Bible Readings for June 2, 2016

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 19:11–20:13; John 21:1-25; Psalm 120:1-7; and Proverbs 16:16-17. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. 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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2 Samuel 19:11-20:13 (The Message)

 ^11-13 When David heard what was being said, he sent word to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, "Ask the elders of Judah, 'Why are you so laggard in bringing the king back home? You're my brothers! You're my own flesh and blood! So why are you the last ones to bring the king back home?' And tell Amasa, 'You, too, are my flesh and blood. As God is my witness, I'm making you the permanent commander of the army in place of Joab.'"
 ¹⁴ He captured the hearts of everyone in Judah. They were unanimous in sending for the king: "Come back, you and all your servants."
 ^15-18 So the king returned. He arrived at the Jordan just as Judah reached Gilgal on their way to welcome the king and escort him across the Jordan. Even Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down to join the men of Judah so he could welcome the king, a thousand Benjaminites with him. And Ziba, Saul's steward, with his fifteen sons and twenty servants, waded across the Jordan to meet the king and brought his entourage across, doing whatever they could to make the king comfortable.
 ^18-20 Shimei son of Gera bowed deeply in homage to the king as soon as he was across the Jordan and said, "Don't think badly of me, my master! Overlook my irresponsible outburst on the day my master the king left Jerusalem—don't hold it against me! I know I sinned, but look at me now—the first of all the tribe of Joseph to come down and welcome back my master the king!"
 ²¹ Abishai son of Zeruiah interrupted, "Enough of this! Shouldn't we kill him outright? Why, he cursed God's anointed!"
 ²² But David said, "What is it with you sons of Zeruiah? Why do you insist on being so contentious? Nobody is going to be killed today. I am again king over Israel!"
 ²³ Then the king turned to Shimei, "You're not going to die." And the king gave him his word.
 ^24-25 Next Mephibosheth grandson of Saul arrived from Jerusalem to welcome the king. He hadn't combed his hair or trimmed his beard or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safe and sound. The king said, "And why didn't you come with me, Mephibosheth?"
 ^26-28 "My master the king," he said, "my servant betrayed me. I told him to saddle my donkey so I could ride it and go with the king, for, as you know, I am lame. And then he lied to you about me. But my master the king has been like one of God's angels: he knew what was right and did it. Wasn't everyone in my father's house doomed? But you took me in and gave me a place at your table. What more could I ever expect or ask?"
 ²⁹ "That's enough," said the king. "Say no more. Here's my decision: You and Ziba divide the property between you."
 ³⁰ Mephibosheth said, "Oh, let him have it all! All I care about is that my master the king is home safe and sound!"
 ^31-32 Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim. He crossed the Jordan with the king to give him a good send-off. Barzillai was a very old man—eighty years old! He had supplied the king's needs all the while he was in Mahanaim since he was very wealthy.
 ³³ "Join me in Jerusalem," the king said to Barzillai. "Let me take care of you."
 ^34-37 But Barzillai declined the offer, "How long do you think I'd live if I went with the king to Jerusalem? I'm eighty years old and not much good anymore to anyone. Can't taste food; can't hear music. So why add to the burdens of my master the king? I'll just go a little way across the Jordan with the king. But why would the king need to make a great thing of that? Let me go back and die in my hometown and be buried with my father and mother. But my servant Kimham here; let him go with you in my place. But treat him well!"
 ³⁸ The king said, "That's settled; Kimham goes with me. And I will treat him well! If you think of anything else, I'll do that for you, too."
 ^39-40 The army crossed the Jordan but the king stayed. The king kissed and blessed Barzillai, who then returned home. Then the king, Kimham with him, crossed over at Gilgal.
 ^40-41 The whole army of Judah and half the army of Israel processed with the king. The men of Israel came to the king and said, "Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, taken over as if they owned the king, escorting the king and his family and close associates across the Jordan?"
 ⁴² The men of Judah retorted, "Because the king is related to us, that's why! But why make a scene? You don't see us getting treated special because of it, do you?"
 ⁴³ The men of Israel shot back, "We have ten shares in the king to your one. Besides we're the firstborn—so why are we having to play second fiddle? It was our idea to bring him back."
    But the men of Judah took a harder line than the men of Israel.

2 Samuel 20

 ¹ Just then a good-for-nothing named Sheba son of Bicri the Benjaminite blew a blast on the ram's horn trumpet, calling out,
    We've got nothing to do with David,
      there's no future for us with the son of Jesse!
   Let's get out of here, Israel—head for your tents!  ^2-3 So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed committed, sticking with their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem. When David arrived home in Jerusalem, the king took the ten concubines he had left to watch the palace and placed them in seclusion, under guard. He provided for their needs but didn't visit them. They were virtual prisoners until they died, widows as long as they lived.
 ^4-10 The king ordered Amasa, "Muster the men of Judah for me in three days; then report in." Amasa went to carry out his orders, but he was late reporting back. So David told Abishai, "Sheba son of Bicri is going to hurt us even worse than Absalom did. Take your master's servants and hunt him down before he gets holed up in some fortress city where we can't get to him." So under Abishai's command, all the best men—Joab's men and the Kerethites and Pelethites—left Jerusalem to hunt down Sheba son of Bicri. They were near the boulder at Gibeon when Amasa came their way. Joab was wearing a tunic with a sheathed sword strapped on his waist, but the sword slipped out and fell to the ground. Joab greeted Amasa, "How are you, brother?" and took Amasa's beard in his right hand as if to kiss him. Amasa didn't notice the sword in Joab's other hand. Joab stuck him in the belly and his guts spilled to the ground. A second blow wasn't needed; he was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai continued to chase Sheba son of Bicri.
 ^11-14 One of Joab's soldiers took up his post over the body and called out, "Everyone who sides with Joab and supports David, follow Joab!" Amasa was lying in a pool of blood in the middle of the road; the man realized that the whole army was going to stop and take a look, so he pulled Amasa's corpse off the road into the field and threw a blanket over him so it wouldn't collect spectators. As soon as he'd gotten him off the road, the traffic flowed normally, following Joab in the chase after Sheba son of Bicri. Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel as far as Abel Beth Maacah; all the Bicrites clustered and followed him into the city.

