Bible Readings for April 27, 2019

Today our passages are Judges 7:1–8:17; Luke 23:13-43; Psalm 97:1–98:9; and Proverbs 14:7-8. The readings are from 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. 

---

Judges 7-8:17 (Contemporary English Version)

Judges 7

 ¹Early the next morning, Gideon and his army got up and moved their camp to Fear Spring. ^[a] The Midianite camp was to the north, in the valley at the foot of Moreh Hill. ^[b]     ²The LORD said, " Gideon, your army is too big. I can't let you win with this many soldiers. The Israelites would think that they had won the battle all by themselves and that I didn't have anything to do with it. 
    ³So call your troops together and tell them that anyone who is really afraid can leave Mount Gilead ^[c] and go home." Twenty-two thousand men returned home, leaving Gideon with only ten thousand soldiers. 
    ⁴" Gideon," the LORD said, " you still have too many soldiers. Take them down to the spring and I'll test them. I'll tell you which ones can go along with you and which ones must go back home." 
    ⁵When Gideon led his army down to the spring, the LORD told him, " Watch how each man gets a drink of water. Then divide them into two groups--those who lap the water like a dog and those who kneel down to drink." 
    ⁶Three hundred men scooped up water in their hands and lapped it, and the rest knelt to get a drink. 
    ⁷The LORD said, " Gideon, your army will be made up of everyone who lapped the water from their hands. Send the others home. I'm going to rescue Israel by helping you and your army of three hundred defeat the Midianites." 
    ⁸Then Gideon gave these orders, " You three hundred men stay here. The rest of you may go home, but leave your food and trumpets with us." 
   Gideon's army camp was on top of a hill overlooking the Midianite camp in the valley. 
    ⁹That night, the LORD said to Gideon. " Get up! Attack the Midianite camp. I am going to let you defeat them, 
    ¹⁰but if you're still afraid, you and your servant Purah should sneak down to their camp. 
    ¹¹When you hear what the Midianites are saying, you'll be brave enough to attack." 
   Gideon and Purah worked their way to the edge of the enemy camp, where soldiers were on guard duty. 
    ¹²The camp was huge. The Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern nations covered the valley like a swarm of locusts. ^[d] And it would be easier to count the grains of sand on a beach than to count their camels. 
    ¹³Gideon overheard one enemy guard telling another, " I had a dream about a flat ^[e] loaf of barley bread that came tumbling into our camp. It hit the headquarters tent, ^[f] and the tent flipped over and fell down." 
    ¹⁴The other soldier answered, " Your dream must have been about Gideon, the Israelite commander. It means God will let him and his army defeat the Midianite army and everyone else in our camp." 
    ¹⁵As soon as Gideon heard about the dream and what it meant, he bowed down to praise God. Then he went back to the Israelite camp and shouted, " Let's go! The LORD is going to let us defeat the Midianite army." 
    ¹⁶Gideon divided his little army into three groups of one hundred men, and he gave each soldier a trumpet and a large clay jar with a burning torch inside. 
    ^17-18Gideon said, " When we get to the enemy camp, spread out and surround it. Then wait for me to blow a signal on my trumpet. As soon as you hear it, blow your trumpets and shout, `Fight for the LORD! Fight for Gideon!' " 
    ¹⁹Gideon and his group reached the edge of the enemy camp a few hours after dark, just after the new guards had come on duty. ^[g] Gideon and his soldiers blew their trumpets and smashed the clay jars that were hiding the torches. 
    ²⁰The rest of Gideon's soldiers blew the trumpets they were holding in their right hands. Then they smashed the jars and held the burning torches in their left hands. Everyone shouted, " Fight with your swords for the LORD and for Gideon!" 
    ²¹The enemy soldiers started yelling and tried to run away. Gideon's troops stayed in their positions surrounding the camp 
    ²²and blew their trumpets again. As they did, the LORD made the enemy soldiers pull out their swords and start fighting each other. 
   The enemy army tried to escape from the camp. They ran to Acacia Tree Town, toward Zeredah, ^[h] and as far as the edge of the land that belonged to the town of Abel-Meholah near Tabbath. ^[i] 
    ²³Gideon sent word for more Israelite soldiers to come from the tribes of Naphtali, Asher, and both halves of Manasseh ^[j] to help fight the Midianites. 
    ²⁴He also sent messengers to tell all the men who lived in the hill country of Ephraim, " Come and help us fight the Midianites! Put guards at every spring, stream, and well, as far as Beth-Barah before the Midianites can get to them. And guard the Jordan River." Troops from Ephraim did exactly what Gideon had asked, 
    ²⁵and they even helped chase the Midianites on the east side of the Jordan River. These troops captured Raven and Wolf, ^[k] the two Midianite leaders. They killed Raven at a large rock that has come to be known as Raven Rock, and they killed Wolf near a wine-pit that has come to be called Wolf Wine-Pit. ^[l] The men of Ephraim brought the heads of the two Midianite leaders to Gideon. 
    

Judges 8

 ¹     

Judges 8

 ¹But the men were really upset with Gideon and complained, " When you went to war with Midian, you didn't ask us to help! Why did you treat us like that?"     ²Gideon answered: 
   Don't be upset! Even though you came later, you were able to do much more than I did. It's just like the grape harvest: The grapes your tribe doesn't even bother to pick are better than the best grapes my family can grow. 
    ³Besides, God chose you to capture Raven and Wolf. I didn't do a thing compared to you. 
   By the time Gideon had finished talking, the men of Ephraim had calmed down and were no longer angry at him.     

