Bible Readings for March 10, 2019

Today our passages are Numbers 14:1–15:16; Mark 14:53-72; Psalm 53:1-6; and Proverbs 11:4. The readings are 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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Numbers 14-15:16 (Contemporary English Version)

Numbers 14

The Israelites Rebel against Moses

 ¹After the Israelites heard the report from the twelve men who had explored Canaan, the people cried all night ²and complained to Moses and Aaron, " We wish we had died in Egypt or somewhere out here in the desert! ³Is the LORD leading us into Canaan, just to have us killed and our women and children captured? We'd be better off in Egypt." ⁴Then they said to one another, " Let's choose our own leader and go back."     ⁵Moses and Aaron bowed down to pray in front of the crowd. ⁶Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes in sorrow ⁷and said:
   We saw the land ourselves, and it's very good. ⁸If we obey the LORD, he will surely give us that land rich with milk and honey. ⁹So don't rebel. We have no reason to be afraid of the people who live there. The LORD is on our side, and they won't stand a chance against us!
    ¹⁰The crowd threatened to stone Moses and Aaron to death. But just then, the LORD appeared in a cloud at the sacred tent.     

Moses Prays for the People

 ¹¹The LORD said to Moses, " I have done great things for these people, and they still reject me by refusing to believe in my power. ¹²So they will no longer be my people. I will destroy them, but I will make you the ancestor of a nation even stronger than theirs."     ^13-16Moses replied:
   With your mighty power you rescued your people from Egypt, so please don't destroy us here in the desert. If you do, the Egyptians will hear about it and tell the people of Canaan. Those Canaanites already know that we are your people, and that we see you face to face. And they have heard how you lead us with a thick cloud during the day and flaming fire at night. But if you kill us, they will claim it was because you weren't powerful enough to lead us into Canaan as you promised.
    ¹⁷Show us your great power, LORD. You promised ¹⁸that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong--not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.
    ¹⁹You are merciful, and you treat people better than they deserve. So please forgive these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.
    ²⁰Then the LORD said to Moses:
   In answer to your prayer, I do forgive them. ²¹But as surely as I live and my power has no limit, ^22-23I swear that not one of these Israelites will enter the land I promised to give their ancestors. These people have seen my power in Egypt and in the desert, but they will never see Canaan. They have disobeyed and tested me too many times.
    ²⁴But my servant Caleb isn't like the others. So because he has faith in me, I will allow him to cross into Canaan, and his descendants will settle there.
    ²⁵Now listen, Moses! The Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys of Canaan. ^[a] And tomorrow morning, you'll need to turn around and head back into the desert toward the Red Sea. ^[b] 

The Israelites Are Punished for Complaining

 ²⁶The LORD told Moses and Aaron ^27-28to give this message to the people of Israel:    You sinful people have complained against me too many times! Now I swear by my own life that I will give you exactly what you wanted. ^[c]²⁹You will die right here in the desert, and your dead bodies will cover the ground. You have insulted me, and none of you men who are over twenty years old ³⁰will enter the land that I solemnly promised to give you as your own--only Caleb and Joshua ^[d] will go in. ³¹You were worried that your own children would be captured. But I, the LORD, will let them enter the land you have rejected. ³²You will die here in the desert! ³³Your children will wander around in this desert forty years, suffering because of your sins, until all of you are dead. ³⁴I will cruelly punish you every day for the next forty years--one year for each day that the land was explored. ³⁵You sinful people who ganged up against me will die here in the desert.
    ³⁶Ten of the men sent to explore the land had brought back bad news and had made the people complain against the LORD. ³⁷So he sent a deadly disease that killed those men, ³⁸but he let Joshua and Caleb live.     

The Israelites Fail To Enter Canaan

(Deuteronomy 1.41-45)

 ³⁹The people of Israel were very sad after Moses gave them the LORD's message. ⁴⁰So they got up early the next morning and got ready to head toward the hill country of Canaan. They said, " We were wrong to complain about the LORD. Let's go into the land that he promised us."     ⁴¹But Moses replied, " You're disobeying the LORD! Your plan won't work, ^42-43so don't even try it. The LORD refuses to help you, because you turned your backs on him. The Amalekites and the Canaanites are your enemies, and they will attack and defeat you."
    ⁴⁴But the Israelites ignored Moses ^[e] and marched toward the hill country, even though the sacred chest and Moses did not go with them. ⁴⁵The Amalekites and the Canaanites came down from the hill country, defeated the Israelites, and chased them as far as the town of Hormah. 