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John 21:1-25 (The Message)

John 21

Fishing

 ^1-3After this, Jesus appeared again to the disciples, this time at the Tiberias Sea (the Sea of Galilee). This is how he did it: Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed "Twin"), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the brothers Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. Simon Peter announced, "I'm going fishing."  ^3-4The rest of them replied, "We're going with you." They went out and got in the boat. They caught nothing that night. When the sun came up, Jesus was standing on the beach, but they didn't recognize him.
 ⁵Jesus spoke to them: "Good morning! Did you catch anything for breakfast?"
   They answered, "No."
 ⁶He said, "Throw the net off the right side of the boat and see what happens."
   They did what he said. All of a sudden there were so many fish in it, they weren't strong enough to pull it in.
 ^7-9Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, "It's the Master!"
   When Simon Peter realized that it was the Master, he threw on some clothes, for he was stripped for work, and dove into the sea. The other disciples came in by boat for they weren't far from land, a hundred yards or so, pulling along the net full of fish. When they got out of the boat, they saw a fire laid, with fish and bread cooking on it.
 ^10-11Jesus said, "Bring some of the fish you've just caught." Simon Peter joined them and pulled the net to shore—153 big fish! And even with all those fish, the net didn't rip.
 ¹²Jesus said, "Breakfast is ready." Not one of the disciples dared ask, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Master.
 ^13-14Jesus then took the bread and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus had shown himself alive to the disciples since being raised from the dead.

Do You Love Me?

 ¹⁵After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"    "Yes, Master, you know I love you."
   Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
 ¹⁶He then asked a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
   "Yes, Master, you know I love you."
   Jesus said, "Shepherd my sheep."
 ^17-19Then he said it a third time: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
   Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, "Do you love me?" so he answered, "Master, you know everything there is to know. You've got to know that I love you."
   Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I'm telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you'll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don't want to go." He said this to hint at the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And then he commanded, "Follow me."
 ^20-21Turning his head, Peter noticed the disciple Jesus loved following right behind. When Peter noticed him, he asked Jesus, "Master, what's going to happen to him?"
 ^22-23Jesus said, "If I want him to live until I come again, what's that to you? You—follow me." That is how the rumor got out among the brothers that this disciple wouldn't die. But that is not what Jesus said. He simply said, "If I want him to live until I come again, what's that to you?"
 ²⁴This is the same disciple who was eyewitness to all these things and wrote them down. And we all know that his eyewitness account is reliable and accurate.
 ²⁵There are so many other things Jesus did. If they were all written down, each of them, one by one, I can't imagine a world big enough to hold such a library of books.

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Psalm 120:1-7 (The Message)

Psalm 120

A Pilgrim Song

 ^1-2 I'm in trouble. I cry to God, desperate for an answer:
   "Deliver me from the liars, God!
      They smile so sweetly but lie through their teeth."

 ^3-4 Do you know what's next, can you see what's coming,
      all you barefaced liars?
   Pointed arrows and burning coals
      will be your reward.

 ^5-7 I'm doomed to live in Meshech,
      cursed with a home in Kedar,
   My whole life lived camping
      among quarreling neighbors.
   I'm all for peace, but the minute
      I tell them so, they go to war!

 

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Proverbs 16:16-17 (The Message)

 ¹⁶ Get wisdom—it's worth more than money;
   choose insight over income every time.

 ¹⁷ The road of right living bypasses evil;
   watch your step and save your life.

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Verse of the Day
“So Christ died only once to take away the sins of many people. But when he comes again, it will not be to take away sin. He will come to save everyone who is waiting for him.” - Hebrews 9:28

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Danish philosopher, theologian, poet, social critic and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard wrote, “People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.”

Bible Readings for February 2, 2016

Today our passages are Exodus 15:19–17:7; Matthew 22:1-33; Psalm 27:1-6; and Proverbs 6:20-26. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. 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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Exodus 15:19-17:7 (The Message)

 ¹⁹ Yes, Pharaoh's horses and chariots and riders went into the sea and God turned the waters back on them; but the Israelites walked on dry land right through the middle of the sea.

^20-21 Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine, and all the women followed her with tambourines, dancing. Miriam led them in singing,

   Sing to God—
      what a victory!
   He pitched horse and rider
      into the sea!

