Bible Readings for January 10, 2013

Today our passages are Genesis 23:1–24:51; Matthew 8:1-17; Psalm 9:13-20; and Proverbs 3:1-6. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.

 

Genesis 23-24:51 (Contemporary English Version)

Genesis 23

Sarah's Death and Burial

 ^1-2When Sarah was one hundred twenty-seven years old, she died in Kiriath-Arba, better known as Hebron, in the land of Canaan. After Abraham had mourned for her, ³he went to the Hittites and said, ⁴"I live as a foreigner in your land, and I don't own any property where I can bury my wife. Please let me buy a piece of land."     ^5-6"Sir," they answered, "you are an important man. Choose the best place to bury your wife. None of us would refuse you a resting place for your dead."
    ⁷Abraham bowed down ⁸and replied, "If you are willing to let me bury my wife here, please ask Zohar's son Ephron ⁹to sell me Machpelah Cave at the end of his field. I'll pay what it's worth, and all of you can be witnesses."
    ¹⁰Ephron was sitting there near the city gate, when Abraham made this request, and he answered, ¹¹"Sir, the whole field, including the cave, is yours. With my own people as witnesses, I freely give it to you as a burial place for your dead."
    ¹²Once again, Abraham bowed down ¹³and said to Ephron, "In front of these witnesses, I offer you the full price, so I can bury my wife. Please accept my offer."
    ^14-15"But sir," the man replied, "the property is worth only four hundred pieces of silver. Why should we haggle over such a small amount? Take the land. It's yours."
    ^16-18Abraham accepted Ephron's offer and paid him the four hundred pieces of silver in front of everyone at the city gate. That's how Abraham got Ephron's property east of Hebron, ^[a] which included the field with all of its trees, as well as Machpelah Cave at the end of the field. ¹⁹So Abraham buried his wife Sarah in Machpelah Cave that was in the field ²⁰he had bought from the Hittites.