Numbers 15

Laws about Sacrifices

 ¹The LORD told Moses ²to give the Israelites the following laws about offering sacrifices:     ³Bulls or rams or goats ^[f]are the animals that you may burn on the altar as sacrifices to please me. ^[g] You may also offer sacrifices voluntarily or because you made a promise, or because they are part of your regular religious ceremonies. The smell of the smoke from these sacrifices is pleasing to me. ^4-5If you sacrifice a young ram or goat, you must also offer two pounds of your finest flour mixed with a quart of olive oil as a grain sacrifice. A quart of wine must also be poured on the altar.
    ^6-7And if the animal is a full-grown ram, you must offer four pounds of flour mixed with one and a half quarts of olive oil. One and a half quarts of wine must also be poured on the altar. The smell of this smoke is pleasing to me.
    ⁸If a bull is offered as a sacrifice to please me or to ask my blessing, ^[h] ⁹you must offer six pounds of flour mixed with two quarts of olive oil. ¹⁰Two quarts of wine must also be poured on the altar. The smell of this smoke is pleasing to me. ^11-13If you are a native Israelite, you must obey these rules each time you offer a bull, a ram, or a goat as a sacrifice. ¹⁴And the foreigners who live among you must also follow these rules. ^15-16This law will never change. I am the LORD, and I consider all people the same, whether they are Israelites or foreigners living among you.
    

Footnotes:

1. Numbers 14:25 The Amalekites and the Canaanites. . . valleys of Canaan: That is, all possible ways into Canaan were blocked.
2. Numbers 14:25 Red Sea: Hebrew yam suph, here referring to the Gulf of Aqaba, since the term is extended to include the northeastern arm of the Red Sea (see also the note at Exodus 13.18).
3. Numbers 14:27 wanted: See verse 2.
4. Numbers 14:30 Caleb and Joshua: Hebrew " Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun."
5. Numbers 14:44 ignored Moses: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
6. Numbers 15:3 goats: See the note at 7.12-83.
7. Numbers 15:3 sacrifices to please me: See the note at 6.11.
8. Numbers 15:8 to ask my blessing: See the note at 6.14.

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Mark 14:53-72 (Contemporary English Version)

Jesus Is Questioned by the Council

(Matthew 26.57-68; Luke 22.54,55,63-71; John 18.13,14,19-24)

 ⁵³Jesus was led off to the high priest. Then the chief priests, the nation's leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses all met together. ⁵⁴Peter had followed at a distance. And when he reached the courtyard of the high priest's house, he sat down with the guards to warm himself beside a fire.     ⁵⁵The chief priests and the whole council tried to find someone to accuse Jesus of a crime, so they could put him to death. But they could not find anyone to accuse him. ⁵⁶Many people did tell lies against Jesus, but they did not agree on what they said. ⁵⁷Finally, some men stood up and lied about him. They said, ⁵⁸"We heard him say he would tear down this temple that we built. He also claimed that in three days he would build another one without any help." ⁵⁹But even then they did not agree on what they said.
    ⁶⁰The high priest stood up in the council and asked Jesus, "Why don't you say something in your own defense? Don't you hear the charges they are making against you?" ⁶¹But Jesus kept quiet and did not say a word. The high priest asked him another question, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the glorious God?" ^[a]
    ⁶²"Yes, I am!" Jesus answered.
   "Soon you will see
   the Son of Man
   sitting at the right side ^[b]
   of God All-Powerful,
   and coming with the clouds
   of heaven."
    ⁶³At once the high priest ripped his robe apart and shouted, "Why do we need more witnesses? ⁶⁴You heard him claim to be God! What is your decision?" They all agreed that he should be put to death.
    ⁶⁵Some of the people started spitting on Jesus. They blindfolded him, hit him with their fists, and said, "Tell us who hit you!" Then the guards took charge of Jesus and beat him.     