Traveling Through the Wilderness

^22-24 Moses led Israel from the Red Sea on to the Wilderness of Shur. They traveled for three days through the wilderness without finding any water. They got to Marah, but they couldn't drink the water at Marah; it was bitter. That's why they called the place Marah (Bitter). And the people complained to Moses, "So what are we supposed to drink?"  ²⁵ So Moses cried out in prayer to God. God pointed him to a stick of wood. Moses threw it into the water and the water turned sweet.
 ²⁶ That's the place where God set up rules and procedures; that's where he started testing them.
   God said, "If you listen, listen obediently to how God tells you to live in his presence, obeying his commandments and keeping all his laws, then I won't strike you with all the diseases that I inflicted on the Egyptians; I am God your healer."
 ²⁷ They came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They set up camp there by the water.

Exodus 16

 ^1-3 On the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left Egypt, the whole company of Israel moved on from Elim to the Wilderness of Sin which is between Elim and Sinai. The whole company of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron there in the wilderness. The Israelites said, "Why didn't God let us die in comfort in Egypt where we had lamb stew and all the bread we could eat? You've brought us out into this wilderness to starve us to death, the whole company of Israel!"  ^4-5 God said to Moses, "I'm going to rain bread down from the skies for you. The people will go out and gather each day's ration. I'm going to test them to see if they'll live according to my Teaching or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they have gathered, it will turn out to be twice as much as their daily ration."
 ^6-7 Moses and Aaron told the People of Israel, "This evening you will know that it is God who brought you out of Egypt; and in the morning you will see the Glory of God. Yes, he's listened to your complaints against him. You haven't been complaining against us, you know, but against God."
 ⁸ Moses said, "Since it will be God who gives you meat for your meal in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, it's God who will have listened to your complaints against him. Who are we in all this? You haven't been complaining to us—you've been complaining to God!"
 ⁹ Moses instructed Aaron: "Tell the whole company of Israel: 'Come near to God. He's heard your complaints.'"
 ¹⁰ When Aaron gave out the instructions to the whole company of Israel, they turned to face the wilderness. And there it was: the Glory of God visible in the Cloud.
 ^11-12 God spoke to Moses, "I've listened to the complaints of the Israelites. Now tell them: 'At dusk you will eat meat and at dawn you'll eat your fill of bread; and you'll realize that I am God, your God.'"
 ^13-15 That evening quail flew in and covered the camp and in the morning there was a layer of dew all over the camp. When the layer of dew had lifted, there on the wilderness ground was a fine flaky something, fine as frost on the ground. The Israelites took one look and said to one another, man-hu (What is it?). They had no idea what it was.
 ^15-16 So Moses told them, "It's the bread God has given you to eat. And these are God's instructions: 'Gather enough for each person, about two quarts per person; gather enough for everyone in your tent.'"
 ^17-18 The People of Israel went to work and started gathering, some more, some less, but when they measured out what they had gathered, those who gathered more had no extra and those who gathered less weren't short—each person had gathered as much as was needed.
 ¹⁹ Moses said to them, "Don't leave any of it until morning."
 ²⁰ But they didn't listen to Moses. A few of the men kept back some of it until morning. It got wormy and smelled bad. And Moses lost his temper with them.
 ^21-22 They gathered it every morning, each person according to need. Then the sun heated up and it melted. On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, about four quarts per person.
   Then the leaders of the company came to Moses and reported.
 ^23-24 Moses said, "This is what God was talking about: Tomorrow is a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to God. Whatever you plan to bake, bake today; and whatever you plan to boil, boil today. Then set aside the leftovers until morning." They set aside what was left until morning, as Moses had commanded. It didn't smell bad and there were no worms in it.
 ^25-26 Moses said, "Now eat it; this is the day, a Sabbath for God. You won't find any of it on the ground today. Gather it every day for six days, but the seventh day is Sabbath; there won't be any of it on the ground."
 ²⁷ On the seventh day, some of the people went out to gather anyway but they didn't find anything.
 ^28-29 God said to Moses, "How long are you going to disobey my commands and not follow my instructions? Don't you see that God has given you the Sabbath? So on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. So, each of you, stay home. Don't leave home on the seventh day."
 ³⁰ So the people quit working on the seventh day.
 ³¹ The Israelites named it manna (What is it?). It looked like coriander seed, whitish. And it tasted like a cracker with honey.
 ³² Moses said, "This is God's command: 'Keep a two-quart jar of it, an omer, for future generations so they can see the bread that I fed you in the wilderness after I brought you out of Egypt.'"
 ³³ Moses told Aaron, "Take a jar and fill it with two quarts of manna. Place it before God, keeping it safe for future generations."
 ³⁴ Aaron did what God commanded Moses. He set it aside before The Testimony to preserve it.
 ³⁵ The Israelites ate the manna for forty years until they arrived at the land where they would settle down. They ate manna until they reached the border into Canaan.
 ³⁶ According to ancient measurements, an omer is one-tenth of an ephah.