Gideon Finishes Destroying the Midianite Army

 ⁴After Gideon and his three hundred troops had chased the Midianites as far as the Jordan River, they were exhausted.     ⁵The town of Succoth was nearby, so he went there and asked, " Please give my troops some food. They are worn out, but we have to keep chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the two Midianite kings." 
    ⁶The town leaders of Succoth answered, " Why should we feed your army? We don't know if you really will defeat Zebah and Zalmunna." 
    ⁷" Just wait!" Gideon said. " After the LORD helps me defeat them, I'm coming back here. I'll make a whip out of thorns and rip the flesh from your bones." 
    ⁸After leaving Succoth, Gideon went to Penuel and asked the leaders there for some food. But he got the same answer as he had gotten at Succoth. 
    ⁹" I'll come back safe and sound," Gideon said, " but when I do, I'm going to tear down your tower!" ^[m] 
    ¹⁰Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor ^[n] with an army of fifteen thousand troops. They were all that was left of the army of the eastern nations, because one hundred twenty thousand of their warriors had been killed in the battle. 
    ¹¹Gideon reached the enemy camp by going east along Nomad ^[o] Road past Nobah and Jogbehah. He made a surprise attack, 
    ¹²and the enemy panicked. Zebah and Zalmunna tried to escape, but Gideon chased and captured them. 
    ¹³After the battle, Gideon set out for home. As he was going through Heres Pass, 
    ¹⁴he caught a young man who lived in Succoth. Gideon asked him who the town officials of Succoth were, and the young man wrote down seventy-seven names. 
    ¹⁵Gideon went to the town officials and said, " Here are Zebah and Zalmunna. Remember how you made fun of me? You said, `We don't know if you really will defeat those two Midianite kings. So why should we feed your worn-out army?' " 
    ¹⁶Gideon made a whip from thorn plants and used it to beat the town officials. 
    ¹⁷Afterwards he went to Penuel, where he tore down the tower and killed all the town officials ^[p] there. 
    

Footnotes:

1. Judges 7:1 Fear Spring: Or " Harod Spring."
2. Judges 7:1 Moreh Hill: About 5 miles north of Fear Spring.
3. Judges 7:3 Mount Gilead: Usually " Gilead" refers to an area east of the Jordan River, but in this verse it refers to a place near Jezreel Valley west of the Jordan.
4. Judges 7:12 locusts: See the note at 6.4,5.
5. Judges 7:13 flat: Or " moldy."
6. Judges 7:13 the headquarters tent: Or " a tent."
7. Judges 7:19 a few hours after dark, just. . . duty: The Hebrew text has " at the beginning of the second watch, just. . . duty." The night was divided into three periods called " watches," each about four hours long, and different guards would come on duty at the beginning of each watch. The first watch began at sunset, so the beginning of the second watch would have been shortly after 10:00 (P.M.)
8. Judges 7:22 Zeredah: Some Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts " Zererah" ; these may be different names for the town of Zarethan in the Jordan River valley.
9. Judges 7:22 Acacia Tree Town. . . Zeredah. . . Abel-Meholah near Tabbath: These were places east of the Jordan River.
10. Judges 7:23 both halves of Manasseh: Half of Manasseh lived east of the Jordan River, and the other half lived on the west.
11. Judges 7:25 Raven and Wolf: Or " Oreb and Zeeb."
12. Judges 7:25 Raven Rock. . . Wolf Wine-Pit: Or " Oreb Rock. . . Zeeb Wine-Pit."
13. Judges 8:9 tower: Towers were often part of a town wall.
14. Judges 8:10 Karkor: A little over 100 miles east of the Dead Sea.
15. Judges 8:11 Nomad: A person who lives in a tent and moves from place to place.
16. Judges 8:17 all. . . officials: Or " every man in town."

---

Luke 23:13-43 (Contemporary English Version)

The Death Sentence

(Matthew 27.15-26; Mark 15.6-15; John 18.39--19.16)

 ¹³Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people. ¹⁴He told them, "You brought Jesus to me and said he was a troublemaker. But I have questioned him here in front of you, and I have not found him guilty of anything that you say he has done. ¹⁵Herod didn't find him guilty either and sent him back. This man doesn't deserve to be put to death! ^16-17I will just have him beaten with a whip and set free." ^[a] ¹⁸But the whole crowd shouted, "Kill Jesus! Give us Barabbas!" ¹⁹Now Barabbas was in jail because he had started a riot in the city and had murdered someone.     ²⁰Pilate wanted to set Jesus free, so he spoke again to the crowds. ²¹But they kept shouting, "Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross!"
    ²²Pilate spoke to them a third time, "But what crime has he done? I have not found him guilty of anything for which he should be put to death. I will have him beaten with a whip and set free."
    ²³The people kept on shouting as loud as they could for Jesus to be put to death. ²⁴Finally, Pilate gave in. ²⁵He freed the man who was in jail for rioting and murder, because he was the one the crowd wanted to be set free. Then Pilate handed Jesus over for them to do what they wanted with him.     

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross

(Matthew 27.31-44; Mark 15.21-32; John 19.17-27)

 ²⁶As Jesus was being led away, some soldiers grabbed hold of a man from Cyrene named Simon. He was coming in from the fields, but they put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.     ²⁷A large crowd was following Jesus, and in the crowd a lot of women were crying and weeping for him. ²⁸Jesus turned to the women and said:
   Women of Jerusalem, don't cry for me! Cry for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹Someday people will say, "Women who never had children are really fortunate!" ³⁰At that time everyone will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" They will say to the hills, "Hide us!" ³¹If this can happen when the wood is green, what do you think will happen when it is dry? ^[b]³²Two criminals were led out to be put to death with Jesus. ³³When the soldiers came to the place called "The Skull," ^[c]they nailed Jesus to a cross. They also nailed the two criminals to crosses, one on each side of Jesus. ^34-35Jesus said, "Father, forgive these people! They don't know what they're doing." ^[d] While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, "He saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God's chosen Messiah!"
    ³⁶The soldiers made fun of Jesus and brought him some wine. ³⁷They said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!"
    ³⁸Above him was a sign that said, "This is the King of the Jews."
    ³⁹One of the criminals hanging there also insulted Jesus by saying, "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and save us!"
    ⁴⁰But the other criminal told the first one off, "Don't you fear God? Aren't you getting the same punishment as this man? ⁴¹We got what was coming to us, but he didn't do anything wrong." ⁴²Then he said to Jesus, "Remember me when you come into power!"
    ⁴³Jesus replied, "I promise that today you will be with me in paradise." ^[e] 