Peter Says He Doesn't Know Jesus

(Matthew 26.69-75; Luke 22.56-62; John 18.15-18,25-27)

 ⁶⁶While Peter was still in the courtyard, a servant girl of the high priest came up ⁶⁷and saw Peter warming himself by the fire. She stared at him and said, "You were with Jesus from Nazareth!"     ⁶⁸Peter replied, "That isn't true! I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have any idea what you mean." He went out to the gate, and a rooster crowed. ^[c]
    ⁶⁹The servant girl saw Peter again and said to the people standing there, "This man is one of them!"
    ⁷⁰"No, I'm not!" Peter replied.
   A little while later some of the people said to Peter, "You certainly are one of them. You're a Galilean!"
    ⁷¹This time Peter began to curse and swear, "I don't even know the man you're talking about!"
    ⁷²Right away the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had told him, "Before a rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don't know me." So Peter started crying.
    

Footnotes:

1. Mark 14:61 Son of the glorious God: "Son of God" was one of the titles used for the kings of Israel.
2. Mark 14:62 right side: See the note at 12.36.
3. Mark 14:68 a rooster crowed: These words are not in some manuscripts.

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Psalm 53:1-6 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 53

(A special psalm by David for the music leader. To the tune "Mahalath." (Psalm 53 Mahalath: Or " For flutes," one possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.) )

No One Can Ignore God

 ¹Only a fool would say,    "There is no God!"
   People like that are worthless!
   They are heartless and cruel
   and never do right.
    ²From heaven God
   looks down to see
   if anyone is wise enough
   to search for him.
    ³But all of them
   are crooked and corrupt.
   Not one of them does right.
    ⁴Won't you lawbreakers learn?
   You refuse to pray,
   and you gobble down
   the people of God.
    ⁵But you will be terrified
   worse than ever before.
   God will scatter the bones
   of his enemies,
   and you will be ashamed
   when God rejects you.
    ⁶I long for someone from Zion
   to come and save Israel!
   Our God, when you bless
   your people again,
   Jacob's family will be glad,
   and Israel will celebrate.

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Proverbs 11:4 (Contemporary English Version)

⁴When God is angry,
   money won't help you.
   Obeying God is the only way
   to be saved from death.

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Verse of the Day

“Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope.” - 1 Peter 3:15 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

French writer, intellectual, existentialist philosopher, political activist, feminist and social theorist, Simone de Beauvoir wrote, “I tore myself away from the safe comfort of certainties through my love for truth - and truth rewarded me.”

Bible Readings for March 10, 2017

Today our passages are Numbers 14:1–15:16; Mark 14:53-72; Psalm 53:1-6; and Proverbs 11:4. The readings are 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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Numbers 14-15:16 (Contemporary English Version)

Numbers 14

The Israelites Rebel against Moses

 ¹After the Israelites heard the report from the twelve men who had explored Canaan, the people cried all night ²and complained to Moses and Aaron, " We wish we had died in Egypt or somewhere out here in the desert! ³Is the LORD leading us into Canaan, just to have us killed and our women and children captured? We'd be better off in Egypt." ⁴Then they said to one another, " Let's choose our own leader and go back."     ⁵Moses and Aaron bowed down to pray in front of the crowd. ⁶Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes in sorrow ⁷and said:
   We saw the land ourselves, and it's very good. ⁸If we obey the LORD, he will surely give us that land rich with milk and honey. ⁹So don't rebel. We have no reason to be afraid of the people who live there. The LORD is on our side, and they won't stand a chance against us!
    ¹⁰The crowd threatened to stone Moses and Aaron to death. But just then, the LORD appeared in a cloud at the sacred tent.
   