Exodus 17

 ^1-2 Directed by God, the whole company of Israel moved on by stages from the Wilderness of Sin. They set camp at Rephidim. And there wasn't a drop of water for the people to drink. The people took Moses to task: "Give us water to drink." But Moses said, "Why pester me? Why are you testing God?"  ³ But the people were thirsty for water there. They complained to Moses, "Why did you take us from Egypt and drag us out here with our children and animals to die of thirst?"
 ⁴ Moses cried out in prayer to God, "What can I do with these people? Any minute now they'll kill me!"
 ^5-6 God said to Moses, "Go on out ahead of the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel. Take the staff you used to strike the Nile. And go. I'm going to be present before you there on the rock at Horeb. You are to strike the rock. Water will gush out of it and the people will drink."
 ^6-7 Moses did what he said, with the elders of Israel right there watching. He named the place Massah (Testing-Place) and Meribah (Quarreling) because of the quarreling of the Israelites and because of their testing of God when they said, "Is God here with us, or not?"

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Matthew 22:1-33 (The Message)

Matthew 22

The Story of the Wedding Banquet

 ^1-3 Jesus responded by telling still more stories. "God's kingdom," he said, "is like a king who threw a wedding banquet for his son. He sent out servants to call in all the invited guests. And they wouldn't come!

 ⁴"He sent out another round of servants, instructing them to tell the guests, 'Look, everything is on the table, the prime rib is ready for carving. Come to the feast!'

 ^5-7"They only shrugged their shoulders and went off, one to weed his garden, another to work in his shop. The rest, with nothing better to do, beat up on the messengers and then killed them. The king was outraged and sent his soldiers to destroy those thugs and level their city.

 ^8-10"Then he told his servants, 'We have a wedding banquet all prepared but no guests. The ones I invited weren't up to it. Go out into the busiest intersections in town and invite anyone you find to the banquet.' The servants went out on the streets and rounded up everyone they laid eyes on, good and bad, regardless. And so the banquet was on—every place filled.

 ^11-13"When the king entered and looked over the scene, he spotted a man who wasn't properly dressed. He said to him, 'Friend, how dare you come in here looking like that!' The man was speechless. Then the king told his servants, 'Get him out of here—fast. Tie him up and ship him to hell. And make sure he doesn't get back in.'

 ¹⁴"That's what I mean when I say, 'Many get invited; only a few make it.'"

Paying Taxes

 ^15-17That's when the Pharisees plotted a way to trap him into saying something damaging. They sent their disciples, with a few of Herod's followers mixed in, to ask, "Teacher, we know you have integrity, teach the way of God accurately, are indifferent to popular opinion, and don't pander to your students. So tell us honestly: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

 ^18-19Jesus knew they were up to no good. He said, "Why are you playing these games with me? Why are you trying to trap me? Do you have a coin? Let me see it." They handed him a silver piece.

 ²⁰"This engraving—who does it look like? And whose name is on it?"

 ²¹They said, "Caesar."

   "Then give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his."

 ²²The Pharisees were speechless. They went off shaking their heads.

Marriage and Resurrection

 ^23-28That same day, Sadducees approached him. This is the party that denies any possibility of resurrection. They asked, "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies childless, his brother is obligated to marry his widow and get her with child. Here's a case where there were seven brothers. The first brother married and died, leaving no child, and his wife passed to his brother. The second brother also left her childless, then the third—and on and on, all seven. Eventually the wife died. Now here's our question: At the resurrection, whose wife is she? She was a wife to each of them."

 ^29-33Jesus answered, "You're off base on two counts: You don't know your Bibles, and you don't know how God works. At the resurrection we're beyond marriage. As with the angels, all our ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God. And regarding your speculation on whether the dead are raised or not, don't you read your Bibles? The grammar is clear: God says, 'I am—not was—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.' The living God defines himself not as the God of dead men, but of the living." Hearing this exchange the crowd was much impressed.

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Psalm 27:1-6 (The Message)

Psalm 27

A David Psalm

 ¹ Light, space, zest— that's God!
   So, with him on my side I'm fearless,
      afraid of no one and nothing.

 ² When vandal hordes ride down
      ready to eat me alive,
   Those bullies and toughs
      fall flat on their faces.

 ³ When besieged,
      I'm calm as a baby.
   When all hell breaks loose,
      I'm collected and cool.

 ⁴ I'm asking God for one thing,
      only one thing:
   To live with him in his house
      my whole life long.
   I'll contemplate his beauty;
      I'll study at his feet.

 ⁵ That's the only quiet, secure place
      in a noisy world,
   The perfect getaway,
      far from the buzz of traffic.

 ⁶ God holds me head and shoulders
      above all who try to pull me down.
   I'm headed for his place to offer anthems
      that will raise the roof!
   Already I'm singing God-songs;
      I'm making music to God.

 

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Proverbs 6:20-26 (The Message)

Warning on Adultery

 ^20-23 Good friend, follow your father's good advice;
   don't wander off from your mother's teachings.
Wrap yourself in them from head to foot;
   wear them like a scarf around your neck.
Wherever you walk, they'll guide you;
   whenever you rest, they'll guard you;
   when you wake up, they'll tell you what's next.
For sound advice is a beacon,
   good teaching is a light,
   moral discipline is a life path.