Genesis 24

A Wife for Isaac

 ¹Abraham was now a very old man. The LORD had made him rich, and he was successful in everything he did. ²One day, Abraham called in his most trusted servant and said to him, "Solemnly promise me ³in the name of the LORD, who rules heaven and earth, that you won't choose a wife for my son Isaac from the people here in the land of Canaan. ⁴Instead, go back to the land where I was born and find a wife for him from among my relatives."     ⁵But the servant asked, "What if the young woman I choose refuses to leave home and come here with me? Should I send Isaac there to look for a wife?"
    ⁶"No!" Abraham answered. "Don't ever do that, no matter what. ⁷The LORD who rules heaven brought me here from the land where I was born and promised that he would give this land to my descendants forever. When you go back there, the LORD will send his angel ahead of you to help you find a wife for my son. ⁸If the woman refuses to come along, you don't have to keep this promise. But don't ever take my son back there." ⁹So the servant gave Abraham his word that he would do everything he had been told to do.
    ¹⁰Soon after that, the servant loaded ten of Abraham's camels with valuable gifts. Then he set out for the city in northern Syria, ^[b] where Abraham's brother Nahor lived. ¹¹When he got there, he let the camels rest near the well outside the city. It was late afternoon, the time when the women came out for water. ¹²The servant prayed:
   You, LORD, are the God my master Abraham worships. Please keep your promise to him and let me find a wife for Isaac today. ¹³The young women of the city will soon come to this well for water, ¹⁴and I'll ask one of them for a drink. If she gives me a drink and then offers to get some water for my camels, I'll know she is the one you have chosen and that you have kept your promise to my master.
    ^15-16While he was still praying, a beautiful unmarried young woman came by with a water jar on her shoulder. She was Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Abraham's brother Nahor and his wife Milcah. Rebekah walked past Abraham's servant, then went over to the well, and filled her water jar. When she started back, ¹⁷Abraham's servant ran to her and said, "Please let me have a drink of water."
    ¹⁸"I'll be glad to," she answered. Then she quickly took the jar from her shoulder and held it while he drank. ^19-20After he had finished, she said, "Now I'll give your camels all the water they want." She quickly poured out water for them, and she kept going back for more, until his camels had drunk all they wanted. ²¹Abraham's servant did not say a word, but he watched everything Rebekah did, because he wanted to know for certain if this was the woman the LORD had chosen.
    ²²The servant had brought along an expensive gold ring and two large gold bracelets. When Rebekah had finished bringing the water, he gave her the ring for her nose ^[c] and the bracelets for her arms. ²³Then he said, "Please tell me who your father is. Does he have room in his house for me and my men to spend the night?" ²⁴She answered, "My father is Bethuel, the son of Nahor and Milcah. ²⁵We have a place where you and your men can stay, and we also have enough straw and feed for your camels."
    ²⁶Then the servant bowed his head and prayed, ²⁷"I thank you, LORD God of my master Abraham! You have led me to his relatives and kept your promise to him."
    ²⁸Rebekah ran straight home and told her family everything. ^29-30Her brother Laban heard her tell what the servant had said, and he saw the ring and the bracelets she was wearing. So Laban ran out to Abraham's servant, who was standing by his camels at the well. ³¹Then Laban said, "The LORD has brought you safely here. Come home with me. There's no need for you to keep on standing outside. I have a room ready for you in our house, and there's also a place for your camels."
    ³²Abraham's servant went home with Laban, where Laban's servants unloaded his camels and gave them straw and feed. Then they brought water into the house, so Abraham's servant and his men could wash their feet. ³³After that, they brought in food. But the servant said, "Before I eat, I must tell you why I have come."
   "Go ahead and tell us," Laban answered.
    ³⁴The servant explained:
   I am Abraham's servant. ³⁵The LORD has been good to my master and has made him very rich. He has given him many sheep, goats, cattle, camels, and donkeys, as well as a lot of silver and gold, and many slaves. ³⁶Sarah, my master's wife, didn't have any children until she was very old. Then she had a son, and my master has given him everything. ³⁷I solemnly promised my master that I would do what he said. And he told me, "Don't choose a wife for my son from the women in this land of Canaan. ³⁸Instead, go back to the land where I was born and find a wife for my son from among my relatives."
    ³⁹I asked my master, "What if the young woman refuses to come with me?"
    ⁴⁰My master answered, "I have always obeyed the LORD, and he will send his angel to help you find my son a wife from among my own relatives. ⁴¹But if they refuse to let her come back with you, then you are freed from your promise."
    ⁴²When I came to the well today, I silently prayed, "You, LORD, are the God my master Abraham worships, so please lead me to a wife for his son ⁴³while I am here at the well. When a young woman comes out to get water, I'll ask her to give me a drink. ⁴⁴If she gives me a drink and offers to get some water for my camels, I'll know she is the one you have chosen."
    ⁴⁵Even before I had finished praying, Rebekah came by with a water jar on her shoulder. When she had filled the jar, I asked her for a drink. ⁴⁶She quickly lowered the jar from her shoulder and said, "Have a drink. Then I'll get water for your camels." So I drank, and after that she got some water for my camels. ⁴⁷I asked her who her father was, and she answered, "My father is Bethuel the son of Nahor and Milcah." Right away I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms. ⁴⁸Then I bowed my head and gave thanks to the God my master Abraham worships. The LORD had led me straight to my master's relatives, and I had found a wife for his son.
    ⁴⁹Now please tell me if you are willing to do the right thing for my master. Will you treat him fairly, or do I have to look for another young woman?
    ⁵⁰Laban and Bethuel answered, "The LORD has done this. We have no choice in the matter. ⁵¹Take Rebekah with you; she can marry your master's son, just as the LORD has said."

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 23:16 Hebron: The Hebrew text has "Mamre," a place just north of Hebron.
2. Genesis 24:10 northern Syria: The Hebrew text has "Aram-Naharaim," probably referring to the land around the city of Haran (see also "Paddan-Aram" in 25.20; 28.2,6; 31.18,20; 33.18; 35.23-26; 46.8-15; and "Paddan" in 48.7).
3. Genesis 24:22 ring for her nose: Nose-rings were popular jewelry items, as were earrings.

Matthew 8:1-17 (Contemporary English Version)

Matthew 8

Jesus Heals a Man

(Mark 1.40-45; Luke 5.12-16)

 ¹As Jesus came down the mountain, he was followed by large crowds. ²Suddenly a man with leprosy ^[a] came and knelt in front of Jesus. He said, "Lord, you have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to." ³Jesus put his hand on the man and said, "I want to! Now you are well." At once the man's leprosy disappeared. ⁴Jesus told him, "Don't tell anyone about this, but go and show the priest that you are well. Then take a gift to the temple just as Moses commanded, and everyone will know that you have been healed." ^[b]

Jesus Heals an Army Officer's Servant

(Luke 7.1-10; John 4.43-54)