Moses Prays for the People

 ¹¹The LORD said to Moses, " I have done great things for these people, and they still reject me by refusing to believe in my power. ¹²So they will no longer be my people. I will destroy them, but I will make you the ancestor of a nation even stronger than theirs."     ^13-16Moses replied:
   With your mighty power you rescued your people from Egypt, so please don't destroy us here in the desert. If you do, the Egyptians will hear about it and tell the people of Canaan. Those Canaanites already know that we are your people, and that we see you face to face. And they have heard how you lead us with a thick cloud during the day and flaming fire at night. But if you kill us, they will claim it was because you weren't powerful enough to lead us into Canaan as you promised.
    ¹⁷Show us your great power, LORD. You promised ¹⁸that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong--not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.
    ¹⁹You are merciful, and you treat people better than they deserve. So please forgive these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.
    ²⁰Then the LORD said to Moses:
   In answer to your prayer, I do forgive them. ²¹But as surely as I live and my power has no limit, ^22-23I swear that not one of these Israelites will enter the land I promised to give their ancestors. These people have seen my power in Egypt and in the desert, but they will never see Canaan. They have disobeyed and tested me too many times.
    ²⁴But my servant Caleb isn't like the others. So because he has faith in me, I will allow him to cross into Canaan, and his descendants will settle there.
    ²⁵Now listen, Moses! The Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys of Canaan. ^[a] And tomorrow morning, you'll need to turn around and head back into the desert toward the Red Sea. ^[b]

The Israelites Are Punished for Complaining

 ²⁶The LORD told Moses and Aaron ^27-28to give this message to the people of Israel:    You sinful people have complained against me too many times! Now I swear by my own life that I will give you exactly what you wanted. ^[c] ²⁹You will die right here in the desert, and your dead bodies will cover the ground. You have insulted me, and none of you men who are over twenty years old ³⁰will enter the land that I solemnly promised to give you as your own--only Caleb and Joshua ^[d] will go in. ³¹You were worried that your own children would be captured. But I, the LORD, will let them enter the land you have rejected. ³²You will die here in the desert! ³³Your children will wander around in this desert forty years, suffering because of your sins, until all of you are dead. ³⁴I will cruelly punish you every day for the next forty years--one year for each day that the land was explored. ³⁵You sinful people who ganged up against me will die here in the desert.
    ³⁶Ten of the men sent to explore the land had brought back bad news and had made the people complain against the LORD. ³⁷So he sent a deadly disease that killed those men, ³⁸but he let Joshua and Caleb live.
   

The Israelites Fail To Enter Canaan

(Deuteronomy 1.41-45)

 ³⁹The people of Israel were very sad after Moses gave them the LORD's message. ⁴⁰So they got up early the next morning and got ready to head toward the hill country of Canaan. They said, " We were wrong to complain about the LORD. Let's go into the land that he promised us."     ⁴¹But Moses replied, " You're disobeying the LORD! Your plan won't work, ^42-43so don't even try it. The LORD refuses to help you, because you turned your backs on him. The Amalekites and the Canaanites are your enemies, and they will attack and defeat you."
    ⁴⁴But the Israelites ignored Moses ^[e] and marched toward the hill country, even though the sacred chest and Moses did not go with them. ⁴⁵The Amalekites and the Canaanites came down from the hill country, defeated the Israelites, and chased them as far as the town of Hormah.

Numbers 15

Laws about Sacrifices

 ¹The LORD told Moses ²to give the Israelites the following laws about offering sacrifices:     ³Bulls or rams or goats ^[f] are the animals that you may burn on the altar as sacrifices to please me. ^[g] You may also offer sacrifices voluntarily or because you made a promise, or because they are part of your regular religious ceremonies. The smell of the smoke from these sacrifices is pleasing to me. ^4-5If you sacrifice a young ram or goat, you must also offer two pounds of your finest flour mixed with a quart of olive oil as a grain sacrifice. A quart of wine must also be poured on the altar.
    ^6-7And if the animal is a full-grown ram, you must offer four pounds of flour mixed with one and a half quarts of olive oil. One and a half quarts of wine must also be poured on the altar. The smell of this smoke is pleasing to me.
    ⁸If a bull is offered as a sacrifice to please me or to ask my blessing, ^[h] ⁹you must offer six pounds of flour mixed with two quarts of olive oil. ¹⁰Two quarts of wine must also be poured on the altar. The smell of this smoke is pleasing to me. ^11-13If you are a native Israelite, you must obey these rules each time you offer a bull, a ram, or a goat as a sacrifice. ¹⁴And the foreigners who live among you must also follow these rules. ^15-16This law will never change. I am the LORD, and I consider all people the same, whether they are Israelites or foreigners living among you.
   

