Bible Readings for February 3, 2017

Today our passages are Exodus 17:8–19:15; Matthew 22:34–23:12; Psalm 27:7-14; and Proverbs 6:27-35. 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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Exodus 17:8-19:15 (Contemporary English Version)

Israel Defeats the Amalekites

 ⁸When the Israelites were at Rephidim, they were attacked by the Amalekites. ⁹So Moses told Joshua, " Have some men ready to attack the Amalekites tomorrow. I will stand on a hilltop, holding this walking stick that has the power of God."     ¹⁰Joshua led the attack as Moses had commanded, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur stood on the hilltop. ¹¹The Israelites out-fought the Amalekites as long as Moses held up his arms, but they started losing whenever he had to lower them. ¹²Finally, Moses was so tired that Aaron and Hur got a rock for him to sit on. Then they stood beside him and supported his arms in the same position until sunset. ¹³That's how Joshua defeated the Amalekites.
    ¹⁴Afterwards, the LORD said to Moses, " Write an account of this victory and read it to Joshua. I want the Amalekites to be forgotten forever."
    ¹⁵Moses built an altar and named it " The LORD Gives Me Victory." ¹⁶Then Moses explained, " This is because I depended on the LORD. ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} But in future generations, the LORD will have to fight the Amalekites again."

Exodus 18

Jethro Visits Moses

 ¹Jethro was the priest of Midian and the father-in-law of Moses. And he heard what the LORD God had done for Moses and his people, after rescuing them from Egypt.     ^2-4In the meantime, Moses had sent his wife Zipporah and her two sons to stay with Jethro, and he had welcomed them. Moses was still a foreigner in Midian when his first son was born, and so Moses said, " I'll name him Gershom." ^[b<="">] When his second son was born, Moses said, " I'll name him Eliezer, ^[c<="">] because the God my father worshiped has saved me from the king of Egypt." ^{[d<="">] 5-6}While Israel was camped in the desert near Mount Sinai, ^[e<="">] Jethro sent Moses this message: " I am coming to visit you, and I am bringing your wife and two sons." ⁷When they arrived, Moses went out and bowed down in front of Jethro, then kissed him. After they had greeted each other, they went into the tent, ⁸where Moses told him everything the LORD had done to protect Israel against the Egyptians and their king. He also told him how the LORD had helped them in all of their troubles.
    ⁹Jethro was so pleased to hear this good news about what the LORD had done, ¹⁰that he shouted, " Praise the LORD! He rescued you and the Israelites from the Egyptians and their king. ¹¹Now I know that the LORD is the greatest God, because he has rescued Israel from their arrogant enemies." ¹²Jethro offered sacrifices to God. Then Aaron and Israel's leaders came to eat with Jethro there at the place of worship.
   

Judges Are Appointed

(Deuteronomy 1.9-18)

 ¹³The next morning Moses sat down at the place where he decided legal cases for the people, and everyone crowded around him until evening. ¹⁴Jethro saw how much Moses had to do for the people, and he asked, " Why are you the only judge? Why do you let these people crowd around you from morning till evening?"     ¹⁵Moses answered, " Because they come here to find out what God wants them to do. ¹⁶They bring their complaints to me, and I make decisions on the basis of God's laws."
    ¹⁷Jethro replied:
   That isn't the best way to do it. ¹⁸You and the people who come to you will soon be worn out. The job is too much for one person; you can't do it alone. ¹⁹God will help you if you follow my advice. You should be the one to speak to God for the people, ²⁰and you should teach them God's laws and show them what they must do to live right.
    ²¹You will need to appoint some competent leaders who respect God and are trustworthy and honest. Then put them over groups of ten, fifty, a hundred, and a thousand. ²²These judges can handle the ordinary cases and bring the more difficult ones to you. Having them to share the load will make your work easier. ²³This is the way God wants it done. You won't be under nearly as much stress, and everyone else will return home feeling satisfied.
    ²⁴Moses followed Jethro's advice. ²⁵He chose some competent leaders from every tribe in Israel and put them over groups of ten, fifty, a hundred, and a thousand. ²⁶They served as judges, deciding the easy cases themselves, but bringing the more difficult ones to Moses.
    ²⁷After Moses and his father-in-law Jethro had said good-by to each other, Jethro returned home.
   