 ^24-35 They'll protect you from wanton women,
   from the seductive talk of some temptress.
Don't lustfully fantasize on her beauty,
   nor be taken in by her bedroom eyes.
You can buy an hour with a whore for a loaf of bread,
   but a wanton woman may well eat you alive.
Can you build a fire in your lap
   and not burn your pants?
Can you walk barefoot on hot coals
   and not get blisters?
It's the same when you have sex with your neighbor's wife:
   Touch her and you'll pay for it. No excuses.
Hunger is no excuse
   for a thief to steal;
When he's caught he has to pay it back,
   even if he has to put his whole house in hock.
Adultery is a brainless act,
   soul-destroying, self-destructive;
Expect a bloody nose, a black eye,
   and a reputation ruined for good.
For jealousy detonates rage in a cheated husband;
   wild for revenge, he won't make allowances.
Nothing you say or pay will make it all right;
   neither bribes nor reason will satisfy him.

 

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Verse of the Day

 

“But it is just as the Scriptures say, "What God has planned for people who love him is more than eyes have seen or ears have heard. It has never even entered our minds!” - 1 Corinthians 2:9

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Danish philosopher, theologian, poet, social critic and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard wrote, “Don't forget to love yourself.”

Bible Readings for June 5, 2015

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 23:24–24:25; Acts 3:1-26; Psalm 123:1-4; and Proverbs 16:21-23. The readings are the Contemporary English Version. 

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2 Samuel 23:24-24:25 (Contemporary English Version)

^24-39Some of the Thirty Warriors were:
   Asahel the brother of Joab
   Elhanan the son of Dodo from Bethlehem
   Shammah from Harod
   Elika from Harod
   Helez the Paltite
   Ira the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa
   Abiezer from Anathoth
   Mebunnai ^[a] the Hushathite Zalmon the Ahohite
   Maharai from Netophah
   Heleb the son of Baanah from Netophah
   Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the tribe of Benjamin
   Benaiah from Pirathon
   Hiddai from the streams on Mount Gaash
   Abialbon from Beth-Arabah
   Azmaveth from Bahurim ^[b] Eliahba from Shaalbon
   Jashen ^[c] Jonathan the son of Shammah the Hararite ^[d] Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite
   Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai from Maacah
   Eliam the son of Ahithophel from Gilo
   Hezro from Carmel
   Paarai the Arbite
   Igal the son of Nathan from Zobah
   Bani the Gadite
   Zelek from Ammon
   Naharai from Beeroth, who carried the weapons of Joab the son of Zeruiah
   Ira the Ithrite
   Gareb the Ithrite
   Uriah the Hittite
   There were thirty-seven in all.
   

2 Samuel 24

David Counts the People

(1 Chronicles 21.1-6)

 ¹The LORD was angry at Israel again, and he made David think it would be a good idea to count the people in Israel and Judah. ²So David told Joab and the army officers, ^[e] "Go to every tribe in Israel, from the town of Dan in the north all the way south to Beersheba, and count everyone who can serve in the army. I want to know how many there are." ³Joab answered, "I hope the LORD your God will give you a hundred times more soldiers than you already have. I hope you will live to see that day! But why do you want to do a thing like this?"     ⁴But when David refused to change his mind, Joab and the army officers went out and started counting the people. ⁵They crossed the Jordan River and began with ^[f] Aroer and the town in the middle of the river valley. From there they went toward Gad and on as far as Jazer. ⁶They went to Gilead and to Kadesh in Syria. ^[g] Then they went to Dan, Ijon, ^[h] and on toward Sidon. ⁷They came to the fortress of Tyre, then went through every town of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Finally, they went to Beersheba in the Southern Desert of Judah. ⁸After they had gone through the whole land, they went back to Jerusalem. It had taken them nine months and twenty days. ⁹Joab came and told David, "In Israel there are eight hundred thousand who can serve in the army, and in Judah there are five hundred thousand."
   

The LORD Punishes David

(1 Chronicles 21.7-17)

 ¹⁰After David had everyone counted, he felt guilty and told the LORD, "What I did was stupid and terribly wrong. LORD, please forgive me."     ¹¹Before David even got up the next morning, the LORD had told David's prophet Gad ^12-13to take a message to David. Gad went to David and told him:
   You must choose one of three ways for the LORD to punish you: Will there be seven ^[i] years when the land won't grow enough food for your people? Or will your enemies chase you and make you run from them for three months? Or will there be three days of horrible disease in your land? Think about it and decide, because I have to give your answer to God, who sent me. ¹⁴David was really frightened and said, "It's a terrible choice to make! But the LORD is kind, and I'd rather have him punish us than for anyone else to do it."
    ^15-16So that morning, the LORD sent an angel to spread a horrible disease everywhere in Israel, from Dan to Beersheba. And before it was over, seventy thousand people had died.
   When the angel was about to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD felt sorry for all the suffering he had caused and told the angel, "That's enough! Don't touch them." This happened at the threshing place that belonged to Araunah the Jebusite.
    ¹⁷David saw the angel killing everyone and told the LORD, "These people are like sheep with me as their shepherd. ^[j] I have sinned terribly, but they have done nothing wrong. Please, punish me and my family instead of them!"