 ⁵When Jesus was going into the town of Capernaum, an army officer came up to him and said, ⁶"Lord, my servant is at home in such terrible pain that he can't even move."     ⁷"I will go and heal him," Jesus replied.
    ⁸But the officer said, "Lord, I'm not good enough for you to come into my house. Just give the order, and my servant will get well. ⁹I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, `Go!' and he goes. I can say to another, `Come!' and he comes. I can say to my servant, `Do this!' and he will do it."
    ¹⁰When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised that he turned and said to the crowd following him, "I tell you that in all of Israel I've never found anyone with this much faith! ¹¹Many people will come from everywhere to enjoy the feast in the kingdom of heaven with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ¹²But the ones who should have been in the kingdom will be thrown out into the dark. They will cry and grit their teeth in pain."
    ¹³Then Jesus said to the officer, "You may go home now. Your faith has made it happen."
   Right then his servant was healed.
   

Jesus Heals Many People

(Mark 1.29-34; Luke 4.38-41)

 ¹⁴Jesus went to the home of Peter, where he found that Peter's mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever. ¹⁵He took her by the hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and served Jesus a meal.     ¹⁶That evening many people with demons in them were brought to Jesus. And with only a word he forced out the evil spirits and healed everyone who was sick. ¹⁷So God's promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said,
   "He healed our diseases
   and made us well."
   

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 8:2 leprosy: In biblical times the word "leprosy" was used for many different kinds of skin diseases.
2. Matthew 8:4 everyone will know that you have been healed: People with leprosy had to be examined by a priest and told that they were well (that is "clean") before they could once again live a normal life in the Jewish community. The gift that Moses commanded was the sacrifice of some lambs together with flour mixed with olive oil.

Psalm 9:13-20 (Contemporary English Version)

¹³Please have mercy, LORD!
   My enemies mistreat me.
   Keep me from the gates
   that lead to death,
    ¹⁴and I will sing about you
   at the gate to Zion.
   I will be happy there
   because you rescued me.
    ¹⁵Our LORD, the nations fell
   into their own pits,
   and their feet were caught
   in their own traps.
    ¹⁶You showed what you are like,
   and you made certain
   that justice is done,
   but evil people are trapped
   by their own evil deeds.
    ¹⁷The wicked will go down
   to the world of the dead
   to be with those nations
   that forgot about you.
    ¹⁸The poor and the homeless
   won't always be forgotten
   and without hope.
    ¹⁹Do something, LORD!
   Don't let the nations win.
   Make them stand trial
   in your court of law.
    ²⁰Make the nations afraid
   and let them all discover
   just how weak they are.

Proverbs 3:1-6 (Contemporary English Version)

Proverbs 3

Trust God

 ¹My child, remember    my teachings and instructions
   and obey them completely.
    ²They will help you live
   a long and prosperous life.
    ³Let love and loyalty
   always show like a necklace,
   and write them in your mind.
    ⁴God and people will like you
   and consider you a success.
    ⁵With all your heart
   you must trust the LORD
   and not your own judgment.
    ⁶Always let him lead you,
   and he will clear the road
   for you to follow.



Verse of the Day

“Always live as God's holy people should, because God is the one who chose you, and he is holy. That's why the Scriptures say, "I am the holy God, and you must be holy too.” - 1 Peter 1:15-16

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

Thought for the Day

Novelist, poet, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian, and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland C. S. Lewis wrote, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

Bible Readings for January 9, 2012

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.

 

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] 17-18}Meanwhile, 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] 11}Abraham 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] 15}The 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.

 

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.

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.

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.



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.

Thought for the Day

American evangelist and publisher who founded the Moody Church, Dwight L. Moody wrote, “Character is what a man is in the dark.”

Bible Readings for January 8, 2012

Today our passages are Genesis 18:20–19:38; Matthew 6:25–7:14; Psalm 8:1-9; and Proverbs 2:6-15. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.