Exodus 19

At Mount Sinai

 ^1-2The Israelites left Rephidim. ^[f<="">] Then two months after leaving Egypt, they arrived at the desert near Mount Sinai, where they set up camp at the foot of the mountain. ³Moses went up the mountain to meet with the LORD God, who told him to say to the people:     ⁴You saw what I did in Egypt, and you know how I brought you here to me, just as a mighty eagle carries its young. ⁵Now if you will faithfully obey me, you will be my very own people. The whole world is mine, ⁶but you will be my holy nation and serve me as priests.
   Moses, that is what you must tell the Israelites.
    ⁷After Moses went back, he reported to the leaders what the LORD had said, ⁸and they promised, " We will do everything the LORD has commanded." So Moses told the LORD about this.
    ⁹The LORD said to Moses, " I will come to you in a thick cloud and let the people hear me speak to you. Then they will always trust you." Again Moses reported to the people what the LORD had told him.
    ¹⁰Once more the LORD spoke to Moses:
   Go back and tell the people that today and tomorrow they must get themselves ready to meet me. They must wash their clothes ¹¹and be ready by the day after tomorrow, when I will come down to Mount Sinai, where all of them can see me.
    ¹²Warn the people that they are forbidden to touch any part of the mountain. Anyone who does will be put to death, ¹³either with stones or arrows, and no one must touch the body of a person killed in this way. Even an animal that touches this mountain must be put to death. You may go up the mountain only after a signal is given on the trumpet.
    ¹⁴After Moses went down the mountain, he gave orders for the people to wash their clothes and make themselves acceptable to worship God. ¹⁵He told them to be ready in three days and not to have sex in the meantime.
   

Footnotes:

1. Exodus 17:16 This. . . LORD: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
2. Exodus 18:2 Gershom: See the note at 2.22.
3. Exodus 18:2 Eliezer: In Hebrew " Eliezer" means " God has helped me."
4. Exodus 18:2 saved. . . Egypt: See 2.1-15.
5. Exodus 18:5 Mount Sinai: Hebrew " the mountain of God."
6. Exodus 19:1 Rephidim: See the note at 17.1.

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Matthew 22:34-23:12 (Contemporary English Version)

The Most Important Commandment

(Mark 12.28-34; Luke 10.25-28)

 ³⁴After Jesus had made the Sadducees look foolish, the Pharisees heard about it and got together. ³⁵One of them was an expert in the Jewish Law. So he tried to test Jesus by asking, ³⁶"Teacher, what is the most important commandment in the Law?"     ³⁷Jesus answered:
   Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. ³⁸This is the first and most important commandment. ³⁹The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, "Love others as much as you love yourself." ⁴⁰All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} are based on these two commandments.

About David's Son

(Mark 12.35-37; Luke 20.41-44)

 ⁴¹While the Pharisees were still there, Jesus asked them, ⁴²"What do you think about the Messiah? Whose family will he come from?"    They answered, "He will be a son of King David." ^{[b<="">] 43}Jesus replied, "How then could the Spirit lead David to call the Messiah his Lord? David said,
    ⁴⁴'The Lord said to my Lord:
   Sit at my right side ^[c<="">] until I make your enemies
   into a footstool for you.'
    ⁴⁵If David called the Messiah his Lord, how can the Messiah be a son of King David?" ⁴⁶No one was able to give Jesus an answer, and from that day on, no one dared ask him any more questions.
   

Matthew 23

Jesus Condemns the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law of Moses

(Mark 12.38-40; Luke 11.37-52; 20.45-47)

 ¹Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:     ²The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are experts in the Law of Moses. ³So obey everything they teach you, but don't do as they do. After all, they say one thing and do something else.
    ⁴They pile heavy burdens on people's shoulders and won't lift a finger to help. ⁵Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, and they wear big tassels ^[d<="">] for everyone to see. ⁶They love the best seats at banquets and the front seats in the meeting places. ⁷And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers. ⁸But none of you should be called a teacher. You have only one teacher, and all of you are like brothers and sisters. ⁹Don't call anyone on earth your father. All of you have the same Father in heaven. ¹⁰None of you should be called the leader. The Messiah is your only leader. ¹¹Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others. ¹²If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.
   

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 22:40 the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets: The Jewish Scriptures, that is, the Old Testament.
2. Matthew 22:42 son of King David: See the note at 9.27.
3. Matthew 22:44 right side: The place of power and honor.
4. Matthew 23:5 wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms. . . tassels: As a sign of their love for the Lord and his teachings, the Jewish people had started wearing Scripture verses in small leather boxes. But the Pharisees tried to show off by making the boxes bigger than necessary. The Jewish people were also taught to wear tassels on the four corners of their robes to show their love for God.