Footnotes:

1. Luke 23:16 set free: Some manuscripts add, " Pilate said this, because at every Passover he was supposed to set one prisoner free for the Jewish people."
2. Luke 23:31 If this can happen when the wood is green, what do you think will happen when it is dry: This saying probably means, " If this can happen to an innocent person, what do you think will happen to one who is guilty?"
3. Luke 23:33 " The Skull" : The place was probably given this name because it was near a large rock in the shape of a human skull.
4. Luke 23:34 Jesus said, " Father, forgive these people! They don't know what they're doing." : These words are not in some manuscripts.
5. Luke 23:43 paradise: In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, this word is used for the Garden of Eden. In New Testament times it was sometimes used for the place where God's people are happy and at rest, as they wait for the final judgment.

---

Psalm 97-98:9 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 97

The LORD Brings Justice

 ¹The LORD is King!    Tell the earth to celebrate 
   and all islands to shout. 
    ²Dark clouds surround him, 
   and his throne is supported 
   by justice and fairness. 
    ³Fire leaps from his throne, 
   destroying his enemies, 
    ⁴and his lightning is so bright 
   that the earth sees it 
   and trembles. 
    ⁵Mountains melt away like wax 
   in the presence of the LORD 
   of all the earth. 
    ⁶The heavens announce, 
   "The LORD brings justice!" 
   Everyone sees God's glory. 
    ⁷Those who brag about 
   the useless idols they worship 
   are terribly ashamed, 
   and all the false gods 
   bow down to the LORD. 
    ⁸When the people of Zion 
   and of the towns of Judah 
   hear that God brings justice, 
   they will celebrate. 
    ⁹The LORD rules the whole earth, 
   and he is more glorious 
   than all the false gods. 
    ¹⁰Love the LORD 
   and hate evil! 
   God protects his loyal people 
   and rescues them 
   from violence. 
    ¹¹If you obey and do right, 
   a light will show you the way 
   and fill you with happiness. 
    ¹²You are the LORD's people! 
   So celebrate and praise 
   the only God. 
    

Psalm 98

The LORD Works Miracles

 ¹Sing a new song to the LORD!    He has worked miracles, 
   and with his own powerful arm, 
   he has won the victory. 
    ²The LORD has shown the nations 
   that he has the power to save 
   and to bring justice. 
    ³God has been faithful 
   in his love for Israel, 
   and his saving power is seen 
   everywhere on earth. 
    ⁴Tell everyone on this earth 
   to sing happy songs 
   in praise of the LORD. 
    ⁵Make music for him on harps. 
   Play beautiful melodies! 
    ⁶Sound the trumpets and horns 
   and celebrate with joyful songs 
   for our LORD and King! 
    ⁷Command the ocean to roar 
   with all of its creatures, 
   and the earth to shout 
   with all of its people. 
    ⁸Order the rivers 
   to clap their hands, 
   and all of the hills 
   to sing together. 
    ⁹Let them worship the LORD! 
   He is coming to judge 
   everyone on the earth, 
   and he will be honest 
   and fair. 

---

Proverbs 14:7-8 (Contemporary English Version)

⁷Stay away from fools,
   or you won't learn a thing.
    ⁸Wise people have enough sense
   to find their way,
   but stupid fools get lost.

---

Verse of the Day

“The Son of Man came to look for and to save people who are lost.” - Luke 19:10 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

---

Thought for the Day

English philosopher, biologist, anthropologist, sociologist, and prominent classical liberal political theorist of the Victorian era, Herbert Spencer wrote, “The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools.”

---

A Joke for Today

A lady is walking down the street to work and see's a parrot in a pet store. She stops to admire the bird. The parrot says to her, "hey lady, you are really ugly."

Well, the lady is furious! She storms past the store to her work.

On the way home she saw the same parrot in the window and the parrot upon seeing her says, "hey lady, you are really ugly."

She was incredibly ticked now. The next day on the way to work she saw the same parrot and once again it said, "hey lady, you are really ugly."

The lady was so furious that she stormed into the store and threatened to sue the store and have the bird killed. The store manager apologized profusely and promised the bird wouldn't say it again.

When the lady walked past the store after work the parrot said to her, "hey lady."

She paused and said, "yes?"

The bird said, "you know." 

Bible Readings for April 26, 2019

Today our passages are Judges 6:1-40; Luke 22:54–23:12; Psalm 95:1–96:13; and Proverbs 14:5-6. The readings are from 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. 

---

Judges 6:1-40 (Contemporary English Version)

Judges 6

Midian Steals Everything from Israel

 ¹Then once again the Israelites started disobeying the LORD, so he let the nation of Midian control Israel for seven years.     ²The Midianites were so cruel that many Israelites ran to the mountains and hid in caves.
    ³Every time the Israelites would plant crops, the Midianites invaded Israel together with the Amalekites and other eastern nations.
    ^4-5They rode in on their camels, set up their tents, and then let their livestock eat the crops as far as the town of Gaza. The Midianites stole food, sheep, cattle, and donkeys. Like a swarm of locusts, ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} they could not be counted, and they ruined the land wherever they went.
    ^6-7The Midianites took almost everything that belonged to the Israelites, and the Israelites begged the LORD for help.
    ^8-9Then the LORD sent a prophet to them with this message:
   I am the LORD God of Israel, so listen to what I say. You were slaves in Egypt, but I set you free and led you out of Egypt into this land. And when nations here made life miserable for you, I rescued you and helped you get rid of them and take their land.
    ¹⁰I am your God, and I told you not to worship Amorite gods, even though you are living in the land of the Amorites. But you refused to listen.     