Footnotes:

1. Numbers 14:25 The Amalekites and the Canaanites. . . valleys of Canaan: That is, all possible ways into Canaan were blocked.
2. Numbers 14:25 Red Sea: Hebrew yam suph, here referring to the Gulf of Aqaba, since the term is extended to include the northeastern arm of the Red Sea (see also the note at Exodus 13.18).
3. Numbers 14:27 wanted: See verse 2.
4. Numbers 14:30 Caleb and Joshua: Hebrew " Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun."
5. Numbers 14:44 ignored Moses: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
6. Numbers 15:3 goats: See the note at 7.12-83.
7. Numbers 15:3 sacrifices to please me: See the note at 6.11.
8. Numbers 15:8 to ask my blessing: See the note at 6.14.

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Mark 14:53-72 (Contemporary English Version)

Jesus Is Questioned by the Council

(Matthew 26.57-68; Luke 22.54,55,63-71; John 18.13,14,19-24)

 ⁵³Jesus was led off to the high priest. Then the chief priests, the nation's leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses all met together. ⁵⁴Peter had followed at a distance. And when he reached the courtyard of the high priest's house, he sat down with the guards to warm himself beside a fire.     ⁵⁵The chief priests and the whole council tried to find someone to accuse Jesus of a crime, so they could put him to death. But they could not find anyone to accuse him. ⁵⁶Many people did tell lies against Jesus, but they did not agree on what they said. ⁵⁷Finally, some men stood up and lied about him. They said, ⁵⁸"We heard him say he would tear down this temple that we built. He also claimed that in three days he would build another one without any help." ⁵⁹But even then they did not agree on what they said.
    ⁶⁰The high priest stood up in the council and asked Jesus, "Why don't you say something in your own defense? Don't you hear the charges they are making against you?" ⁶¹But Jesus kept quiet and did not say a word. The high priest asked him another question, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the glorious God?" ^[a]
    ⁶²"Yes, I am!" Jesus answered.
   "Soon you will see
   the Son of Man
   sitting at the right side ^[b]
   of God All-Powerful,
   and coming with the clouds
   of heaven."
    ⁶³At once the high priest ripped his robe apart and shouted, "Why do we need more witnesses? ⁶⁴You heard him claim to be God! What is your decision?" They all agreed that he should be put to death.
    ⁶⁵Some of the people started spitting on Jesus. They blindfolded him, hit him with their fists, and said, "Tell us who hit you!" Then the guards took charge of Jesus and beat him.
   

Peter Says He Doesn't Know Jesus

(Matthew 26.69-75; Luke 22.56-62; John 18.15-18,25-27)

 ⁶⁶While Peter was still in the courtyard, a servant girl of the high priest came up ⁶⁷and saw Peter warming himself by the fire. She stared at him and said, "You were with Jesus from Nazareth!"     ⁶⁸Peter replied, "That isn't true! I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have any idea what you mean." He went out to the gate, and a rooster crowed. ^[c]
    ⁶⁹The servant girl saw Peter again and said to the people standing there, "This man is one of them!"
    ⁷⁰"No, I'm not!" Peter replied.
   A little while later some of the people said to Peter, "You certainly are one of them. You're a Galilean!"
    ⁷¹This time Peter began to curse and swear, "I don't even know the man you're talking about!"
    ⁷²Right away the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had told him, "Before a rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don't know me." So Peter started crying.
   

Footnotes:

1. Mark 14:61 Son of the glorious God: "Son of God" was one of the titles used for the kings of Israel.
2. Mark 14:62 right side: See the note at 12.36.
3. Mark 14:68 a rooster crowed: These words are not in some manuscripts.

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Psalm 53:1-6 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 53

(A special psalm by David for the music leader. To the tune "Mahalath." (Psalm 53 Mahalath: Or " For flutes," one possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.) )

No One Can Ignore God

 ¹Only a fool would say,    "There is no God!"
   People like that are worthless!
   They are heartless and cruel
   and never do right.
    ²From heaven God
   looks down to see
   if anyone is wise enough
   to search for him.
    ³But all of them
   are crooked and corrupt.
   Not one of them does right.
    ⁴Won't you lawbreakers learn?
   You refuse to pray,
   and you gobble down
   the people of God.
    ⁵But you will be terrified
   worse than ever before.
   God will scatter the bones
   of his enemies,
   and you will be ashamed
   when God rejects you.
    ⁶I long for someone from Zion
   to come and save Israel!
   Our God, when you bless
   your people again,
   Jacob's family will be glad,
   and Israel will celebrate.