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Psalm 27:7-14 (Contemporary English Version)

⁷Please listen when I pray!
   Have pity. Answer my prayer.
    ⁸My heart tells me to pray.
   I am eager to see your face,
    ⁹so don't hide from me.
   I am your servant,
   and you have helped me.
   Don't turn from me in anger.
   You alone keep me safe.
   Don't reject or desert me.
    ¹⁰Even if my father and mother
   should desert me,
   you will take care of me.
    ¹¹Teach me to follow, LORD,
   and lead me on the right path
   because of my enemies.
    ¹²Don't let them do to me
   what they want.
   People tell lies about me
   and make terrible threats,
    ¹³but I know I will live
   to see how kind you are.
    ¹⁴Trust the LORD!
   Be brave and strong
   and trust the LORD.

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Proverbs 6:27-35 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁷If you carry burning coals,
   you burn your clothes;
    ²⁸if you step on hot coals,
   you burn your feet.
    ²⁹And if you go to bed
   with another man's wife,
   you pay the price.
    ³⁰We don't put up with thieves,
   not even ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} with one who steals for something to eat.
    ³¹And thieves who get caught
   must pay back
   seven times what was stolen
   and lose everything.
    ³²But if you go to bed
   with another man's wife,
   you will destroy yourself
   by your own stupidity.
    ³³You will be beaten
   and forever disgraced,
    ³⁴because a jealous husband
   can be furious and merciless
   when he takes revenge.
    ³⁵He won't let you pay him off,
   no matter what you offer.
   

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 6:30 not even: Or " except."

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Verse of the Day

 

“But I will sing about your strength, my God, and I will celebrate because of your love. You are my fortress, my place of protection in times of trouble.” - Psalm 59:16

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

French philosopher, mystic, and political activist, Simone Weil wrote, “Anyone whose attention and love are really directed towards the reality outside the world recognizes at the same time that he is bound, both in public and private life, by the single and permanent obligation to remedy, according to his responsibilities and to the extent of his power, all the privations of soul and body which are liable to destroy or damage the earthly life of any human being whatsoever.”

Bible Readings for February 2, 2017

Today our passages are Exodus 15:19–17:7; Matthew 22:1-33; Psalm 27:1-6; and Proverbs 6:20-26. The readings are 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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Exodus 15:19-17:7 (Contemporary English Version)

The Song of Miriam

¹⁹The LORD covered the royal Egyptian cavalry and chariots with the sea, after the Israelites had walked safely through on dry ground. ²⁰Miriam the sister of Aaron was a prophet. So she took her tambourine and led the other women out to play their tambourines and to dance. ²¹Then she sang to them: " Sing praises to the LORD
for his great victory!
He has thrown the horses
and their riders into the sea."

Bitter Water at Marah

²²After the Israelites left the Red Sea, ^[a] Moses led them through the Shur Desert for three days, before finding water. ²³They did find water at Marah, but it was bitter, which is how that place got its name. ^[b]²⁴The people complained and said, " Moses, what are we going to drink?" ²⁵Moses asked the LORD for help, and the LORD told him to throw a piece of wood into the water. Moses did so, and the water became fit to drink. At Marah the LORD tested his people and also gave them some laws and teachings. ²⁶Then he said, " I am the LORD your God, and I cure your diseases. If you obey me by doing right and by following my laws and teachings, I won't punish you with the diseases I sent on the Egyptians."
²⁷Later the Israelites came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees. So they camped there.