 

Genesis 18:20-19:38 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁰The LORD said, "Abraham, I have heard that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are doing all kinds of evil things. ²¹Now I am going down to see for myself if those people really are that bad. If they aren't, I want to know about it."
    ²²The men turned and started toward Sodom. But the LORD stayed with Abraham, ²³who asked, "LORD, when you destroy the evil people, are you also going to destroy those who are good? ²⁴Wouldn't you spare the city if there are only fifty good people in it? ²⁵You surely wouldn't let them be killed when you destroy the evil ones. You are the judge of all the earth, and you do what is right."
    ²⁶The LORD replied, "If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I will save the city to keep them from being killed."
    ²⁷Abraham answered, "I am nothing more than the dust of the earth. Please forgive me, LORD, for daring to speak to you like this. ²⁸But suppose there are only forty-five good people in Sodom. Would you still wipe out the whole city?"
   "If I find forty-five good people," the LORD replied, "I won't destroy the city."
    ²⁹"Suppose there are just forty good people?" Abraham asked.
   "Even for them," the LORD replied, "I won't destroy the city."
    ³⁰Abraham said, "Please don't be angry, LORD, if I ask you what you will do if there are only thirty good people in the city."
   "If I find thirty," the LORD replied, "I still won't destroy it."
    ³¹Then Abraham said, "I don't have any right to ask you, LORD, but what would you do if you find only twenty?"
   "Because of them, I won't destroy the city," was the LORD's answer.
    ³²Finally, Abraham said, "Please don't get angry, LORD, if I speak just once more. Suppose you find only ten good people there."
   "For the sake of ten good people," the LORD told him, "I still won't destroy the city."
    ³³After speaking with Abraham, the LORD left, and Abraham went back home.
   

Genesis 19

The Evil City of Sodom

 ¹That evening the two angels ^[a] arrived in Sodom, while Lot was sitting near the city gate. ^[b] When Lot saw them, he got up, bowed down low, ²and said, "Gentlemen, I am your servant. Please come to my home. You can wash your feet, spend the night, and be on your way in the morning." They told him, "No, we'll spend the night in the city square." ³But Lot kept insisting, until they finally agreed and went home with him. He baked some bread, ^[c] cooked a meal, and they ate. ⁴Before Lot and his guests could go to bed, every man in Sodom, young and old, came and stood outside his house ⁵and started shouting, "Where are your visitors? Send them out, so we can have sex with them!"     ⁶Lot went outside and shut the door behind him. ⁷Then he said, "Friends, please don't do such a terrible thing! ⁸I have two daughters who have never been married. I'll bring them out, and you can do what you want with them. But don't harm these men. They are guests in my home."
    ⁹"Don't get in our way," the crowd answered. "You're an outsider. What right do you have to order us around? We'll do worse things to you than we're going to do to them."
   The crowd kept arguing with Lot. Finally, they rushed toward the door to break it down. ¹⁰But the two angels in the house reached out and pulled Lot safely inside. ¹¹Then they struck everyone in the crowd blind, and none of them could even find the door.
    ^12-13The two angels said to Lot, "The LORD has heard many terrible things about the people of Sodom, and he has sent us here to destroy the city. Take your family and leave. Take every relative you have in the city, as well as the men your daughters are going to marry."
    ¹⁴Lot went to the men who were engaged to his daughters and said, "Hurry and get out of here! The LORD is going to destroy this city." But they thought he was joking, and they laughed at him.
    ¹⁵Early the next morning the two angels tried to make Lot hurry and leave. They said, "Take your wife and your two daughters and get out of here as fast as you can! If you don't, every one of you will be killed when the LORD destroys the city." ¹⁶At first, Lot just stood there. But the LORD wanted to save him. So the angels took Lot, his wife, and his two daughters by the hand and led them out of the city. ¹⁷When they were outside, one of the angels said, "Run for your lives! Don't even look back. And don't stop in the valley. Run to the hills, where you will be safe."
    ^18-19Lot answered, "You have done us a great favor, sir. You have saved our lives, but please don't make us go to the hills. That's too far away. The city will be destroyed before we can get there, and we will be killed when it happens. ²⁰There's a town near here. It's only a small place, but my family and I will be safe, if you let us go there."
    ²¹"All right, go there," he answered. "I won't destroy that town. ²²Hurry! Run! I can't do anything until you are safely there."
   The town was later called Zoar ^[d] because Lot had said it was small.

Sodom and Gomorrah Are Destroyed

 ²³The sun was coming up as Lot reached the town of Zoar, ²⁴and the LORD sent burning sulfur down like rain on Sodom and Gomorrah. ²⁵He destroyed those cities and everyone who lived in them, as well as their land and the trees and grass that grew there.     ²⁶On the way, Lot's wife looked back and was turned into a block of salt.
    ²⁷That same morning Abraham got up and went to the place where he had stood and spoken with the LORD. ²⁸He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and saw smoke rising from all over the land--it was like a flaming furnace.
    ²⁹When God destroyed the cities of the valley where Lot lived, he remembered his promise to Abraham and saved Lot from the terrible destruction.
   