The LORD Chooses Gideon

 ¹¹One day an angel from the LORD went to the town of Ophrah and sat down under the big tree that belonged to Joash, a member of the Abiezer clan. Joash's son Gideon was nearby, threshing grain in a shallow pit, where he could not be seen by the Midianites.     ¹²The angel appeared and spoke to Gideon, " The LORD is helping you, and you are a strong warrior."
    ¹³Gideon answered, " Please don't take this wrong, but if the LORD is helping us, then why have all of these awful things happened? We've heard how the LORD performed miracles and rescued our ancestors from Egypt. But those things happened long ago. Now the LORD has abandoned us to the Midianites."
    ¹⁴Then the LORD himself said, " Gideon, you will be strong, because I am giving you the power to rescue Israel from the Midianites."
    ¹⁵Gideon replied, " But how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest one in Manasseh, and everyone else in my family is more important than I am."
    ¹⁶" Gideon," the LORD answered, " you can rescue Israel because I am going to help you! Defeating the Midianites will be as easy as beating up one man."
    ¹⁷Gideon said, " It's hard to believe that I'm actually talking to the LORD. Please do something so I'll know that you really are the LORD.
    ¹⁸And wait here until I bring you an offering."
   " All right, I'll wait," the LORD answered.
    ¹⁹Gideon went home and killed a young goat, then started boiling the meat. Next, he opened a big sack of flour and made it into thin bread. ^[b<="">] When the meat was done, he put it in a basket and poured the broth into a clay cooking pot. He took the meat, the broth, and the bread and placed them under the big tree.
    ²⁰God's angel said, " Gideon, put the meat and the bread on this rock, and pour the broth over them." Gideon did as he was told.
    ²¹The angel was holding a walking stick, and he touched the meat and the bread with the end of the stick. Flames jumped from the rock and burned up the meat and the bread.
   When Gideon looked, the angel was gone.
    ²²Gideon realized that he had seen one of the LORD's angels. " Oh!" he moaned. " Now I'm going to die." ^{[c<="">]
    23}" Calm down!" the LORD told Gideon. " There's nothing to be afraid of. You're not going to die."
    ²⁴Gideon built an altar for worshiping the LORD and called it " The LORD Calms Our Fears." It still stands there in Ophrah, a town in the territory of the Abiezer clan.     

Gideon Tears Down Baal's Altar

 ²⁵That night the LORD spoke to Gideon again:    Get your father's second-best bull, the one that's seven years old. Use it to pull down the altar where your father worships Baal and cut down the sacred pole ^[d<="">] next to the altar.
    ²⁶Then build an altar for worshiping me on the highest part of the hill where your town is built. Use layers of stones for my altar, not just a pile of rocks. Cut up the wood from the pole, make a fire, kill the bull, and burn it as a sacrifice to me.
    ²⁷Gideon chose ten of his servants to help him, and they did everything God had said. But since Gideon was afraid of his family and the other people in town, he did it all at night.
    ²⁸When the people of the town got up the next morning, they saw that Baal's altar had been knocked over, and the sacred pole next to it had been cut down. Then they noticed the new altar covered with the remains of the sacrificed bull.
    ²⁹" Who could have done such a thing?" they asked. And they kept on asking, until finally someone told them, " Gideon the son of Joash did it."
    ³⁰The men of the town went to Joash and said, " Your son Gideon knocked over Baal's altar and cut down the sacred pole next to it. Hand him over, so we can kill him!"
    ³¹The crowd pushed closer and closer, but Joash replied, " Are you trying to take revenge for Baal? Are you trying to rescue Baal? If you are, you will be the ones who are put to death, and it will happen before another day dawns. If Baal really is a god, let him take his own revenge on someone who tears down his altar."
    ³²That same day, Joash changed Gideon's name to Jerubbaal, explaining, " He tore down Baal's altar, so let Baal take revenge himself." ^[e<="">]     

Gideon Defeats the Midianites

 ³³All the Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern nations got together and crossed the Jordan River. Then they invaded the land of Israel and set up camp in Jezreel Valley.     ³⁴The LORD's Spirit took control of Gideon, and Gideon blew a signal on a trumpet to tell the men in the Abiezer clan to follow him.
    ³⁵He also sent messengers to the tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, telling the men of these tribes to come and join his army. Then they set out toward the enemy camp.
    ^36-37Gideon prayed to God, " I know that you promised to help me rescue Israel, but I need proof. Tonight I'll put some wool on the stone floor of that threshing-place over there. If you really will help me rescue Israel, then tomorrow morning let there be dew on the wool, but let the stone floor be dry."
    ³⁸And that's just what happened. Early the next morning, Gideon got up and checked the wool. He squeezed out enough water to fill a bowl.
    ³⁹But Gideon prayed to God again. " Don't be angry at me," Gideon said. " Let me try this just one more time, so I'll really be sure you'll help me. Only this time, let the wool be dry and the stone floor be wet with dew."
    ⁴⁰That night, God made the stone floor wet with dew, but he kept the wool dry.
    

Footnotes:

1. Judges 6:4 locusts: Insects like grasshoppers that travel in swarms and cause great damage to crops.
2. Judges 6:19 thin bread: Bread made without yeast, since there was no time for the dough to rise.
3. Judges 6:22 Now I'm going to die: The Hebrew text has " I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face." Some people believed that if they saw one of the LORD's angels, they would die (see 13.22).
4. Judges 6:25 sacred pole: Or " sacred tree," used as a symbol of Asherah, the Canaanite goddess of fertility.
5. Judges 6:32 Jerubbaal. . . take revenge himself: In Hebrew, " Jerubbaal" means " Let Baal take revenge."