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Proverbs 11:4 (Contemporary English Version)

⁴When God is angry,
   money won't help you.
   Obeying God is the only way
   to be saved from death.

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Verse of the Day

“Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope.” - 1 Peter 3:15

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

French writer, intellectual, existentialist philosopher, political activist, feminist and social theorist, Simone de Beauvoir wrote, “I tore myself away from the safe comfort of certainties through my love for truth - and truth rewarded me.”

Bible Readings for January 9, 2017

Today our passages are Genesis 20:1–22:24; Matthew 7:15-29; Psalm 9:1-12; and Proverbs 2:16-22. The readings are 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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Genesis 20-22:24 (Contemporary English Version)

Genesis 20

Abraham and Sarah at Gerar

 ¹Abraham moved to the Southern Desert, where he settled between Kadesh and Shur. Later he went to Gerar, and while there ²he told everyone that his wife Sarah was his sister. So King Abimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. ³But God came to Abimelech in a dream and said, "You have taken a married woman, and for this you will die!"     ^4-5Abimelech said to the Lord, "Don't kill me! I haven't slept with Sarah. Didn't they say they were brother and sister? I am completely innocent."
    ⁶God spoke to Abimelech in another dream and said:
   I know you are innocent. That's why I kept you from sleeping with Sarah and doing anything wrong. ⁷Her husband is a prophet. Let her go back to him, and his prayers will save you from death. But if you don't return her, you and all your people will die.
    ⁸Early the next morning Abimelech sent for his officials, and when he told them what had happened, they were frightened. ⁹Abimelech then called in Abraham and said:
   Look what you've done to us! What have I ever done to you? Why did you make me and my nation guilty of such a terrible sin? ¹⁰What were you thinking when you did this?
    ¹¹Abraham answered:
   I did it because I didn't think any of you respected God, and I was sure that someone would kill me to get my wife. ¹²Besides, she is my half sister. We have the same father, but different mothers. ¹³When God made us leave my father's home and start wandering, I told her, "If you really love me, you will tell everyone that I am your brother."
    ¹⁴Abimelech gave Abraham some sheep, cattle, and slaves. He sent Sarah back ¹⁵and told Abraham that he could settle anywhere in his country. ¹⁶Then he said to Sarah, "I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver as proof to everyone that you have done nothing wrong." ^[a] ^17-18Meanwhile, God had kept Abimelech's wife and slaves from having children. But Abraham prayed, and God let them start having children again.
   

Genesis 21

Sarah Has a Son

 ¹The LORD was good to Sarah and kept his promise. ²Although Abraham was very old, Sarah had a son exactly at the time God had said. ³Abraham named his son Isaac, ⁴and when the boy was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, just as the LORD had commanded.     ⁵Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac was born, ⁶and Sarah said, "God has made me laugh. ^[b] Now everyone will laugh with me. ⁷Who would have dared to tell Abraham that someday I would have a child? But in his old age, I have given him a son." ⁸The time came when Sarah no longer had to nurse Isaac, ^[c] and on that day Abraham gave a big feast.

Hagar and Ishmael Are Sent Away

 ^9-10One day, Sarah noticed Hagar's son Ishmael ^[d] playing, ^[e] and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that Egyptian slave woman and her son! I don't want him to inherit anything. It should all go to my son." ^[f] ¹¹Abraham was worried about Ishmael. ¹²But God said, "Abraham, don't worry about your slave woman and the boy. Just do what Sarah tells you. Isaac will inherit your family name, ¹³but the son of the slave woman is also your son, and I will make his descendants into a great nation."     ¹⁴Early the next morning Abraham gave Hagar an animal skin full of water and some bread. Then he put the boy on her shoulder and sent them away.
   They wandered around in the desert near Beersheba, ¹⁵and after they had run out of water, Hagar put her son under a bush. ¹⁶Then she sat down a long way off, because she could not bear to watch him die. And she cried bitterly.
    ¹⁷When God heard the boy crying, the angel of God called out to Hagar from heaven and said, "Hagar, why are you worried? Don't be afraid. I have heard your son crying. ¹⁸Help him up and hold his hand, because I will make him the father of a great nation." ¹⁹Then God let her see a well. So she went to the well and filled the skin with water, then gave some to her son.
    ^20-21God blessed Ishmael, and as the boy grew older, he became an expert with his bow and arrows. He lived in the Paran Desert, and his mother chose an Egyptian woman for him to marry.
   