Exodus 16

The LORD Sends Food from Heaven

¹On the fifteenth day of the second month after the Israelites had escaped from Egypt, they left Elim and started through the western edge of the Sinai Desert ^[c] in the direction of Mount Sinai. ²There in the desert they started complaining to Moses and Aaron, ³" We wish the LORD had killed us in Egypt. When we lived there, we could at least sit down and eat all the bread and meat we wanted. But you have brought us out here into this desert, where we are going to starve." ⁴The LORD said to Moses, " I will send bread ^[d] down from heaven like rain. Each day the people can go out and gather only enough for that day. That's how I will see if they obey me. ⁵But on the sixth day of each week they must gather and cook twice as much." ⁶Moses and Aaron told the people, " This evening you will know that the LORD was the one who rescued you from Egypt. ⁷And in the morning you will see his glorious power, because he has heard your complaints against him. Why should you grumble to us? Who are we?" ⁸Then Moses continued, " You will know it is the LORD when he gives you meat each evening and more than enough bread each morning. He is really the one you are complaining about, not us--we are nobodies--but the LORD has heard your complaints."
⁹Moses turned to Aaron and said, " Bring the people together, because the LORD has heard their complaints."
¹⁰Aaron was speaking to them, when everyone looked out toward the desert and saw the bright glory of the LORD in a cloud. ¹¹The LORD said to Moses, ¹²" I have heard my people complain. Now tell them that each evening they will have meat and each morning they will have more than enough bread. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God."
¹³That evening a lot of quails came and landed everywhere in the camp, and the next morning dew covered the ground. ¹⁴After the dew had gone, the desert was covered with thin flakes that looked like frost. ¹⁵The people had never seen anything like this, and they started asking each other, " What is it?" ^[e] Moses answered, " This is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat. ¹⁶And he orders you to gather about two quarts for each person in your family--that should be more than enough."
¹⁷They did as they were told. Some gathered more and some gathered less, ¹⁸according to their needs, and none was left over.
¹⁹Moses told them not to keep any overnight. ²⁰Some of them disobeyed, but the next morning what they kept was stinking and full of worms, and Moses was angry.
²¹Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and in the heat of the day the rest melted. ²²However, on the sixth day of the week, everyone gathered enough to have four quarts, instead of two. When the leaders reported this to Moses, ²³he told them that the LORD had said, " Tomorrow is the Sabbath, a sacred day of rest in honor of me. So gather all you want to bake or boil, and make sure you save enough for tomorrow."
²⁴The people obeyed, and the next morning the food smelled fine and had no worms. ²⁵" You may eat the food," Moses said. " Today is the Sabbath in honor of the LORD, and there won't be any of this food on the ground today. ²⁶You will find it there for the first six days of the week, but not on the Sabbath."
²⁷A few of the Israelites did go out to look for some, but there was none. ²⁸Then the LORD said, " Moses, how long will you people keep disobeying my laws and teachings? ²⁹Remember that I was the one who gave you the Sabbath. That's why on the sixth day I provide enough bread for two days. Everyone is to stay home and rest on the Sabbath." ³⁰And so they rested on the Sabbath.
³¹The Israelites called the bread manna. ^[f] It was white like coriander seed and delicious as wafers made with honey. ³²Moses told the people that the LORD had said, " Store up two quarts of this manna, because I want future generations to see the food I gave you during the time you were in the desert after I rescued you from Egypt." ³³Then Moses told Aaron, " Put some manna in a jar and store it in the place of worship for future generations to see."
³⁴Aaron followed the LORD's instructions and put the manna in front of the sacred chest for safekeeping. ^35-36The Israelites ate manna for forty years, before they came to the border of Canaan that was a settled land. ^[g]

Exodus 17

The LORD Gives Water from a Rock

(Numbers 20.1-13)

¹The Israelites left the desert and moved from one place to another each time the LORD ordered them to. Once they camped at Rephidim, ^[h] but there was no water for them to drink. ²The people started complaining to Moses, " Give us some water!" Moses replied, " Why are you complaining to me and trying to put the LORD to the test?"
³But the people were thirsty and kept on complaining, " Moses, did you bring us out of Egypt just to let us and our families and our animals die of thirst?"
⁴Then Moses prayed to the LORD, " What am I going to do with these people? They are about to stone me to death!"
⁵The LORD answered, " Take some of the leaders with you and go ahead of the rest of the people. Also take along the walking stick you used to strike the Nile River, ⁶and when you get to the rock at Mount Sinai, ^[i] I will be there with you. Strike the rock with the stick, and water will pour out for the people to drink." Moses did this while the leaders watched. ⁷The people had complained and tested the LORD by asking, " Is the LORD really with us?" So Moses named that place Massah, which means " testing" and Meribah, which means " complaining."

Footnotes:

1. Exodus 15:22Red Sea: See the note at 13.18.
2. Exodus 15:23Marah. . . name: In Hebrew " Marah" means " bitter."
3. Exodus 16:1the western edge of the Sinai Desert: Hebrew " the Sin Desert."
4. Exodus 16:4bread: This was something like a thin wafer, and it was called " manna," which in Hebrew means, " What is it?"
5. Exodus 16:15What is it: See the note at 16.4.
6. Exodus 16:31manna: See the note at 16.4.
7. Exodus 16:35land: The Hebrew text adds, " An omer is one tenth of an ephah." In the CEV " omer" is usually translated " two quarts."
8. Exodus 17:1Rephidim: The last stopping place for the Israelites between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai; the exact location is not known.
9. Exodus 17:6Sinai: The Hebrew text has " Horeb," another name for Sinai.