David Buys Araunah's Threshing Place

(1 Chronicles 21.18--22.1)

 ^18-19That same day the prophet Gad came and told David, "Go to the threshing place that belongs to Araunah and build an altar there for the LORD."    So David went.
    ²⁰Araunah looked and saw David and his soldiers coming up toward him. He went over to David, bowed down low, ²¹and said, "Your Majesty! Why have you come to see me?"
   David answered, "I've come to buy your threshing place. I have to build the LORD an altar here, so this disease will stop killing the people."
    ²²Araunah said, "Take whatever you want and offer your sacrifice. Here are some oxen for the sacrifice. You can use the threshing-boards ^[k] and the wooden yokes for the fire. ²³Take them--they're yours! I hope the LORD your God will be pleased with you." ²⁴But David answered, "No! I have to pay you what they're worth. I can't offer the LORD my God a sacrifice that I got for nothing." So David bought the threshing place and the oxen for fifty pieces of silver. ²⁵Then he built an altar for the LORD. He sacrificed animals and burned them on the altar.
   The LORD answered the prayers of the people, and no one else died from the terrible disease.
   

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 23:24 Mebunnai: Or "Sibbecai" (see 1 Chronicles 11.26-47).
2. 2 Samuel 23:24 Bahurim: Or "Barhum."
3. 2 Samuel 23:24 Jashen: Hebrew "sons of Jashen."
4. 2 Samuel 23:24 Jonathan. . . Hararite: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation (see 1 Chronicles 26-47). In the Hebrew text Jonathan and Shammah are separate members of the list.
5. 2 Samuel 24:2 Joab. . . officers: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation (see 24.4); 1 Chronicles 21.2; Hebrew "Joab, the officer of the army."
6. 2 Samuel 24:5 began with: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation; Hebrew "set up camp in."
7. 2 Samuel 24:6 Kadesh in Syria: Or "the lower slopes of Mount Hermon."
8. 2 Samuel 24:6 Dan, Ijon: Or "Danjaan," an unknown place.
9. 2 Samuel 24:12 seven: Hebrew; some manuscripts of one ancient translation "three" (see 1 Chronicles 21.12).
10. 2 Samuel 24:17 as their shepherd: The Dead Sea Scrolls, and some manuscripts of two ancient translations (see 1 Chronicles 21.17); these words are not in the Standard Hebrew Text of this verse.
11. 2 Samuel 24:22 threshing-boards: Heavy boards with bits of rock or metal on the bottom. They were dragged across the grain to separate the husks from the kernels.

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Acts 3:1-26 (Contemporary English Version)

Acts 3

Peter and John Heal a Lame Man

 ¹The time of prayer ^[a] was about three o'clock in the afternoon, and Peter and John were going into the temple. ²A man who had been born lame was being carried to the temple door. Each day he was placed beside this door, known as the Beautiful Gate. He sat there and begged from the people who were going in.     ³The man saw Peter and John entering the temple, and he asked them for money. ⁴But they looked straight at him and said, "Look up at us!"
    ⁵The man stared at them and thought he was going to get something. ⁶But Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold! But I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, get up and start walking." ⁷Peter then took him by the right hand and helped him up.
   At once the man's feet and ankles became strong, ⁸and he jumped up and started walking. He went with Peter and John into the temple, walking and jumping and praising God. ⁹Everyone saw him walking around and praising God. ¹⁰They knew that he was the beggar who had been lying beside the Beautiful Gate, and they were completely surprised. They could not imagine what had happened to the man.
   

Peter Speaks in the Temple

 ¹¹While the man kept holding on to Peter and John, the whole crowd ran to them in amazement at the place known as Solomon's Porch. ^{[b] 12}Peter saw that a crowd had gathered, and he said: Friends, why are you surprised at what has happened? Why are you staring at us? Do you think we have some power of our own? Do you think we were able to make this man walk because we are so religious? ¹³The God that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and our other ancestors worshiped has brought honor to his Servant ^[c] Jesus. He is the one you betrayed. You turned against him when he was being tried by Pilate, even though Pilate wanted to set him free. ¹⁴You rejected Jesus, who was holy and good. You asked for a murderer to be set free, ¹⁵and you killed the one who leads people to life. But God raised him from death, and all of us can tell you what he has done. ¹⁶You see this man, and you know him. He put his faith in the name of Jesus and was made strong. Faith in Jesus made this man completely well while everyone was watching.     ¹⁷My friends, I am sure that you and your leaders didn't know what you were doing. ¹⁸But God had his prophets tell that his Messiah would suffer, and now he has kept that promise. ¹⁹So turn to God! Give up your sins, and you will be forgiven. ²⁰Then that time will come when the Lord will give you fresh strength. He will send you Jesus, his chosen Messiah. ²¹But Jesus must stay in heaven until God makes all things new, just as his holy prophets promised long ago.
    ²²Moses said, "The Lord your God will choose one of your own people to be a prophet, just as he chose me. Listen to everything he tells you. ²³No one who disobeys that prophet will be one of God's people any longer."
    ²⁴Samuel and all the other prophets who came later also spoke about what is now happening. ²⁵You are really the ones God told his prophets to speak to. And you were given the promise that God made to your ancestors. He said to Abraham, "All nations on earth will be blessed because of someone from your family." ²⁶God sent his chosen Son ^[d] to you first, because God wanted to bless you and make each one of you turn away from your sins.

Footnotes:

1. Acts 3:1 h6.11), and on special occasions they prayed in the temple.
2. Acts 3:11 Solomon's Porch: A public place with tall columns along the east side of the temple.
3. Acts 3:13 Servant: Or "Son."
4. Acts 3:26 Son: Or "Servant."