---

Luke 22:54-23:12 (Contemporary English Version)

Peter Says He Doesn't Know Jesus

(Matthew 26.57,58,67-75; Mark 14.53,54,66-72; John 18.12-18, 25-27)

 ⁵⁴Jesus was arrested and led away to the house of the high priest, while Peter followed at a distance. ⁵⁵Some people built a fire in the middle of the courtyard and were sitting around it. Peter sat there with them, ⁵⁶and a servant girl saw him. Then after she had looked at him carefully, she said, "This man was with Jesus!"     ⁵⁷Peter said, "Woman, I don't even know that man!"
    ⁵⁸A little later someone else saw Peter and said, "You are one of them!"
   "No, I'm not!" Peter replied.
    ⁵⁹About an hour later another man insisted, "This man must have been with Jesus. They both come from Galilee."
    ⁶⁰Peter replied, "I don't know what you are talking about!" Right then, while Peter was still speaking, a rooster crowed.
    ⁶¹The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered that the Lord had said, "Before a rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will say three times that you don't know me." ⁶²Then Peter went out and cried hard.
    ⁶³The men who were guarding Jesus made fun of him and beat him. ⁶⁴They put a blindfold on him and said, "Tell us who struck you!" ⁶⁵They kept on insulting Jesus in many other ways.     

Jesus Is Questioned by the Council

(Matthew 26.59-66; Mark 14.55-64; John 18.19-24)

 ⁶⁶At daybreak the nation's leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses got together and brought Jesus before their council. ⁶⁷They said, "Tell us! Are you the Messiah?"    Jesus replied, "If I said so, you wouldn't believe me. ⁶⁸And if I asked you a question, you wouldn't answer. ⁶⁹But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right side of God All-Powerful."
    ⁷⁰Then they asked, "Are you the Son of God?" ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} Jesus answered, "You say I am!" ^[b<="">] 71They replied, "Why do we need more witnesses? He said it himself!"
    

Luke 23

Pilate Questions Jesus

(Matthew 27.1,2,11-14; Mark 15.1-5; John 18.28-38)

 ¹Everyone in the council got up and led Jesus off to Pilate. ²They started accusing him and said, "We caught this man trying to get our people to riot and to stop paying taxes to the Emperor. He also claims that he is the Messiah, our king."    ³Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
   "Those are your words," Jesus answered.
    ⁴Pilate told the chief priests and the crowd, "I don't find him guilty of anything."
    ⁵But they all kept on saying, "He has been teaching and causing trouble all over Judea. He started in Galilee and has now come all the way here."     

Jesus Is Brought before Herod

 ⁶When Pilate heard this, he asked, "Is this man from Galilee?" ⁷After Pilate learned that Jesus came from the region ruled by Herod, ^[c<="">] he sent him to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time. ⁸For a long time Herod had wanted to see Jesus and was very happy because he finally had this chance. He had heard many things about Jesus and hoped to see him work a miracle.     ⁹Herod asked him a lot of questions, but Jesus did not answer. ¹⁰Then the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses stood up and accused him of all kinds of bad things.
    ¹¹Herod and his soldiers made fun of Jesus and insulted him. They put a fine robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. ¹²That same day Herod and Pilate became friends, even though they had been enemies before this.
    

Footnotes:

1. Luke 22:70 Son of God: This was one of the titles used for the kings of Israel.
2. Luke 22:70 You say I am: Or " That's what you say."
3. Luke 23:7 Herod: Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great.

---

Psalm 95-96:13 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 95

Worship and Obey the LORD

 ¹Sing joyful songs to the LORD!    Praise the mighty rock
   where we are safe.
    ²Come to worship him
   with thankful hearts
   and songs of praise.
    ³The LORD is the greatest God,
   king over all other gods.
    ⁴He holds the deepest part
   of the earth in his hands,
   and the mountain peaks
   belong to him.
    ⁵The ocean is the Lord's
   because he made it,
   and with his own hands
   he formed the dry land.
    ⁶Bow down and worship
   the LORD our Creator!
    ⁷The LORD is our God,
   and we are his people,
   the sheep he takes care of
   in his own pasture.
   Listen to God's voice today!
    ⁸Don't be stubborn and rebel
   as your ancestors did
   at Meribah and Massah ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} out in the desert.
    ⁹For forty years
   they tested God
   and saw
   the things he did.
    ¹⁰Then God got tired of them
   and said,
   "You never show good sense,
   and you don't understand
   what I want you to do."
    ¹¹In his anger, God told them,
   "You people will never enter
   my place of rest."
    

Psalm 96

Sing a New Song to the LORD

 ¹Sing a new song to the LORD!    Everyone on this earth,
   sing praises to the LORD,
    ²sing and praise his name.
   Day after day announce,
   "The LORD has saved us!"
    ³Tell every nation on earth,
   "The LORD is wonderful
   and does marvelous things!
    ⁴The LORD is great and deserves
   our greatest praise!
   He is the only God
   worthy of our worship.
    ⁵Other nations worship idols,
   but the LORD created
   the heavens.
    ⁶Give honor and praise
   to the LORD,
   whose power and beauty
   fill his holy temple."
    ⁷Tell everyone of every nation,
   "Praise the glorious power
   of the LORD.
    ⁸He is wonderful! Praise him
   and bring an offering
   into his temple.
    ⁹Everyone on earth, now tremble
   and worship the LORD,
   majestic and holy."
    ¹⁰Announce to the nations,
   "The LORD is King!
   The world stands firm,
   never to be shaken,
   and he will judge its people
   with fairness."
    ¹¹Tell the heavens and the earth
   to be glad and celebrate!
   Command the ocean to roar
   with all of its creatures
    ¹²and the fields to rejoice
   with all of their crops.
   Then every tree in the forest
   will sing joyful songs
    ¹³to the LORD.
   He is coming to judge
   all people on earth
   with fairness and truth.
    