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Matthew 22:1-33 (Contemporary English Version)

Matthew 22

The Great Banquet

(Luke 14.15-24)

¹Once again Jesus used stories to teach the people: ²The kingdom of heaven is like what happened when a king gave a wedding banquet for his son. ³The king sent some servants to tell the invited guests to come to the banquet, but the guests refused. ⁴He sent other servants to say to the guests, "The banquet is ready! My cattle and prize calves have all been prepared. Everything is ready. Come to the banquet!"
⁵But the guests did not pay any attention. Some of them left for their farms, and some went to their places of business. ⁶Others grabbed the servants, then beat them up and killed them.
⁷This made the king so furious that he sent an army to kill those murderers and burn down their city. ⁸Then he said to the servants, "It is time for the wedding banquet, and the invited guests don't deserve to come. ⁹Go out to the street corners and tell everyone you meet to come to the banquet." ¹⁰They went out on the streets and brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike. And the banquet room was filled with guests.
¹¹When the king went in to meet the guests, he found that one of them wasn't wearing the right kind of clothes for the wedding. ¹²The king asked, "Friend, why didn't you wear proper clothes for the wedding?" But the guest had no excuse. ¹³So the king gave orders for that person to be tied hand and foot and to be thrown outside into the dark. That's where people will cry and grit their teeth in pain. ¹⁴Many are invited, but only a few are chosen.

Paying Taxes

(Mark 12.13-17; Luke 20.20-26)

¹⁵The Pharisees got together and planned how they could trick Jesus into saying something wrong. ¹⁶They sent some of their followers and some of Herod's followers ^[a] to say to him, "Teacher, we know that you are honest. You teach the truth about what God wants people to do. And you treat everyone with the same respect, no matter who they are. ¹⁷Tell us what you think! Should we pay taxes to the Emperor or not?" ¹⁸Jesus knew their evil thoughts and said, "Why are you trying to test me? You show-offs! ¹⁹Let me see one of the coins used for paying taxes." They brought him a silver coin, ²⁰and he asked, "Whose picture and name are on it?" ²¹"The Emperor's," they answered.
Then Jesus told them, "Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God." ²²His answer surprised them so much that they walked away.

Life in the Future World

(Mark 12.18-27; Luke 20.27-40)

²³The Sadducees did not believe that people would rise to life after death. So that same day some of the Sadducees came to Jesus and said: ²⁴Teacher, Moses wrote that if a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry the widow. Their first son would then be thought of as the son of the dead brother.
²⁵Once there were seven brothers who lived here. The first one married, but died without having any children. So his wife was left to his brother. ²⁶The same thing happened to the second and third brothers and finally to all seven of them. ²⁷At last the woman died. ²⁸When God raises people from death, whose wife will this woman be? She had been married to all seven brothers.
²⁹Jesus answered:
You are completely wrong! You don't know what the Scriptures teach. And you don't know anything about the power of God. ³⁰When God raises people to life, they won't marry. They will be like the angels in heaven. ³¹And as for people being raised to life, God was speaking to you when he said, ³²"I am the God worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." ^[b] He isn't the God of the dead, but of the living. ³³The crowds were surprised to hear what Jesus was teaching.

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 22:16Herod's followers: People who were political followers of the family of Herod the Great (see 2.1) and his son Herod Antipas (see 14.1), and who wanted Herod to be king in Jerusalem.
2. Matthew 22:32I am the God worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: Jesus argues that if God is worshiped by these three, they must still be alive, because he is the God of the living.

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Psalm 27:1-6 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 27

(By David.)

A Prayer of Praise

¹You, LORD, are the light that keeps me safe.
I am not afraid of anyone.
You protect me,
and I have no fears.
²Brutal people may attack
and try to kill me,
but they will stumble.
Fierce enemies may attack,
but they will fall.
³Armies may surround me,
but I won't be afraid;
war may break out,
but I will trust you.
⁴I ask only one thing, LORD:
Let me live in your house
every day of my life
to see how wonderful you are
and to pray in your temple.
⁵In times of trouble,
you will protect me.
You will hide me in your tent
and keep me safe
on top of a mighty rock. ^[a]⁶You will let me defeat
all of my enemies.
Then I will celebrate,
as I enter your tent
with animal sacrifices
and songs of praise.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 27:5mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.