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Psalm 123:1-4 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 123

(A song for worship.)

A Prayer for Mercy

 ¹Our LORD and our God,    I turn my eyes to you,
   on your throne in heaven.
    ²Servants look to their master,
   but we will look to you,
   until you have mercy on us.
    ³Please have mercy, LORD!
   We have been insulted
   more than we can stand,
    ⁴and we can't take more abuse
   from those proud,
   conceited people.

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Proverbs 16:21-23 (Contemporary English Version)

²¹Good judgment proves
   that you are wise,
   and if you speak kindly,
   you can teach others.
    ²²Good sense is a fountain
   that gives life,
   but fools are punished
   by their foolishness.
    ²³You can persuade others
   if you are wise
   and speak sensibly.

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Verse of the Day

“That's why you must encourage and help each other, just as you are already doing.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

 

Danish philosopher, theologian, poet, social critic and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard wrote, “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”

Bible Readings for April 18, 2014

Today our passages are Joshua 16:1–18:28; Luke 19:1-27; Psalm 87:1-7; and Proverbs 13:11. 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.

 

Joshua 16-18:28 (The Message)

Joshua 16

Joseph

 ^1-3 The lot for the people of Joseph went from the Jordan near Jericho, east of the spring of Jericho, north through the desert mountains to Bethel. It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz) to the territory of the Arkites in Ataroth. It then descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites to the region of Lower Beth Horon and on to Gezer, ending at the Sea.  ⁴ This is the region from which the people of Joseph—Manasseh and Ephraim—got their inheritance.

^5-9 Ephraim's territory by clans:
    The boundary of their inheritance went from Ataroth Addar in the east to Upper Beth Horon and then west to the Sea. From Micmethath on the north it turned eastward to Taanath Shiloh and passed along, still eastward, to Janoah. The border then descended from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah; it touched Jericho and came out at the Jordan. From Tappuah the border went westward to the Brook Kanah and ended at the Sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of Ephraim by clans, including the cities set aside for Ephraim within the inheritance of Manasseh—all those towns and their villages.
 ¹⁰ But they didn't get rid of the Canaanites who were living in Gezer. Canaanites are still living among the people of Ephraim, but they are made to do forced labor.

Joshua 17

 ^1-2 This is the lot that fell to the people of Manasseh, Joseph's firstborn. (Gilead and Bashan had already been given to Makir, Manasseh's firstborn and father of Gilead, because he was an outstanding fighter.) So the lot that follows went to the rest of the people of Manasseh and their clans, the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.  ^3-4 Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, "God commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our kinsmen." And Joshua did it; he gave them, as God commanded, an inheritance amid their father's brothers.
 ^5-6 Manasseh's lot came to ten portions, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan on the other side of the Jordan, because Manasseh's daughters got an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the people of Manasseh.
 ^7-10 The boundary of Manasseh went from Asher all the way to Micmethath, just opposite Shechem, then ran southward to the people living at En Tappuah. (The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah itself on the border of Manasseh belonged to the Ephraimites.) The boundary continued south to the Brook Kanah. (The cities there belonged to Ephraim although they lay among the cities of Manasseh.) The boundary of Manasseh ran north of the brook and ended at the Sea. The land to the south belonged to Ephraim; the land to the north to Manasseh, with the Sea as their western border; they meet Asher on the north and Issachar on the east.
 ¹¹ Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh also held Beth Shan, Ibleam, and the people of Dor, Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, together with their villages, and the third in the list is Naphoth.
 ^12-13 The people of Manasseh never were able to take over these towns—the Canaanites wouldn't budge. But later, when the Israelites got stronger, they put the Canaanites to forced labor. But they never did get rid of them.

¹⁴ The people of Joseph spoke to Joshua: "Why did you give us just one allotment, one solitary share? There are a lot of us, and growing—God has extravagantly blessed us."
 ¹⁵ Joshua responded, "Since there are so many of you, and you find the hill country of Ephraim too confining, climb into the forest and clear ground there for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim."
 ¹⁶ But the people of Joseph said, "There's not enough hill country for us; and the Canaanites who live down in the plain, both those in Beth Shan and its villages and in the Valley of Jezreel, have iron chariots."
 ^17-18 Joshua said to the family of Joseph (to Ephraim and Manasseh): "Yes, there are a lot of you, and you are very strong. One lot is not enough for you. You also get the hill country. It's nothing but trees now, but you will clear the land and make it your own from one end to the other. The powerful Canaanites, even with their iron chariots, won't stand a chance against you."

Joshua 18

The Shiloh Survey

 ^1-2 Then the entire congregation of the People of Israel got together at Shiloh. They put up the Tent of Meeting. The land was under their control but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had yet to receive their inheritance.  ^3-5 Joshua addressed the People of Israel: "How long are you going to sit around on your hands, putting off taking possession of the land that God, the God of your ancestors, has given you? Pick three men from each tribe so I can commission them. They will survey and map the land, showing the inheritance due each tribe, and report back to me. They will divide it into seven parts. Judah will stay in its territory in the south and the people of Joseph will keep to their place in the north.
 ⁶ "You are responsible for preparing a survey map showing seven portions. Then bring it to me so that I can cast lots for you here in the presence of our God.
 ⁷ "Only the Levites get no portion among you because the priesthood of God is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh already have their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan, given to them by Moses the servant of God."
 ⁸ So the men set out. As they went out to survey the land, Joshua charged them: "Go. Survey the land and map it. Then come back to me and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh in the presence of God."
 ⁹ So off the men went. They covered the ground and mapped the country by towns in a scroll. Then they reported back to Joshua at the camp at Shiloh.
 ¹⁰ Joshua cast the lots for them at Shiloh in the presence of God. That's where Joshua divided up the land to the People of Israel, according to their tribal divisions.

