temple of God for holy offerings—both mandatory offerings and freewill offerings—and, keeping a careful accounting, use them to renovate The Temple wherever it has fallen into disrepair."
 ⁶ But by the twenty-third year of Joash's rule, the priests hadn't done one thing—The Temple was as dilapidated as ever.
 ⁷ King Joash called Jehoiada the priest and the company of priests and said, "Why haven't you renovated this sorry-looking Temple? You are forbidden to take any more money for Temple repairs—from now on, hand over everything you get."
 ⁸ The priests agreed not to take any more money or to be involved in The Temple renovation.
 ^9-16 Then Jehoiada took a single chest and bored a hole in the lid and placed it to the right of the main entrance into The Temple of God. All the offerings that were brought to The Temple of God were placed in the chest by the priests who guarded the entrance. When they saw that a large sum of money had accumulated in the chest, the king's secretary and the chief priest would empty the chest and count the offerings. They would give the money accounted for to the managers of The Temple project; they in turn would pay the carpenters, construction workers, masons, stoneworkers, and the buyers of timber and quarried stone for the repair and renovation of The Temple of God—any expenses connected with fixing up The Temple. But none of the money brought into The Temple of God was used for liturgical "extras" (silver chalices, candle snuffers, trumpets, various gold and silver vessels, etc.). It was given to the workmen to pay for their repairing God's Temple. And no one even had to check on the men who handled the money given for the project—they were honest men. Offerings designated for Compensation Offerings and Absolution Offerings didn't go into the building project—those went directly to the priests.
 ^17-18 Around this time Hazael king of Aram ventured out and attacked Gath, and he captured it. Then he decided to try for Jerusalem. Joash king of Judah countered by gathering up all the sacred memorials—gifts dedicated for holy use by his ancestors, the kings of Judah, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, along with the holy memorials he himself had received, plus all the gold that he could find in the temple and palace storerooms—and sent it to Hazael king of Aram. Appeased, Hazael went on his way and didn't bother Jerusalem.
 ^19-21 The rest of the life and times of Joash and all that he did are written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. At the last his palace staff formed a conspiracy and assassinated Joash as he was strolling along the ramp of the fortified outside city wall. Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer were the assassins. And so Joash died and was buried in the family plot in the City of David. His son Amaziah was king after him.

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Acts 18:1-22 (The Message)

Acts 18

Corinth

 ^1-4After Athens, Paul went to Corinth. That is where he discovered Aquila, a Jew born in Pontus, and his wife, Priscilla. They had just arrived from Italy, part of the general expulsion of Jews from Rome ordered by Claudius. Paul moved in with them, and they worked together at their common trade of tentmaking. But every Sabbath he was at the meeting place, doing his best to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus.  ^5-6When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was able to give all his time to preaching and teaching, doing everything he could to persuade the Jews that Jesus was in fact God's Messiah. But no such luck. All they did was argue contentiously and contradict him at every turn. Totally exasperated, Paul had finally had it with them and gave it up as a bad job. "Have it your way, then," he said. "You've made your bed; now lie in it. From now on I'm spending my time with the other nations."
 ^7-8He walked out and went to the home of Titius Justus, a God-fearing man who lived right next to the Jews' meeting place. But Paul's efforts with the Jews weren't a total loss, for Crispus, the meeting-place president, put his trust in the Master. His entire family believed with him.
 ^8-11In the course of listening to Paul, a great many Corinthians believed and were baptized. One night the Master spoke to Paul in a dream: "Keep it up, and don't let anyone intimidate or silence you. No matter what happens, I'm with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city." That was all he needed to stick it out. He stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the Corinthians.
 ^12-13But when Gallio was governor of Achaia province, the Jews got up a campaign against Paul, hauled him into court, and filed charges: "This man is seducing people into acts of worship that are illegal."
 ^14-16Just as Paul was about to defend himself, Gallio interrupted and said to the Jews, "If this was a matter of criminal conduct, I would gladly hear you out. But it sounds to me like one more Jewish squabble, another of your endless hairsplitting quarrels over religion. Take care of it on your own time. I can't be bothered with this nonsense," and he cleared them out of the courtroom.
 ¹⁷Now the street rabble turned on Sosthenes, the new meeting-place president, and beat him up in plain sight of the court. Gallio didn't raise a finger. He could not have cared less.

Ephesus

 ¹⁸Paul stayed a while longer in Corinth, but then it was time to take leave of his friends. Saying his good-byes, he sailed for Syria, Priscilla and Aquila with him. Before boarding the ship in the harbor town of Cenchrea, he had his head shaved as part of a vow he had taken.  ^19-21They landed in Ephesus, where Priscilla and Aquila got off and stayed. Paul left the ship briefly to go to the meeting place and preach to the Jews. They wanted him to stay longer, but he said he couldn't. But after saying good-bye, he promised, "I'll be back, God willing."
 ^21-22From Ephesus he sailed to Caesarea. He greeted the church there, and then went on to Antioch, completing the journey.

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Psalm 145:1-21 (The Message)

Psalm 145

David's Praise

 ¹ I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King! and I'll bless your name into eternity.

 ² I'll bless you every day,
      and keep it up from now to eternity.
 ³ God is magnificent; he can never be praised enough.
      There are no boundaries to his greatness.
 ⁴ Generation after generation stands in awe of your work;
      each one tells stories of your mighty acts.
 ⁵ Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking;
      I compose songs on your wonders.
 ⁶ Your marvelous doings are headline news;
      I could write a book full of the details of your greatness.
 ⁷ The fame of your goodness spreads across the country;
      your righteousness is on everyone's lips.

 ⁸ God is all mercy and grace—
      not quick to anger, is rich in love.

 ⁹ God is good to one and all;
      everything he does is suffused with grace.

 ^10-11 Creation and creatures applaud you, God;
      your holy people bless you.    They talk about the glories of your rule,
      they exclaim over your splendor,

 ¹² Letting the world know of your power for good,
      the lavish splendor of your kingdom.

 ¹³ Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal;
      you never get voted out of office.
   God always does what he says,
      and is gracious in everything he does.

 ¹⁴ God gives a hand to those down on their luck,
      gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.

 ¹⁵ All eyes are on you, expectant;
      you give them their meals on time.

 ¹⁶ Generous to a fault,
      you lavish your favor on all creatures.

 ¹⁷ Everything God does is right—
      the trademark on all his works is love.

 ¹⁸ God's there, listening for all who pray,
      for all who pray and mean it.

 ¹⁹ He does what's best for those who fear him—
      hears them call out, and saves them.

 ²⁰ God sticks by all who love him,
      but it's all over for those who don't.

 ²¹ My mouth is filled with God's praise.
      Let everything living bless him,
      bless his holy name from now to eternity!

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Proverbs 18:1 (The Message)

Proverbs 18

Words Kill, Words Give Life

 ¹ Loners who care only for themselves spit on the common good.

 

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Verse of the Day

 

“If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” - Matthew 16:25

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

 

German scientist, satirist, and Anglophile, Georg C. Lichtenberg wrote, “Man loves company - even if it is only that of a small burning candle.”