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Proverbs 6:20-26 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁰Obey the teaching
of your parents--
²¹always keep it in mind
and never forget it.
²²Their teaching will guide you
when you walk,
protect you when you sleep,
and talk to you
when you are awake.
²³The Law of the Lord is a lamp,
and its teachings
shine brightly.
Correction and self-control
will lead you through life.
²⁴They will protect you
from the flattering words
of someone else's wife. ^[a]²⁵Don't let yourself be attracted
by the charm
and lovely eyes
of someone like that.
²⁶A woman who sells her love
can be bought
for as little
as the price of a meal.
But making love
to another man's wife
will cost you everything.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 6:24someone else's wife: Or " an evil woman."

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Verse of the Day

 

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

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American industrialist who became known as the father of modern American shipbuilding, Henry J. Kaiser wrote, “When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.”

A Thought from the Word - A brief thought based on Psalm 84:5

The Lectionary Passages for Sunday, February 5, 2017 (Fifth Sunday after Epiphany)

Bible Talk: The Lectionary Passages for Sunday, February 5, 20...: Below are NRSV translations of the lessons from the Old Testament ( Isaiah 58:1-9a, (9b-12) ), the Psalms ( Psalm 112:1-9, (10) ), the Lette...

Bible Readings for February 1, 2017

Today our passages are Exodus 13:17–15:18; Matthew 21:23-46; Psalm 26:1-12; and Proverbs 6:16-19. 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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Exodus 13:17-15:18 (Contemporary English Version)

The LORD Leads His People

 ¹⁷After the king ^[a] had finally let the people go, the LORD did not lead them through Philistine territory, ^[b] though that was the shortest way. God had said, " If they are attacked, they may decide to return to Egypt." ¹⁸So he led them around through the desert and toward the Red Sea. ^[c] The Israelites left Egypt, prepared for battle.     ¹⁹Moses had them take along the bones of Joseph, whose dying words had been, " God will come to your rescue, and when he does, be sure to take along my bones."
    ²⁰The people of Israel left Succoth and camped at Etham at the border of Egypt near the desert. ^21-22During the day the LORD went ahead of his people in a thick cloud, and during the night he went ahead of them in a flaming fire. That way the LORD could lead them at all times, whether day or night.
   

Exodus 14

The Israelites Cross the Red Sea

 ¹At Etham the LORD said to Moses:     ²Tell the people of Israel to turn back and camp across from Pi-Hahiroth near Baal-Zephon, between Migdol and the Red Sea. ^[d] ³The king ^[e] will think they were afraid to cross the desert and that they are wandering around, trying to find another way to leave the country. ⁴I will make the king stubborn again, and he will try to catch you. Then I will destroy him and his army. People everywhere will praise me for my victory, and the Egyptians will know that I really am the LORD. The Israelites obeyed the LORD and camped where he told them.
    ⁵When the king of Egypt heard that the Israelites had finally left, he and his officials changed their minds and said, " Look what we have done! We let them get away, and they will no longer be our slaves."
    ⁶The king got his war chariot and army ready. ⁷He commanded his officers in charge of his six hundred best chariots and all his other chariots to start after the Israelites. ⁸The LORD made the king so stubborn that he went after them, even though the Israelites proudly ^[f] went on their way. ⁹But the king's horses and chariots and soldiers caught up with them while they were camping by the Red Sea near Pi-Hahiroth and Baal-Zephon. ¹⁰When the Israelites saw the king coming with his army, they were frightened and begged the LORD for help. ¹¹They also complained to Moses, " Wasn't there enough room in Egypt to bury us? Is that why you brought us out here to die in the desert? Why did you bring us out of Egypt anyway? ¹²While we were there, didn't we tell you to leave us alone? We had rather be slaves in Egypt than die in this desert!"
    ¹³But Moses answered, " Don't be afraid! Be brave, and you will see the LORD save you today. These Egyptians will never bother you again. ¹⁴The LORD will fight for you, and you won't have to do a thing."
    ¹⁵The LORD said to Moses, " Why do you keep calling out to me for help? Tell the Israelites to move forward. ¹⁶Then hold your walking stick over the sea. The water will open up and make a road where they can walk through on dry ground. ¹⁷I will make the Egyptians so stubborn that they will go after you. Then I will be praised because of what happens to the king and his chariots and cavalry. ¹⁸The Egyptians will know for sure that I am the LORD."
    ¹⁹All this time God's angel had gone ahead of Israel's army, but now he moved behind them. A large cloud had also gone ahead of them, ²⁰but now it moved between the Egyptians and the Israelites. The cloud gave light to the Israelites, but made it dark for the Egyptians, and during the night they could not come any closer.
    ²¹Moses stretched his arm over the sea, and the LORD sent a strong east wind that blew all night until there was dry land where the water had been. The sea opened up, ²²and the Israelites walked through on dry land with a wall of water on each side.
    ²³The Egyptian chariots and cavalry went after them. ²⁴But before daylight the LORD looked down at the Egyptian army from the fiery cloud and made them panic. ²⁵Their chariot wheels got stuck, ^[g] and it was hard for them to move. So the Egyptians said to one another, " Let's leave these people alone! The LORD is on their side and is fighting against us." ²⁶The LORD told Moses, " Stretch your arm toward the sea--the water will cover the Egyptians and their cavalry and chariots." ²⁷Moses stretched out his arm, and at daybreak the water rushed toward the Egyptians. They tried to run away, but the LORD drowned them in the sea. ²⁸The water came and covered the chariots, the cavalry, and the whole Egyptian army that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them was left alive. ²⁹But the sea had made a wall of water on each side of the Israelites; so they walked through on dry land.
    ³⁰On that day, when the Israelites saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the shore, they knew that the LORD had saved them. ³¹Because of the mighty power he had used against the Egyptians, the Israelites worshiped him and trusted him and his servant Moses.
   