Moab and Ammon

 ³⁰Lot was afraid to stay on in Zoar. So he took his two daughters and moved to a cave in the hill country. ³¹One day his older daughter said to her sister, "Our father is old, and there are no men anywhere for us to marry. ³²Let's get our father drunk! Then we can sleep with him and have children." ³³That night they got their father drunk, and the older daughter got in bed with him, but he was too drunk even to know she was there.     ³⁴The next day the older daughter said to her sister, "I slept with my father last night. We'll get him drunk again tonight, so you can go to bed with him, and we can each have a child." ³⁵That night they got their father drunk, and this time the younger sister slept with him. But once again he was too drunk even to know she was there.
    ³⁶That's how Lot's two daughters had their children. ³⁷The older daughter named her son Moab, ^[e] and he is the ancestor of the Moabites. ³⁸The younger daughter named her son Benammi, ^[f] and he is the ancestor of the Ammonites.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 19:1 two angels: The two men of 18.22.
2. Genesis 19:1 near the city gate: In a large area where the people would gather for community business and for meeting with friends.
3. Genesis 19:3 bread: The Hebrew text has "bread without yeast," which could be fixed quickly when guests came without warning.
4. Genesis 19:22 Zoar: In Hebrew "Zoar" sounds like "small."
5. Genesis 19:37 Moab: In Hebrew "Moab" sounds like "from (my) father."
6. Genesis 19:38 Benammi: In Hebrew "Benammi" means "son of my relative.

Matthew 6:25-7:14 (Contemporary English Version)

Worry

(Luke 12.22-31)

 ²⁵I tell you not to worry about your life. Don't worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn't life more than food or clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds in the sky! They don't plant or harvest. They don't even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren't you worth more than birds?     ²⁷Can worry make you live longer? ^{[a] 28}Why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow. They don't work hard to make their clothes. ²⁹But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth ^[b] wasn't as well clothed as one of them. ³⁰God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. He will surely do even more for you! Why do you have such little faith? ³¹Don't worry and ask yourselves, "Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?" ³²Only people who don't know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of these. ³³But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.
    ³⁴Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.
   

Matthew 7

Judging Others

(Luke 6.37,38,41,42)

 ¹Don't condemn others, and God won't condemn you. ²God will be as hard on you as you are on others! He will treat you exactly as you treat them.     ³You can see the speck in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the log in your own eye. ⁴How can you say, "My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye," when you don't see the log in your own eye? ⁵You're nothing but show-offs! First, take the log out of your own eye. Then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend's eye.
    ⁶Don't give to dogs what belongs to God. They will only turn and attack you. Don't throw pearls down in front of pigs. They will trample all over them.
   

Ask, Search, Knock

(Luke 11.9-13)

 ⁷Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. ⁸Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. ⁹Would any of you give your hungry child a stone, if the child asked for some bread? ¹⁰Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? ¹¹As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask.     ¹²Treat others as you want them to treat you. This is what the Law and the Prophets ^[c] are all about.

The Narrow Gate

(Luke 13.24)

 ¹³Go in through the narrow gate. The gate to destruction is wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow. A lot of people go through that gate. ¹⁴But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow that only a few people find it.    

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 6:27 live longer: Or "grow taller."
2. Matthew 6:29 Solomon with all his wealth: The Jewish people thought that Solomon was the richest person who had ever lived.
3. Matthew 7:12 the Law and the Prophets: See the note at 5.17.

Psalm 8:1-9 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 8

(A psalm by David for the music leader. (Psalm 8 leader: The Hebrew text adds " according to the gittith," which may refer to either a musical instrument or a tune.) )

The Wonderful Name of the LORD

 ¹Our LORD and Ruler,    your name is wonderful
   everywhere on earth!
   You let your glory be seen ^[a] in the heavens above.
    ²With praises from children
   and from tiny infants,
   you have built a fortress.
   It makes your enemies silent,
   and all who turn against you
   are left speechless.
    ³I often think of the heavens
   your hands have made,
   and of the moon and stars
   you put in place.
    ⁴Then I ask, "Why do you care
   about us humans?
   Why are you concerned
   for us weaklings?"
    ⁵You made us a little lower
   than you yourself, ^[b] and you have crowned us
   with glory and honor.
    ⁶You let us rule everything
   your hands have made.
   And you put all of it
   under our power--
    ⁷the sheep and the cattle,
   and every wild animal,
    ⁸the birds in the sky,
   the fish in the sea,
   and all ocean creatures.
    ⁹Our LORD and Ruler,
   your name is wonderful
   everywhere on earth!
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 8:1 You. . . seen: Or " I will worship your glory."
2. Psalm 8:5 you yourself: Or " the angels" or " the beings in heaven."