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 95:8 Meribah and Massah: See the note at 81.7.

---

Proverbs 14:5-6 (Contemporary English Version)

⁵An honest witness
   tells the truth;
   a dishonest witness
   tells nothing but lies.
    ⁶Make fun of wisdom,
   and you will never find it.
   But if you have understanding,
   knowledge comes easily.

---

Verse of the Day

“He is forever able to save the people he leads to God, because he always lives to speak to God for them.” - Hebrews 7:25 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

---

Thought for the Day

Austrian philosopher who worked primarily in logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language, Ludwig Wittgenstein wrote, “Never stay up on the barren heights of cleverness, but come down into the green valleys of silliness.”

---

A Joke for Today

A travel agent looked up from his desk to see an older lady and an older gentleman peering in the shop window at the posters showing the glamorous destinations around the world. The agent had had  a good week and the dejected couple looking in the window gave him a rare feeling of generosity.

He called them into his shop and said, "I know that on your pension you could never hope to have a holiday, so I am sending you off to a fabulous resort at my expense, and I won't take no for an answer."

He took them inside and asked his secretary to write two flight tickets and book a room in a five star hotel. They, as can be expected, gladly accepted, and were on their way.

About a month later the little lady came in to his shop.

"And how did you like your holiday?" he asked eagerly.

"The flight was exciting and the room was lovely," she said. "I've come to thank you. But, one thing puzzled me. Who was that old guy I had to share the room with?"

A Thought from the Word

A brief font based on 1 Peter 1:18-19 - You were rescued from the useless way of life that you learn from your ancestors. But you know that you were not rescued by such things as silver or gold that won't last forever. You were rescued by the precious blood of Christ, that spotless and innocent lamb.

Bible Readings for April 25, 2019

Today our passages are Judges 4:1–5:31; Luke 22:35-53; Psalm 94:1-23; and Proverbs 14:3-4. The readings are from 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.

---

Judges 4-5:31 (Contemporary English Version)

Judges 4

Deborah and Barak

 ¹After the death of Ehud, the Israelites again started disobeying the LORD.     ²So the LORD let the Canaanite King Jabin of Hazor conquer Israel. Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, lived in Harosheth-Ha-Goiim.
    ³Jabin's army had nine hundred iron chariots, and for twenty years he made life miserable for the Israelites, until finally they begged the LORD for help.
    ⁴Deborah the wife of Lappidoth was a prophet and a leader ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} of Israel during those days.
    ⁵She would sit under Deborah's Palm Tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, where Israelites would come and ask her to settle their legal cases.
    ⁶One day, Barak the son of Abinoam was in Kedesh in Naphtali, and Deborah sent word for him to come and talk with her. When he arrived, she said:
   I have a message for you from the LORD God of Israel! You are to get together an army of ten thousand men from the Naphtali and Zebulun tribes and lead them to Mount Tabor.
    ⁷The LORD will trick Sisera into coming out to fight you at the Kishon River. Sisera will be leading King Jabin's army as usual, and they will have their chariots, but the LORD has promised to help you defeat them.
    ⁸" I'm not going unless you go!" Barak told her.
    ⁹" All right, I'll go!" she replied. " But I'm warning you that the LORD is going to let a woman defeat Sisera, and no one will honor you for winning the battle."
   Deborah and Barak left for Kedesh,
    ¹⁰where Barak called together the troops from Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand soldiers gathered there, and Barak led them out from Kedesh. Deborah went too.
    ¹¹At this time, Heber of the Kenite clan was living near the village of Oak in Zaanannim, ^[b<="">] not far from Kedesh. The Kenites were descendants of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses, but Heber had moved and had set up his tents away from the rest of the clan.
    ¹²When Sisera learned that Barak had led an army to Mount Tabor,
    ¹³he called his troops together and got all nine hundred iron chariots ready. Then he led his army away from Harosheth-Ha-Goiim to the Kishon River.
    ¹⁴Deborah shouted, " Barak, it's time to attack Sisera! Because today the LORD is going to help you defeat him. In fact, the LORD has already gone on ahead to fight for you."
   Barak led his ten thousand troops down from Mount Tabor.
    ¹⁵And during the battle, the LORD confused Sisera, his chariot drivers, and his whole army. Everyone was so afraid of Barak and his army, that even Sisera jumped down from his chariot and tried to escape.
    ¹⁶Barak's forces went after Sisera's chariots and army as far as Harosheth-Ha-Goiim.
   Sisera's entire army was wiped out.
    ¹⁷Only Sisera escaped. He ran to Heber's camp, because Heber and his family had a peace treaty with the king of Hazor. Sisera went to the tent that belonged to Jael, Heber's wife.
    ¹⁸She came out to greet him and said, " Come in, sir! Please come on in. Don't be afraid."
   After they had gone inside, Sisera lay down, and Jael covered him with a blanket.
    ¹⁹" Could I have a little water?" he asked. " I'm thirsty."
   Jael opened a leather bottle and poured him some milk, then she covered him back up.
    ²⁰" Stand at the entrance to the tent," Sisera told her. " If someone comes by and asks if anyone is inside, tell them `No.' "
    ²¹Sisera was exhausted and soon fell fast asleep. Jael took a hammer and drove a tent-peg through his head into the ground, and he died.
    ²²Meanwhile, Barak had been following Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him. " The man you're looking for is inside," she said. " Come in and I'll show him to you."
   They went inside, and there was Sisera--dead and stretched out with a tent-peg through his skull.
    ²³That same day the Israelites defeated the Canaanite King Jabin, and his army was no longer powerful enough to attack the Israelites.
    ²⁴Jabin grew weaker while the Israelites kept growing stronger, and at last the Israelites destroyed him.
    