Exodus 15

The Song of Moses

 ¹Moses and the Israelites sang this song in praise of the LORD:    I sing praises to the LORD
   for his great victory!
   He has thrown the horses
   and their riders
   into the sea.
    ²The LORD is my strength,
   the reason for my song,
   because he has saved me.
   I praise and honor the LORD--
   he is my God
   and the God
   of my ancestors.
    ³The LORD is his name,
   and he is a warrior!
    ⁴He threw the chariots and army
   of Egypt's king ^[h] into the Red Sea, ^[i] and he drowned the best
   of the king's officers.
    ⁵They sank to the bottom
   just like stones.
    ⁶With the tremendous force
   of your right arm, our LORD,
   you crushed your enemies.
    ⁷What a great victory was yours,
   as you defeated everyone
   who opposed you.
   Your fiery anger wiped them out,
   as though they were straw.
    ⁸You were so furious
   that the sea piled up
   like a wall,
   and the ocean depths
   curdled like cheese.
    ⁹Your enemies boasted
   that they would
   pursue and capture us,
   divide up our possessions,
   treat us as they wished,
   then take out their swords
   and kill us right there.
    ¹⁰But when you got furious,
   they sank like lead,
   swallowed by ocean waves.
    ¹¹Our LORD, no other gods
   compare with you--
   Majestic and holy!
   Fearsome and glorious!
   Miracle worker!
    ¹²When you signaled
   with your right hand,
   your enemies were swallowed
   deep into the earth.
    ¹³The people you rescued
   were led by your powerful love
   to your holy place.
    ¹⁴Nations learned of this
   and trembled--
   Philistines shook with horror.
    ¹⁵The leaders of Edom and of Moab
   were terrified.
   Everyone in Canaan fainted,
    ¹⁶struck down by fear.
   Our LORD, your powerful arm
   kept them still as a rock
   until the people you rescued
   for your very own
   had marched by.
    ¹⁷You will let your people settle
   on your chosen mountain,
   where you built your home
   and your temple.
    ¹⁸Our LORD, you will rule forever!
   

Footnotes:

1. Exodus 13:17 Philistine territory: The shortest land route from the Nile Delta to Canaan; it was the southern section of the
2. Exodus 13:17 mmajor road that led to Megiddo and then on to Mesopotamia by way of Asia Minor.
3. Exodus 13:18 Red Sea: Hebrew yam suph " Sea of Reeds," one of the marshes or fresh water lakes, near the eastern part of the Nile Delta. This identification is based on Exodus 13.17--14.9, which lists the towns on the route of the Israelites before crossing the sea. In the Greek translation of the Scriptures made about 200 B.C., the " Sea of Reeds" was named " Red Sea."
4. Exodus 14:2 Red Sea: Hebrew hayyam " the Sea," understood as yam suph, " Sea of Reeds" (see also the note at 13.18).
5. Exodus 14:3 The king: See the note at 1.11.
6. Exodus 14:8 proudly: Or " victoriously."
7. Exodus 14:25 stuck: The Samaritan Hebrew text and two ancient translations; Hebrew " came off."
8. Exodus 15:4 Egypt's king: See the note at 1.11.
9. Exodus 15:4 Red Sea: See the note at 13.18.