Proverbs 2:6-15 (Contemporary English Version)

⁶All wisdom comes from the LORD,
   and so do common sense
   and understanding.
    ⁷God gives helpful advice ^[a] to everyone who obeys him
   and protects all of those
   who live as they should.
    ⁸God sees that justice is done,
   and he watches over everyone
   who is faithful to him.
    ⁹With wisdom you will learn
   what is right
   and honest and fair.
    ¹⁰Wisdom will control your mind,
   and you will be pleased
   with knowledge.
    ¹¹Sound judgment and good sense
   will watch over you.
    ¹²Wisdom will protect you
   from evil schemes
   and from those liars
    ¹³who turned from doing good
   to live in the darkness.
    ¹⁴Most of all they enjoy
   being mean and deceitful.
    ¹⁵They are dishonest themselves,
   and all they do is crooked.
   

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 2:7 helpful advice: Or " wisdom."

 

Verse of the Day

 

“If you really want to live, you must stop doing wrong and start doing right. I, the LORD God All-Powerful, will then be on your side, just as you claim I am. Choose good instead of evil! See that justice is done. Maybe I, the LORD All-Powerful, will be kind to what's left of your people.” - Amos 5:14-15

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

Thought for the Day

One of the most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust Anne Frank wrote, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

Bible Readings for January 6, 2012

Today our passages are Genesis 13:5–15:21; Matthew 5:27-48; Psalm 6:1-10; and Proverbs 1:29-33. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.

 

Genesis 13:5-15:21 (Contemporary English Version)

⁵Lot, who was traveling with him, also had sheep, goats, and cattle, as well as his own family and slaves. ^6-7At this time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the same area, and so there wasn't enough pastureland left for Abram and Lot with all of their animals. Besides this, the men who took care of Abram's animals and the ones who took care of Lot's animals started quarreling.
    ⁸Abram said to Lot, "We are close relatives. We shouldn't argue, and our men shouldn't be fighting one another. ⁹There is plenty of land for you to choose from. Let's separate. If you go north, I'll go south; if you go south, I'll go north."
    ¹⁰This happened before the LORD had destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. And when Lot looked around, he saw there was plenty of water in the Jordan Valley. All the way to Zoar the valley was as green as the garden of the LORD or the land of Egypt. ¹¹So Lot chose the whole Jordan Valley for himself, and as he started toward the east, he and Abram separated. ¹²Abram stayed in the land of Canaan. But Lot settled near the cities of the valley and put up his tents not far from Sodom, ¹³where the people were evil and sinned terribly against the LORD.
   

Abram Moves to Hebron

 ¹⁴After Abram and Lot had gone their separate ways, the LORD said to Abram:    Look around to the north, south, east, and west. ¹⁵I will give you and your family all the land you can see. It will be theirs forever! ¹⁶I will give you more descendants than there are specks of dust on the earth, and someday it will be easier to count the specks of dust than to count your descendants. ¹⁷Now walk back and forth across the land, because I am giving it to you.
    ¹⁸Abram took down his tents and went to live near the sacred trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar in honor of the LORD.
   

Genesis 14

Abram Rescues Lot

 ¹About this time, King Amraphel of Babylonia, ^[a] King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim ²attacked King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, also known as the city of Zoar. ^3-4King Chedorlaomer and his allies had ruled these last five kings for twelve years, but in the thirteenth year the kings rebelled and came together in Siddim Valley, which is now covered by the southern part of the Dead Sea. ⁵A year later King Chedorlaomer and his allies attacked and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth-Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, and the Emites in Shaveh-Kiriathaim. ⁶They also defeated the Horites in the hill country of Edom, ^[b] as far as El-Paran, near the desert. ⁷They went back to the city of Enmishpat, better known as Kadesh. Then they captured all the land that belonged to the Amalekites, and they defeated the Amorites who were living in Hazazon-Tamar.     ^8-9At Siddim Valley, the armies of the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela fought the armies of King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Babylonia, and King Arioch of Ellasar. The valley ¹⁰was full of tar pits, and when the troops from Sodom and Gomorrah started running away, some of them fell into the pits. Others escaped to the hill country. ¹¹Their enemies took everything of value from Sodom and Gomorrah, including their food supplies. ¹²They also captured Abram's nephew Lot, who lived in Sodom. They took him and his possessions and then left.
    ¹³At this time Abram the Hebrew was living near the oaks that belonged to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his brothers Eshcol and Aner were Abram's friends. Someone who had escaped from the battle told Abram ¹⁴that his nephew Lot had been taken away. Three hundred eighteen of Abram's servants were fighting men, so he took them and followed the enemy as far north as the city of Dan.
    ¹⁵That night, Abram divided up his troops, attacked from all sides, and won a great victory. But some of the enemy escaped to the town of Hobah north of Damascus, ¹⁶and Abram went after them. He brought back his nephew Lot, together with Lot's possessions and the women and everyone else who had been captured.
   