Judges 5

Deborah and Barak Sing for the LORD

 ¹After the battle was over that day, Deborah and Barak sang this song:     ²We praise you, LORD!
   Our soldiers volunteered,
   ready to follow you.
    ³Listen, kings and rulers,
   while I sing for the LORD,
   the God of Israel.
    ⁴Our LORD, God of Israel,
   when you came from Seir,
   where the Edomites live,
    ⁵rain poured from the sky,
   the earth trembled,
   and mountains shook.
    ⁶In the time of Shamgar
   son of Anath,
   and now again in Jael's time,
   roads were too dangerous
   for caravans.
   Travelers had to take
   the back roads,
    ⁷and villagers couldn't work
   in their fields. ^[c<="">] Then Deborah ^[d<="">] took command, protecting Israel
   as a mother
   protects her children.
    ⁸The Israelites worshiped
   other gods,
   and the gates of their towns
   were then attacked. ^[e<="">] But they had no shields
   or spears to fight with.
    ⁹I praise you, LORD,
   and I am grateful
   for those leaders and soldiers
   who volunteered.
    ¹⁰Listen, everyone!
   Whether you ride a donkey
   with a padded saddle
   or have to walk.
    ¹¹Even those who carry water ^[f<="">] to the animals will tell you,
   " The LORD has won victories,
   and so has Israel."
   Then the LORD's people marched
   down to the town gates
    ¹²and said, " Deborah, let's go!
   Let's sing as we march.
   Barak, capture our enemies."
    ¹³The LORD's people who were left
   joined with their leaders
   and fought at my side. ^{[g<="">]
    14}Troops came from Ephraim,
   where Amalekites once lived.
   Others came from Benjamin;
   officers and leaders
   came
   from Machir and Zebulun.
    ¹⁵The rulers of Issachar
   came along with Deborah,
   and Issachar followed Barak
   into the valley.
   But the tribe of Reuben
   was no help at all! ^{[h<="">]
    16}Reuben, why did you stay
   among your sheep pens? ^[i<="">] Was it to listen to shepherds
   whistling for their sheep?
   No one could figure out
   why Reuben wouldn't come. ^{[j<="">]
    17}The people of Gilead stayed
   across the Jordan.
   Why did the tribe of Dan
   remain on their ships
   and the tribe of Asher
   stay along the coast
   near the harbors?
    ¹⁸But soldiers of Zebulun
   and Naphtali
   risked their lives
   to attack the enemy. ^{[k<="">]
    19}Canaanite kings fought us
   at Taanach by the stream
   near Megiddo ^[l<="">] -- but they couldn't rob us
   of our silver. ^{[m<="">]
    20}From their pathways in the sky
   the stars ^[n<="">] fought Sisera,
    ²¹and his soldiers were swept away
   by the ancient Kishon River.
   I will march on and be brave.
    ²²Sisera's horses galloped off,
   their hoofs thundering
   in retreat.
    ²³The LORD's angel said,
   " Put a curse on Meroz Town!
   Its people refused
   to help the LORD fight
   his powerful enemies."
    ²⁴But honor Jael,
   the wife of Heber
   from the Kenite clan.
   Give more honor to her
   than to any other woman
   who lives in tents.
   Yes, give more honor to her
   than to any other woman.
    ²⁵Sisera asked for water,
   but Jael gave him milk--
   cream in a fancy cup.
    ²⁶She reached for a tent-peg
   and held a hammer
   in her right hand.
   And with a blow to the head,
   she crushed his skull.
    ²⁷Sisera sank to his knees
   and fell dead at her feet.
    ²⁸Sisera's mother looked out
   through her window.
   " Why is he taking so long?"
   she asked.
   " Why haven't we heard
   his chariots coming?"
    ²⁹She and her wisest women
   gave the same answer:
    ³⁰" Sisera and his troops
   are finding treasures
   to bring back--
   a woman, or maybe two,
   for each man,
   and beautiful dresses
   for those women to wear." ^{[o<="">]
    31}Our LORD, we pray
   that all your enemies
   will die like Sisera.
   But let everyone who loves you
   shine brightly
   like the sun
   at dawn.
   There was peace in Israel for about forty years.
    

Footnotes:

1. Judges 4:4 leader: See 2.16 and the note there.
2. Judges 4:11 the village. . . Zaanannim: Or " the oak tree in the town of Zaanannim."
3. Judges 5:7 villagers. . . fields: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. Judges 5:7 Deborah: Or " I, Deborah."
5. Judges 5:8 The Israelites. . . attacked: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
6. Judges 5:11 Even. . . water: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
7. Judges 5:13 side: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 13.
8. Judges 5:15 But. . . at all: Or " But the people of Reuben couldn't make up their minds."
9. Judges 5:16 sheep pens: Or " campfires."
10. Judges 5:16 No. . . come: Or " The people of Reuben couldn't make up their minds."
11. Judges 5:18 to attack the enemy: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
12. Judges 5:19 stream near Megiddo: Probably refers to one of the streams that flow into the Kishon River.
13. Judges 5:19 rob us of our silver: The army that won a battle would take everything of value from the dead enemy soldiers.
14. Judges 5:20 stars: In ancient times, the stars were sometimes regarded as supernatural beings.
15. Judges 5:30 and beautiful. . . wear: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

---

Luke 22:35-53 (Contemporary English Version)

Moneybags, Traveling Bags, and Swords

 ³⁵Jesus asked his disciples, "When I sent you out without a moneybag or a traveling bag or sandals, did you need anything?"    "No!" they answered.
    ³⁶Jesus told them, "But now, if you have a moneybag, take it with you. Also take a traveling bag, and if you don't have a sword, ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} sell some of your clothes and buy one. ³⁷Do this because the Scriptures say, `He was considered a criminal.' This was written about me, and it will soon come true." ³⁸The disciples said, "Lord, here are two swords!"
   "Enough of that!" Jesus replied.     