A Peace Treaty

 ²²About this time Abimelech and his army commander Phicol said to Abraham, "God blesses everything you do! ²³Now I want you to promise in the name of God that you will always be loyal to me and my descendants, just as I have always been loyal to you in this land where you have lived as a foreigner." ²⁴And so, Abraham promised.     ²⁵One day, Abraham told Abimelech, "Some of your servants have taken over one of my wells."
    ²⁶"This is the first I've heard about it," Abimelech replied. "Why haven't you said something before? I don't have any idea who did it." ²⁷Abraham gave Abimelech some sheep and cattle, and then the two men made a peace treaty.
    ²⁸Abraham separated seven female lambs from his flock of sheep, ²⁹and Abimelech asked, "Why have you done this?"
    ³⁰Abraham told him, "I want you to accept these seven lambs as proof that I dug this well." ³¹So they called the place Beersheba, ^[g] because they made a treaty there. ³²When the treaty was completed, Abimelech and his army commander Phicol went back to the land of the Philistines. ³³Abraham planted a tamarisk tree ^[h] in Beersheba and worshiped the eternal LORD God. ³⁴Then Abraham lived a long time as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines.

Genesis 22

The LORD Tells Abraham To Offer Isaac as a Sacrifice

 ¹Some years later God decided to test Abraham, so he spoke to him.    Abraham answered, "Here I am, LORD."
    ²The LORD said, "Go get Isaac, your only son, the one you dearly love! Take him to the land of Moriah, and I will show you a mountain where you must sacrifice him to me on the fires of an altar." ³So Abraham got up early the next morning and chopped wood for the fire. He put a saddle on his donkey and left with Isaac and two servants for the place where God had told him to go.
    ⁴Three days later Abraham looked off in the distance and saw the place. ⁵He told his servants, "Stay here with the donkey, while my son and I go over there to worship. We will come back."
    ⁶Abraham put the wood on Isaac's shoulder, but he carried the hot coals and the knife. As the two of them walked along, ^7-8Isaac said, "Father, we have the coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?"
   "My son," Abraham answered, "God will provide the lamb."
   The two of them walked on, and ⁹when they reached the place that God had told him about, Abraham built an altar and placed the wood on it. Next, he tied up his son and put him on the wood. ¹⁰He then took the knife and got ready to kill his son. ¹¹But the LORD's angel shouted from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
   "Here I am!" he answered.
    ¹²"Don't hurt the boy or harm him in any way!" the angel said. "Now I know that you truly obey God, because you were willing to offer him your only son."
    ¹³Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in the bushes. So he took the ram and sacrificed it in place of his son.
    ¹⁴Abraham named that place "The LORD Will Provide." And even now people say, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." ^[i] ¹⁵The LORD's angel called out from heaven a second time:
    ¹⁶You were willing to offer the LORD your only son, and so he makes you this solemn promise, ¹⁷"I will bless you and give you such a large family, that someday your descendants will be more numerous than the stars in the sky or the grains of sand along the beach. They will defeat their enemies and take over the cities where their enemies live. ¹⁸You have obeyed me, and so you and your descendants will be a blessing to all nations on earth."
    ¹⁹Abraham and Isaac went back to the servants who had come with him, and they returned to Abraham's home in Beersheba.
   