Abram Is Blessed by Melchizedek

 ¹⁷Abram returned after he had defeated King Chedorlaomer and the other kings. Then the king of Sodom went to meet Abram in Shaveh Valley, which is also known as King's Valley.     ¹⁸King Melchizedek of Salem was a priest of God Most High. He brought out some bread and wine ¹⁹and said to Abram:
   "I bless you in the name
   of God Most High,
   Creator of heaven and earth.
    ²⁰All praise belongs
   to God Most High
   for helping you defeat
   your enemies."
   Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.
    ²¹The king of Sodom said to Abram, "All I want are my people. You can keep everything else."
    ²²Abram answered:
   The LORD God Most High made the heavens and the earth. And I have promised him ²³that I won't keep anything of yours, not even a sandal strap or a piece of thread. Then you can never say that you are the one who made me rich. ²⁴Let my share be the food that my men have eaten. But Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre went with me, so give them their share of what we brought back.
   

Genesis 15

The LORD's Promise to Abram

 ¹Later the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision, "Abram, don't be afraid! I will protect you and reward you greatly."     ²But Abram answered, "LORD All-Powerful, you have given me everything I could ask for, except children. And when I die, Eliezer of Damascus will get all I own. ^{[c] 3}You have not given me any children, and this servant of mine will inherit everything." ⁴The LORD replied, "No, he won't! You will have a son of your own, and everything you have will be his." ⁵Then the LORD took Abram outside and said, "Look at the sky and see if you can count the stars. That's how many descendants you will have." ⁶Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD was pleased with him.
   

The LORD Makes Another Promise to Abram

 ⁷The LORD said to Abram, "I brought you here from Ur in Chaldea, and I gave you this land."     ⁸Abram asked, "LORD God, how can I know the land will be mine?"
    ⁹Then the LORD told him, "Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a dove, and a young pigeon."
    ¹⁰Abram obeyed the LORD. Then he cut ^[d] the animals in half and laid the two halves of each animal opposite each other on the ground. But he did not cut the doves and pigeons in half. ¹¹And when birds came down to eat the animals, Abram chased them away. ¹²As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and everything became dark and frightening. ^13-15Then the LORD said:
   Abram, you will live to an old age and die in peace.
   But I solemnly promise that your descendants will live as foreigners in a land that doesn't belong to them. They will be forced into slavery and abused for four hundred years. But I will terribly punish the nation that enslaves them, and they will leave with many possessions.
    ¹⁶Four generations later, ^[e] your descendants will return here and take this land, because only then will the people who live here ^[f] be so sinful that they deserve to be punished. ¹⁷Sometime after sunset, when it was very dark, a smoking cooking pot ^[g] and a flaming fire went between the two halves of each animal. ¹⁸At that time the LORD made an agreement with Abram and told him: I will give your descendants the land east of the Shihor River ^[h] on the border of Egypt as far as the Euphrates River. ¹⁹They will possess the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, ²⁰the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaites, ²¹the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 14:1 Babylonia: See the note at 10.6-20.
2. Genesis 14:6 Edom: The Hebrew text has "Seir," another name for Edom.
3. Genesis 15:2 And. . . own: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. Genesis 15:10 cut: In Hebrew "cut" sounds something like "agreement." What follows shows that the LORD is making an agreement with Abram.
5. Genesis 15:16 Four generations later: This may refer to the "four hundred years" of verses 13-15.
6. Genesis 15:16 people who live here: The Hebrew text has "Amorites," a name sometimes used of the people who lived in Palestine before the Israelites.
7. Genesis 15:17 smoking cooking pot: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. The smoke and fire represent the presence of the LORD.
8. Genesis 15:18 Shihor River: See Joshua 13.2-7.

