Bible Readings for August 5, 2014

Today our passages are Ezra 1:1–2:70; 1 Corinthians 1:18–2:5; Psalm 27:7-14; and Proverbs 20:22-23. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. If you missed a day, you can find all the readings at our blog, The Bible in a Year.

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Ezra 1-2:70 (The Message)

Ezra 1

Cyrus King of Persia: "Build The Temple of God!"

 ^1-4In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia—this fulfilled the Message of God preached by Jeremiah—God prodded Cyrus king of Persia to make an official announcement throughout his kingdom. He wrote it out as follows:    From Cyrus king of Persia, a Proclamation: God, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has also assigned me to build him a Temple of worship in Jerusalem, Judah. Who among you belongs to his people? God be with you! Go to Jerusalem which is in Judah and build The Temple of God, the God of Israel, Jerusalem's God. Those who stay behind, wherever they happen to live, will support them with silver, gold, tools, and pack animals, along with Freewill-Offerings for The Temple of God in Jerusalem.
 ^5-6 The heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone, in fact, God prodded—set out to build The Temple of God in Jerusalem. Their neighbors rallied behind them enthusiastically with silver, gold, tools, pack animals, expensive gifts, and, over and above these, Freewill-Offerings.
 ^7-10 Also, King Cyrus turned over to them all the vessels and utensils from The Temple of God that Nebuchadnezzar had hauled from Jerusalem and put in the temple of his gods. Cyrus king of Persia put Mithredath the treasurer in charge of the transfer; he provided a full inventory for Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah, including the following:
   30 gold dishes
   1,000 silver dishes
   29 silver pans
   30 gold bowls
   410 duplicate silver bowls
   1,000 miscellaneous items.
 ¹¹ All told, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles that Sheshbazzar took with him when he brought the exiles back from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Ezra 2

 ^1-58 These are the people from the province who now returned from the captivity, exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried off captive. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his hometown. They came in company with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.     The numbers of the returning Israelites by families of origin were as follows:
      Parosh, 2,172
      Shephatiah, 372
      Arah, 775
      Pahath-Moab (sons of Jeshua and Joab), 2,812
      Elam, 1,254
      Zattu, 945
      Zaccai, 760
      Bani, 642
      Bebai, 623
      Azgad, 1,222
      Adonikam, 666
      Bigvai, 2,056
      Adin, 454
      Ater (sons of Hezekiah), 98
      Bezai, 323
      Jorah, 112
      Hashum, 223
      Gibbar, 95.
   Israelites identified by place of origin were as follows:
      Bethlehem, 123
      Netophah, 56
      Anathoth, 128
      Azmaveth, 42
      Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, 743
      Ramah and Geba, 621
      Micmash, 122
      Bethel and Ai, 223
      Nebo, 52
      Magbish, 156
      Elam (the other one), 1,254
      Harim, 320
      Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725
      Jericho, 345
      Senaah, 3,630.
   Priestly families:
      Jedaiah (sons of Jeshua), 973
      Immer, 1,052
      Pashhur, 1,247
      Harim, 1,017.
   Levitical families:
      Jeshua and Kadmiel (sons of Hodaviah), 74.
   Singers:
      Asaph's family line, 128.
   Security guard families:
      Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, 139.
   Families of temple support staff:
      Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
      Keros, Siaha, Padon,
      Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub,
      Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan,
      Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah,
      Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam,
      Uzza, Paseah, Besai,
      Asnah, Meunim, Nephussim,
      Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
      Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
      Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
      Neziah, and Hatipha.
   Families of Solomon's servants:
      Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,
      Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
      Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and Ami.
   Temple support staff and Solomon's servants added up to 392.
 ^59-60 These are those who came from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer. They weren't able to prove their ancestry, whether they were true Israelites or not:

 ⁶¹ Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, 652 in all. Likewise with these priestly families:
      Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai, who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and took that name.
 ^62-63 They had thoroughly searched for their family records but couldn't find them. And so they were barred from priestly work as ritually unclean. The governor ruled that they could not eat from the holy food until a priest could determine their status with the Urim and Thummim.
 ^64-67 The total count for the congregation was 42,360. That did not include the male and female slaves, which numbered 7,337. There were also 200 male and female singers, and they had 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

^68-69 Some of the heads of families, on arriving at The Temple of God in Jerusalem, made Freewill-Offerings toward the rebuilding of The Temple of God on its site. They gave to the building fund as they were able, about 1,100 pounds of gold, about three tons of silver, and 100 priestly robes.
 ⁷⁰ The priests, Levites, and some of the people lived in Jerusalem. The singers, security guards, and temple support staff found places in their hometowns. All the Israelites found a place to live.