The Children of Nahor

 ^20-23Abraham's brother Nahor had married Milcah, and Abraham was later told that they had eight sons. Uz was their first-born; Buz was next, and then there was Kemuel who became the father of Aram; their other five sons were: Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel, who became the father of Rebekah. ²⁴Nahor also had another wife. ^[j] Her name was Reumah, and she had four sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 20:16 as proof. . . wrong: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
2. Genesis 21:6 God has made me laugh: In Hebrew "Isaac" sounds like "laugh."
3. Genesis 21:8 no longer had to nurse Isaac: In ancient Israel mothers nursed their children until they were about three years old. Then there was a family celebration.
4. Genesis 21:9 Ishmael: The son of Abraham and Hagar, who was Sarah's slave woman (see 16.1-16).
5. Genesis 21:9 playing: Hebrew; one ancient translation "playing with her son Isaac."
6. Genesis 21:9 Get rid. . . son: When Abraham accepted Ishmael as his son, it gave Ishmael the right to inherit part of what Abraham owned. But slaves who were given their freedom lost the right to inherit such property.
7. Genesis 21:31 Beersheba: Meaning "Well of Good Fortune" or "Peace Treaty Well."
8. Genesis 21:33 tamarisk tree: A tall shade tree that has deep roots and needs little water.
9. Genesis 22:14 The LORD Will Provide. . . it will be provided: Or "The LORD Will Be Seen. . . the LORD will be seen" or "It (a ram) Will Be Seen. . . it (a ram) will be seen."
10. Genesis 22:24 another wife: This translates a Hebrew word for a woman who was legally bound to a man, but without the full privileges of a wife.

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Matthew 7:15-29 (Contemporary English Version)

A Tree and Its Fruit

(Luke 6.43-45)

 ¹⁵Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you. ¹⁶You can tell what they are by what they do. No one picks grapes or figs from thornbushes. ¹⁷A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that produces bad fruit will be chopped down and burned. ²⁰You can tell who the false prophets are by their deeds.    

A Warning

(Luke 13.26,27)

 ²¹Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. ²²On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, "We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles." ²³But I will tell them, "I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!"    

Two Builders

(Luke 6.47-49)

 ²⁴Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock. ²⁵Rain poured down, rivers flooded, and winds beat against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on solid rock.     ²⁶Anyone who hears my teachings and doesn't obey them is like a foolish person who built a house on sand. ²⁷The rain poured down, the rivers flooded, and the winds blew and beat against that house. Finally, it fell with a crash.
    ²⁸When Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were surprised at his teaching. ²⁹He taught them like someone with authority, and not like their teachers of the Law of Moses.

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Psalm 9:1-12 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 9

(A psalm by David for the music leader. To the tune "The Death of the Son.")

Sing Praises to the LORD

 ¹I will praise you, LORD,    with all my heart
   and tell about the wonders
   you have worked.
    ²God Most High, I will rejoice;
   I will celebrate and sing
   because of you.
    ³When my enemies face you,
   they run away and stumble
   and are destroyed.
    ⁴You take your seat as judge,
   and your fair decisions prove
   that I was in the right.
    ⁵You warn the nations
   and destroy evil people;
   you wipe out their names
   forever and ever.
    ⁶Our enemies are destroyed
   completely for all time.
   Their cities are torn down,
   and they will never
   be remembered again.
    ⁷You rule forever, LORD,
   and you are on your throne,
   ready for judgment.
    ⁸You judge the world fairly
   and treat all nations
   with justice.
    ⁹The poor can run to you
   because you are a fortress
   in times of trouble.
    ¹⁰Everyone who honors your name
   can trust you,
   because you are faithful
   to all who depend on you.
    ¹¹You rule from Zion, LORD,
   and we sing about you
   to let the nations know
   everything you have done.
    ¹²You did not forget
   to punish the guilty
   or listen to the cries
   of those in need.

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Proverbs 2:16-22 (Contemporary English Version)

Wisdom and Sexual Purity

 ¹⁶Wisdom will protect you    from the smooth talk
   of a sinful woman,
    ¹⁷who breaks her wedding vows
   and leaves the man she married
   when she was young.
    ¹⁸The road to her house leads
   down
   to the dark world
   of the dead.
    ¹⁹Visit her, and you will never
   find the road to life again.
    ²⁰Follow the example
   of good people
   and live an honest life.
    ²¹If you are honest and innocent,
   you will keep your land;
    ²²if you do wrong
   and can never be trusted,
   you will be rooted out.

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Verse of the Day

“[Treasures in Heaven][(Luke 12.33,34)]Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will always be where your treasure is.” - Matthew 6:19-21

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

French writer, intellectual, existentialist philosopher, political activist, feminist and social theorist, Simone de Beauvoir wrote, “That's what I consider true generosity. You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.”