Jesus Prays

(Matthew 26.36-46; Mark 14.32-42)

 ³⁹Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives, as he often did, and his disciples went with him. ⁴⁰When they got there, he told them, "Pray that you won't be tested."     ⁴¹Jesus walked on a little way before he knelt down and prayed, ⁴²"Father, if you will, please don't make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. ^[b<="">] But do what you want, and not what I want." ⁴³Then an angel from heaven came to help him. ⁴⁴Jesus was in great pain and prayed so sincerely that his sweat fell to the ground like drops of blood. ^[c<="">] 45Jesus got up from praying and went over to his disciples. They were asleep and worn out from being so sad. ⁴⁶He said to them, "Why are you asleep? Wake up and pray that you won't be tested."     

Jesus Is Arrested

(Matthew 26.47-56; Mark 14.43-50; John 18.3-11)

 ⁴⁷While Jesus was still speaking, a crowd came up. It was led by Judas, one of the twelve apostles. He went over to Jesus and greeted him with a kiss. ^[d<="">] 48Jesus asked Judas, "Are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"     ⁴⁹When Jesus' disciples saw what was about to happen, they asked, "Lord, should we attack them with a sword?" ⁵⁰One of the disciples even struck at the high priest's servant with his sword and cut off the servant's right ear.
    ⁵¹"Enough of that!" Jesus said. Then he touched the servant's ear and healed it.
    ⁵²Jesus spoke to the chief priests, the temple police, and the leaders who had come to arrest him. He said, "Why do you come out with swords and clubs and treat me like a criminal? ⁵³I was with you every day in the temple, and you didn't arrest me. But this is your time, and darkness ^[e<="">] is in control." 

Footnotes:

1. Luke 22:36 moneybag. . . traveling bag. . . sword: These were things that someone would take on a dangerous journey. Jesus was telling his disciples to be ready for anything that might happen. They seem to have understood what he meant (see 22.49-51).
2. Luke 22:42 having me drink from this cup: In the Scriptures " to drink from a cup" sometimes means to suffer.
3. Luke 22:44 Then an angel. . . like drops of blood: Verses 43,44 are not in some manuscripts.
4. Luke 22:47 greeted him with a kiss: It was the custom for people to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek.
5. Luke 22:53 darkness: Darkness stands for the power of the devil.

---

Psalm 94:1-23 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 94

The LORD Punishes the Guilty

 ¹LORD God, you punish    the guilty.
   Show what you are like
   and punish them now.
    ²You judge the earth.
   Come and help us!
   Pay back those proud people
   for what they have done.
    ³How long will the wicked
   celebrate and be glad?
    ⁴All of those cruel people
   strut and boast,
    ⁵and they crush and wound
   your chosen nation, LORD.
    ⁶They murder widows,
   foreigners, and orphans.
    ⁷Then they say,
   "The LORD God of Jacob
   doesn't see or know."
    ⁸Can't you fools see?
   Won't you ever learn?
    ⁹God gave us ears and eyes!
   Can't he hear and see?
    ¹⁰God instructs the nations
   and gives knowledge to us all.
   Won't he also correct us?
    ¹¹The LORD knows how useless
   our plans really are.
    ¹²Our LORD, you bless everyone
   that you instruct and teach
   by using your Law.
    ¹³You give them rest
   from their troubles,
   until a pit can be dug
   for the wicked.
    ¹⁴You won't turn your back
   on your chosen nation.
    ¹⁵Justice and fairness
   will go hand in hand,
   and all who do right
   will follow along.
    ¹⁶Who will stand up for me
   against those cruel people?
    ¹⁷If you had not helped me, LORD,
   I would soon have gone
   to the land of silence. ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[] 18}When I felt my feet slipping,
   you came with your love
   and kept me steady.
    ¹⁹And when I was burdened
   with worries,
   you comforted me
   and made me feel secure.
    ²⁰But you are opposed
   to dishonest lawmakers
    ²¹who gang up to murder
   innocent victims.
    ²²You, LORD God, are my fortress,
   that mighty rock ^[b<="">] where I am safe.
    ²³You will pay back my enemies,
   and you will wipe them out
   for the evil they did.
    

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 94:17 land of silence: The grave or the world of the dead.
2. Psalm 94:22 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.

---

Proverbs 14:3-4 (Contemporary English Version)

³Proud fools are punished
   for their stupid talk,
   but sensible talk
   can save your life.
    ⁴Without the help of an ox
   there can be no crop,
   but with a strong ox
   a big crop is possible.

---

Verse of the Day

“God did this because he wanted you Gentiles to understand his wonderful and glorious mystery. And the mystery is that Christ lives in you, and he is your hope of sharing in God's glory. We announce the message about Christ, and we use all our wisdom to warn and teach everyone, so that all of Christ's followers will grow and become mature.” - Colossians 1:27-28 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

---

Thought for the Day

Calvinist philosopher, historian, and theologian and is widely credited as being the father of Christian Reconstructionism, Rousas John Rushdoony wrote, “The urge to dominion is God-given and is basic to the nature of man. An aspect of this dominion is property.”

---

A Joke for Today

Two bees ran into each other. The first bee asked the other how things were going. "Really bad," said the second bee. "The weather has been really wet and damp and there aren't any flowers or pollen, so I can't make any honey." "No problem," said the first bee. "Just fly down five blocks and turn left. Keep going until you see all the cars. There's a Bar Mitzvah going on and there are all kinds of fresh flowers and fruit." "Thanks for the tip," said the second bee, and he flew away.

A few hours later, the two bees ran into each other again. The first bee asked, "How'd it go?""Great!" said the second bee. "It was everything you said it would be." "Uh, what's that thing on your head?" asked the first bee. "That's my yarmulke," said the second bee. "I didn't want them to think I was a wasp."