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1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5 (The Message)

 ^18-21The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It's written,

   I'll turn conventional wisdom on its head,
   I'll expose so-called experts as crackpots.
So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn't God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.
 ^22-25While Jews clamor for miraculous demonstrations and Greeks go in for philosophical wisdom, we go right on proclaiming Christ, the Crucified. Jews treat this like an anti-miracle—and Greeks pass it off as absurd. But to us who are personally called by God himself—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God's ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one. Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can't begin to compete with God's "weakness."
 ^26-31Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of "the brightest and the best" among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these "nobodies" to expose the hollow pretensions of the "somebodies"? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That's why we have the saying, "If you're going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God."

1 Corinthians 2

 ^1-2You'll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God's master stroke, I didn't try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified.  ^3-5I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God's Spirit and God's power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God's power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else.

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Psalm 27:7-14 (The Message)

 ^7-9 Listen, God, I'm calling at the top of my lungs:
      "Be good to me! Answer me!"
   When my heart whispered, "Seek God,"
      my whole being replied,
   "I'm seeking him!"
      Don't hide from me now!

 ^9-10 You've always been right there for me;
      don't turn your back on me now.
   Don't throw me out, don't abandon me;
      you've always kept the door open.
   My father and mother walked out and left me,
      but God took me in.

 ^11-12 Point me down your highway, God;
      direct me along a well-lighted street;
      show my enemies whose side you're on.
   Don't throw me to the dogs,
      those liars who are out to get me,
      filling the air with their threats.

 ^13-14 I'm sure now I'll see God's goodness
      in the exuberant earth.
   Stay with God!
      Take heart. Don't quit.
   I'll say it again:
      Stay with God.

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Proverbs 20:22-23 (The Message)

 ²² Don't ever say, "I'll get you for that!"
   Wait for God; he'll settle the score.

 ²³ God hates cheating in the marketplace;
   rigged scales are an outrage.

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Verse of the Day

“Understanding your word brings light to the minds of ordinary people.” - Psalm 119:130

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Though for the Day

American novelist, poet, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer, Wendell Berry wrote, “If we are serious about peace, then we must work for it as ardently, seriously, continuously, carefully, and bravely as we have ever prepared for war.”

Bible Readings for August 6, 2013

Today our passages are Ezra 3:1–4:24; 1 Corinthians 2:6–3:4; Psalm 28:1-9; and Proverbs 20:24-25. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.

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Ezra 3-4:24 (Contemporary English Version)

Ezra 3

The First Offering on the New Altar

 ¹During the seventh month ^[a] of the year, the Israelites who had settled in their towns went to Jerusalem. ²The priest Joshua son of Jozadak, together with the other priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his relatives rebuilt the altar of Israel's God. Then they were able to offer sacrifices there by following the instructions God had given to Moses. ³And they built the altar where it had stood before, ^[b] even though they were afraid of the people who were already living around there. Then every morning and evening they burned sacrifices and offerings to the LORD. ⁴The people followed the rules for celebrating the Festival of Shelters and offered the proper sacrifices each day. ⁵They offered sacrifices to please the LORD, ^[c] sacrifices at each New Moon Festival, and sacrifices at the rest of the LORD's festivals. Every offering the people had brought was presented to the LORD. ⁶Although work on the temple itself had not yet begun, the people started offering sacrifices on the LORD's altar on the first day of the seventh month of that year.    

The Rebuilding of the Temple Begins

 ⁷King Cyrus of Persia had said the Israelites could have cedar trees brought from Lebanon to Joppa by sea. So they sent grain, wine, and olive oil to the cities of Tyre and Sidon as payment for these trees, and they gave money to the stoneworkers and carpenters.     ⁸During the second month ^[d] of the second year after the people had returned from Babylonia, they started rebuilding the LORD's temple. Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the priests, the Levites, and everyone else who had returned started working. Every Levite over twenty years of age was put in charge of some part of the work. ⁹The Levites in charge of the whole project were Joshua and his sons and relatives and Kadmiel and his sons from the family of Hodaviah. ^[e] The family of Henadad worked along with them. ¹⁰When the builders had finished laying the foundation of the temple, the priests put on their robes and blew trumpets in honor of the LORD, while the Levites from the family of Asaph praised God with cymbals. All of them followed the instructions given years before by King David. ^{[f] 11}They praised the LORD and gave thanks as they took turns singing: "The LORD is good!
   His faithful love for Israel
   will last forever."
   Everyone started shouting and praising the LORD because work on the foundation of the temple had begun. ¹²Many of the older priests and Levites and the heads of families cried aloud because they remembered seeing the first temple years before. But others were so happy that they celebrated with joyful shouts. ¹³Their shouting and crying were so noisy that it all sounded alike and could be heard a long way off.
   