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Matthew 21:23-46 (Contemporary English Version)

A Question about Jesus' Authority

(Mark 11.27-33; Luke 20.1-8)

 ²³Jesus had gone into the temple and was teaching when the chief priests and the leaders of the people came up to him. They asked, "What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?"     ²⁴Jesus answered, "I have just one question to ask you. If you answer it, I will tell you where I got the right to do these things. ²⁵Who gave John the right to baptize? Was it God in heaven or merely some human being?"
   They thought it over and said to each other, "We can't say that God gave John this right. Jesus will ask us why we didn't believe John. ²⁶On the other hand, these people think that John was a prophet, and we are afraid of what they might do to us. That's why we can't say that it was merely some human who gave John the right to baptize." ²⁷So they told Jesus, "We don't know."
   Jesus said, "Then I won't tell you who gave me the right to do what I do."
   

A Story about Two Sons

 ²⁸Jesus said:    I will tell you a story about a man who had two sons. Then you can tell me what you think. The father went to the older son and said, "Go work in the vineyard today!" ²⁹His son told him that he would not do it, but later he changed his mind and went. ³⁰The man then told his younger son to go work in the vineyard. The boy said he would, but he didn't go. ³¹Which one of the sons obeyed his father?
   "The older one," the chief priests and leaders answered.
   Then Jesus told them:
   You can be sure that tax collectors ^[a] and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you ever will! ³²When John the Baptist showed you how to do right, you would not believe him. But these evil people did believe. And even when you saw what they did, you still would not change your minds and believe.

Renters of a Vineyard

(Mark 12.1-12; Luke 20.9-19)

 ³³Jesus told the chief priests and leaders to listen to this story:    A land owner once planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it and dug a pit to crush the grapes in. He also built a lookout tower. Then he rented out his vineyard and left the country.
    ³⁴When it was harvest time, the owner sent some servants to get his share of the grapes. ³⁵But the renters grabbed those servants. They beat up one, killed one, and stoned one of them to death. ³⁶He then sent more servants than he did the first time. But the renters treated them in the same way.
    ³⁷Finally, the owner sent his own son to the renters, because he thought they would respect him. ³⁸But when they saw the man's son, they said, "Someday he will own the vineyard. Let's kill him! Then we can have it all for ourselves." ³⁹So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
    ⁴⁰Jesus asked, "When the owner of that vineyard comes, what do you suppose he will do to those renters?"
    ⁴¹The chief priests and leaders answered, "He will kill them in some horrible way. Then he will rent out his vineyard to people who will give him his share of grapes at harvest time."
    ⁴²Jesus replied, "You surely know that the Scriptures say,
   `The stone that the builders
   tossed aside
   is now the most important
   stone of all.
   This is something
   the Lord has done,
   and it is amazing to us.'
    ⁴³I tell you that God's kingdom will be taken from you and given to people who will do what he demands. ⁴⁴Anyone who stumbles over this stone will be crushed, and anyone it falls on will be smashed to pieces." ^[b] ⁴⁵When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard these stories, they knew that Jesus was talking about them. ⁴⁶So they looked for a way to arrest Jesus. But they were afraid to, because the people thought he was a prophet.
   

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 21:31 tax collectors: See the note at 5.46.
2. Matthew 21:44 pieces: Verse 44 is not in some manuscripts.

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Psalm 26:1-12 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 26

(By David.)

The Prayer of an Innocent Person

 ¹Show that I am right, LORD!    I stay true to myself,
   and I have trusted you
   without doubting.
    ²Test my thoughts and find out
   what I am like.
    ³I never forget your kindness,
   and I am always faithful
   to you. ^[a] ⁴I don't spend my time
   with worthless liars
    ⁵or go with evil crowds.
    ⁶I wash my hands, LORD,
   to show my innocence,
   and I worship at your altar,
    ⁷while gratefully singing
   about your wonders.
    ⁸I love the temple
   where you live,
   and where
   your glory shines.
    ⁹Don't sweep me away,
   as you do sinners.
   Don't punish me with death
   as you do those people
   who are brutal
    ¹⁰or full of meanness
   or who bribe others.
    ¹¹I stay true to myself.
   Be kind and rescue me.
    ¹²Now I stand on solid ground!
   And when your people meet,
   I will praise you, LORD.
   

Footnotes:

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

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Proverbs 6:16-19 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁶There are six or seven
   kinds of people
   the LORD doesn't like:
    ¹⁷Those who are too proud
   or tell lies or murder,
    ¹⁸those who make evil plans
   or are quick to do wrong,
    ¹⁹those who tell lies in court
   or stir up trouble
   in a family.

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Verse of the Day

Listen, Israel! The LORD our God is the only true God! So love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength.” - Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American author, political activist, and lecturer, Helen Keller wrote, “One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.”