Benjamin

¹¹ The first lot turned up for the tribe of Benjamin with its clans. The border of the allotment went between the peoples of Judah and Joseph.  ^12-13 The northern border began at the Jordan, then went up to the ridge north of Jericho, ascending west into the hill country into the wilderness of Beth Aven. From there the border went around to Luz, to its southern ridge (that is, Bethel), and then down from Ataroth Addar to the mountain to the south of Lower Beth Horon.
 ¹⁴ There the border took a turn on the west side and swung south from the mountain to the south of Beth Horon and ended at Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a town of the people of Judah. This was the west side.
 ^15-19 The southern border began at the edge of Kiriath Jearim on the west, then ran west until it reached the spring, the Waters of Nephtoah. It then descended to the foot of the mountain opposite the Valley of Ben Hinnom (which flanks the Valley of Rephaim to the north), descended to the Hinnom Valley, just south of the Jebusite ridge, and went on to En Rogel. From there it curved north to En Shemesh and Geliloth, opposite the Red Pass (Adummim), down to the Stone of Bohan the son of Reuben, continued toward the north flank of Beth Arabah, then plunged to the Arabah. It then followed the slope of Beth Hoglah north and came out at the northern bay of the Salt Sea—the south end of the Jordan. This was the southern border.
 ²⁰ The east border was formed by the Jordan.
    This was the inheritance of the people of Benjamin for their clans, marked by these borders on all sides.
 ^21-28 The cities of the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, were:
    Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,
   Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
   Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
   Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—
      twelve towns with their villages.
   Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
   Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah,
   Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
   Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath Jearim—
      fourteen cities with their villages. This was the inheritance for Benjamin, according to its clans.

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Luke 19:1-27 (The Message)

Luke 19

Zacchaeus

 ^1-4Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn't see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by.

 ^5-7When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home." Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, "What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?"

 ⁸Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, "Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I'm caught cheating, I pay four times the damages."

 ^9-10Jesus said, "Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost."

The Story About Investment

 ¹¹While he had their attention, and because they were getting close to Jerusalem by this time and expectation was building that God's kingdom would appear any minute, he told this story:

 ^12-13"There was once a man descended from a royal house who needed to make a long trip back to headquarters to get authorization for his rule and then return. But first he called ten servants together, gave them each a sum of money, and instructed them, 'Operate with this until I return.'

 ¹⁴"But the citizens there hated him. So they sent a commission with a signed petition to oppose his rule: 'We don't want this man to rule us.'

 ¹⁵"When he came back bringing the authorization of his rule, he called those ten servants to whom he had given the money to find out how they had done.

 ¹⁶"The first said, 'Master, I doubled your money.'

 ¹⁷"He said, 'Good servant! Great work! Because you've been trustworthy in this small job, I'm making you governor of ten towns.'

 ¹⁸"The second said, 'Master, I made a fifty percent profit on your money.'

 ¹⁹"He said, 'I'm putting you in charge of five towns.'

 ^20-21"The next servant said, 'Master, here's your money safe and sound. I kept it hidden in the cellar. To tell you the truth, I was a little afraid. I know you have high standards and hate sloppiness, and don't suffer fools gladly.'

 ^22-23"He said, 'You're right that I don't suffer fools gladly—and you've acted the fool! Why didn't you at least invest the money in securities so I would have gotten a little interest on it?'

 ²⁴"Then he said to those standing there, 'Take the money from him and give it to the servant who doubled my stake.'

 ²⁵"They said, 'But Master, he already has double . . .'

 ²⁶"He said, 'That's what I mean: Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag.

 ²⁷"'As for these enemies of mine who petitioned against my rule, clear them out of here. I don't want to see their faces around here again.'"

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Psalm 87:1-7 (The Message)

Psalm 87

A Korah Psalm

 ^1-3 He founded Zion on the Holy Mountain— and oh, how God loves his home!
   Loves it far better than all
      the homes of Jacob put together!
   God's hometown—oh!
      everyone there is talking about you!

 ⁴ I name them off, those among whom I'm famous:
      Egypt and Babylon,
      also Philistia,
      even Tyre, along with Cush.
   Word's getting around; they point them out:
      "This one was born again here!"

 ⁵ The word's getting out on Zion:
      "Men and women, right and left,
      get born again in her!"

 ⁶ God registers their names in his book:
      "This one, this one, and this one—
      born again, right here."

 ⁷ Singers and dancers give credit to Zion:
      "All my springs are in you!" 

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Proverbs 13:11 (The Message)

 ¹¹ Easy come, easy go,
   but steady diligence pays off.

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Verse of the Day

“So you will be saved, if you honestly say, "Jesus is Lord," and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this and tell it to others.” - Romans 10:9-10

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

 

Danish philosopher, theologian, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard wrote, “Love is all, it gives all, and it takes all.”