Ezra 4

Foreigners (4.1 Foreigners: People from foreign countries who had been captured by Assyrian and Babylonian kings and forced to settle in Palestine.) Want To Help Rebuild the Temple

 ¹The enemies of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people had come back to rebuild the temple of the LORD God of Israel. ²So they went to Zerubbabel and to the family leaders and said, "Let us help! Ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria ^[g] brought us here, we have worshiped your God and offered sacrifices to him." ³But Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the family leaders answered, "You cannot take part in building a temple for the LORD our God! We will build it ourselves, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us."     ⁴Then the neighboring people began to do everything possible to frighten the Jews ^[h] and to make them stop building. ⁵During the time that Cyrus was king and even until Darius ^[i] became king, they kept bribing government officials to slow down the work.

Trouble Rebuilding Jerusalem (4.6 Jerusalem: Verses 6-23, which tell about the events of a later period, are placed here because they are also concerned with the problem of stopping or slowing down work on the temple.)

 ⁶In the first year that Xerxes was king, ^[j] the neighboring people brought written charges against the people of Judah and Jerusalem. ⁷Later, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their advisors got together and wrote a letter to Artaxerxes when he was king of Persia. ^[k] It was written in Aramaic and had to be translated. ^{[l] 8-10}A letter was also written to Artaxerxes about Jerusalem by Governor Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and their advisors, including the judges, the governors, the officials, and the local leaders. They were joined in writing this letter by people from Erech and Babylonia, the Elamites from Susa, ^[m] and people from other foreign nations that the great and famous Ashurbanipal ^[n] had forced to settle in Samaria and other parts of Western Province. ^{[o] 11}This letter said:    Your Majesty King Artaxerxes, we are your servants from everywhere in Western Province, and we send you our greetings.
    ¹²You should know that the Jews who left your country have moved back to Jerusalem and are now rebuilding that terrible city. In fact, they have almost finished rebuilding the walls and repairing the foundations. ¹³You should also know that if the walls are completed and the city is rebuilt, the Jews won't pay any kind of taxes, and there will be less money in your treasury.
    ¹⁴We are telling you this, because you have done so much for us, and we want everyone to respect you. ¹⁵If you look up the official records of your ancestors, you will find that Jerusalem has constantly rebelled and has led others to rebel against kings and provinces. That's why the city was destroyed in the first place. ¹⁶If Jerusalem is rebuilt and its walls completed, you will no longer have control over Western Province.
    ¹⁷King Artaxerxes answered:
   Greetings to Governor Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and to your advisors in Samaria and other parts of Western Province.
    ¹⁸After your letter was translated and read to me, ¹⁹I had the old records checked. It is true that for years Jerusalem has rebelled and caused trouble for other kings and nations. ²⁰And powerful kings have ruled Western Province from Jerusalem and have collected all kinds of taxes.
    ²¹I want you to command the people to stop rebuilding the city until I give further notice. ²²Do this right now, so that no harm will come to the kingdom.
    ²³As soon as this letter was read, Governor Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and their advisors went to Jerusalem and forced everyone to stop rebuilding the city.
   

Work on the Temple Starts Again

 ²⁴The Jews were forced to stop work on the temple and were not able to do any more building until the year after Darius became king of Persia. ^[p]

Footnotes:

1. Ezra 3:1 seventh month: Tishri (also called Ethanim), the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-September to mid-October.
2. Ezra 3:3 where it had stood before: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
3. Ezra 3:5 sacrifices to please the LORD: In traditional translations these sacrifices are usually called "whole burnt offerings" (see Leviticus 1.1-16).
4. Ezra 3:8 second month: Ziv, the second month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-April to mid-May.
5. Ezra 3:9 Hodaviah: Or "Yehudah" or "Hodiah."
6. Ezra 3:10 King David: Ruled from about 1010 to 970 B.C.
7. Ezra 4:2 King Esarhaddon of Assyria: Ruled from 681 to 669 B.C. These people may have been brought to Palestine in 677 or 676 B.C., when Esarhaddon invaded Syria.
8. Ezra 4:4 Jews: This was the name given to those Israelites who settled in Judah after returning from Babylonia.
9. Ezra 4:5 Cyrus. . . Darius: Cyrus ruled 539-530 B.C. (see the note at 1.1); Darius I, known as Darius the Great, ruled 522-486 B.C.
10. Ezra 4:6 first year that Xerxes was king: Either the end of 486 or the beginning of 485 B.C. The Hebrew has the king's Persian name "Ahasuerus," but he is better known as "Xerxes," the Greek form of the name.
11. Ezra 4:7 Artaxerxes. . . Persia: Artaxerxes I (465-425 B.C.).
12. Ezra 4:7 It was. . . translated: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. Ezra 4.8--6.18 is written in Aramaic, instead of in Hebrew like most of the Old Testament.
13. Ezra 4:8 the judges. . . Susa: One possible translation for the names and titles.
14. Ezra 4:8 Ashurbanipal: King of Assyria 669-633 (or possibly 627) B.C. In Aramaic the king's name is "Osnapper," but he is better known as Ashurbanipal.
15. Ezra 4:8 Western Province: The land from the Euphrates River west to the Mediterranean Sea.
16. Ezra 4:24 year after. . . king of Persia: 520 B.C.