Matthew 5:27-48 (Contemporary English Version)

Marriage

 ²⁷You know the commandment which says, "Be faithful in marriage." ²⁸But I tell you that if you look at another woman and want her, you are already unfaithful in your thoughts. ²⁹If your right eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body, than for your whole body to end up in hell. ³⁰If your right hand causes you to sin, chop it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one part of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.    

Divorce

(Matthew 19.9; Mark 10.11,12; Luke 16.18)

 ³¹You have been taught that a man who divorces his wife must write out divorce papers for her. ^{[a] 32}But I tell you not to divorce your wife unless she has committed some terrible sexual sin. ^[b] If you divorce her, you will cause her to be unfaithful, just as any man who marries her is guilty of taking another man's wife.

Promises

 ³³You know that our ancestors were told, "Don't use the Lord's name to make a promise unless you are going to keep it." ³⁴But I tell you not to swear by anything when you make a promise! Heaven is God's throne, so don't swear by heaven. ³⁵The earth is God's footstool, so don't swear by the earth. Jerusalem is the city of the great king, so don't swear by it. ³⁶Don't swear by your own head. You cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷When you make a promise, say only "Yes" or "No." Anything else comes from the devil.    

Revenge

(Luke 6.29,30)

 ³⁸You know that you have been taught, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." ³⁹But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, ^[c] turn and let that person slap your other cheek. ⁴⁰If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well. ⁴¹If a soldier forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles. ^{[d] 42}When people ask you for something, give it to them. When they want to borrow money, lend it to them.

Love

(Luke 6.27,28,32-36)

 ⁴³You have heard people say, "Love your neighbors and hate your enemies." ⁴⁴But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. ⁴⁵Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. ⁴⁶If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that? Even tax collectors ^[e] love their friends. ⁴⁷If you greet only your friends, what's so great about that? Don't even unbelievers do that? ⁴⁸But you must always act like your Father in heaven.

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 5:31 write out divorce papers for her: Jewish men could divorce their wives, but the women could not divorce their husbands. The purpose of writing these papers was to make it harder for a man to divorce his wife. Before this law was made, all a man had to do was to send his wife away and say that she was no longer his wife.
2. Matthew 5:32 some terrible sexual sin: This probably refers to the laws about the wrong kinds of marriages that are forbidden in Leviticus 18.6-18 or to some serious sexual sin.
3. Matthew 5:39 right cheek: A slap on the right cheek was a bad insult.
4. Matthew 5:41 two miles: A Roman soldier had the right to force a person to carry his pack as far as one mile.
5. Matthew 5:46 tax collectors: These were usually Jewish people who paid the Romans for the right to collect taxes. They were hated by other Jews who thought of them as traitors to their country and to their religion.

Psalm 6:1-10 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 6

(A psalm by David for the music leader. Use stringed instruments. (Psalm 6 instruments: The Hebrew text adds " according to the sheminith," which may refer to a musical instrument with eight strings.) )

A Prayer in Time of Trouble

 ¹Don't punish me, LORD,    or even correct me
   when you are angry!
    ²Have pity on me and heal
   my feeble body.
   My bones tremble with fear,
    ³and I am in deep distress.
   How long will it be?
    ⁴Turn and come to my rescue.
   Show your wonderful love
   and save me, LORD.
    ⁵If I die, I cannot praise you
   or even remember you.
    ⁶My groaning has worn me out.
   At night my bed and pillow
   are soaked with tears.
    ⁷Sorrow has made my eyes dim,
   and my sight has failed
   because of my enemies.
    ⁸You, LORD, heard my crying,
   and those hateful people
   had better leave me alone.
    ⁹You have answered my prayer
   and my plea for mercy.
    ¹⁰My enemies will be ashamed
   and terrified,
   as they quickly run away
   in complete disgrace.

Proverbs 1:29-33 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁹No, you would not learn,
   and you refused
   to respect the LORD.
    ³⁰You rejected my advice
   and paid no attention
   when I warned you.
    ³¹"Now you will eat the fruit
   of what you have done,
   until you are stuffed full
   with your own schemes.
    ³²Sin and self-satisfaction
   bring destruction and death
   to stupid fools.
    ³³But if you listen to me,
   you will be safe and secure
   without fear of disaster."



Verse of the Day

“[Chosen To Live a Holy Life]Be alert and think straight. Put all your hope in how kind God will be to you when Jesus Christ appears.” - 1 Peter 1:13

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

Thought for the Day

French Pied-Noir author, journalist, and philosopher Albert Camus wrote, “Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better.”