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1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4 (Contemporary English Version)

⁶We do use wisdom when speaking to people who are mature in their faith. But it isn't the wisdom of this world or of its rulers, who will soon disappear. ⁷We speak of God's hidden and mysterious wisdom that God decided to use for our glory long before the world began. ⁸The rulers of this world didn't know anything about this wisdom. If they had known about it, they would not have nailed the glorious Lord to a cross. ⁹But 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!"
    ¹⁰God's Spirit has shown you everything. His Spirit finds out everything, even what is deep in the mind of God. ¹¹You are the only one who knows what is in your own mind, and God's Spirit is the only one who knows what is in God's mind. ¹²But God has given us his Spirit. That's why we don't think the same way that the people of this world think. That's also why we can recognize the blessings that God has given us.
    ¹³Every word we speak was taught to us by God's Spirit, not by human wisdom. And this same Spirit helps us teach spiritual things to spiritual people. ^{[a] 14}That's why only someone who has God's Spirit can understand spiritual blessings. Anyone who doesn't have God's Spirit thinks these blessings are foolish. ¹⁵People who are guided by the Spirit can make all kinds of judgments, but they cannot be judged by others. ¹⁶The Scriptures ask, "Has anyone ever known
   the thoughts of the Lord
   or given him advice?"
   But we understand what Christ is thinking. ^[b]

1 Corinthians 3

Working Together for God

 ¹My friends, you are acting like the people of this world. That's why I could not speak to you as spiritual people. You are like babies as far as your faith in Christ is concerned. ²So I had to treat you like babies and feed you milk. You could not take solid food, and you still cannot, ³because you are not yet spiritual. You are jealous and argue with each other. This proves that you are not spiritual and that you are acting like the people of this world.     ⁴Some of you say that you follow me, and others claim to follow Apollos. Isn't that how ordinary people behave?

Footnotes:

1. 1 Corinthians 2:13 teach spiritual things to spiritual people: Or "compare spiritual things with spiritual things."
2. 1 Corinthians 2:16 we understand what Christ is thinking: Or "we think as Christ does."

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Psalm 28:1-9 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 28

(By David.)

A Prayer for Help

 ¹Only you, LORD,    are a mighty rock! ^[a] Don't refuse to help me
   when I pray.
   If you don't answer me,
   I will soon be dead.
    ²Please listen to my prayer
   and my cry for help,
   as I lift my hands
   toward your holy temple.
    ³Don't drag me away, LORD,
   with those cruel people,
   who speak kind words,
   while planning trouble.
    ⁴Treat them as they deserve!
   Punish them for their sins.
    ⁵They don't pay any attention
   to your wonderful deeds.
   Now you will destroy them
   and leave them in ruin.
    ⁶I praise you, LORD,
   for answering my prayers.
    ⁷You are my strong shield,
   and I trust you completely.
   You have helped me,
   and I will celebrate
   and thank you in song.
    ⁸You give strength
   to your people, LORD,
   and you save and protect
   your chosen ones.
    ⁹Come save us and bless us.
   Be our shepherd and always
   carry us in your arms.
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 28:1 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.

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Proverbs 20:24-25 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁴How can we know
   what will happen to us
   when the LORD alone decides?
    ²⁵Don't fall into the trap
   of making promises to God
   before you think!

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Verse of the Day

“All you say can be trusted; your teachings are true and will last forever.” - Psalm 119:160

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Wendell Berry, American novelist, poet, public intellectual, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer, wrote, “As soon as the generals and the politicos can predict the motions of your mind, lose it. Leave it as a sign to mark the false trail, the way you didn’t go. Be like the fox who makes more tracks than necessary, some in the wrong direction. Practice resurrection.”