July 6 Reading through the Bible

1 CHRONICLES 2:18-4:4
ACTS 24:1-27
PSALM 4:1-8
PROVERBS 18:16-18

1 CHRONICLES 2:18-4:4
Hezron's son Caleb had two wives named Azubah and Jerioth. Azubah's sons were named Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. 19 After Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrathah, and they had a son named Hur. 20 Hur was the father of Uri. Uri was the father of Bezalel. 21 When Hezron was sixty years old, he married Gilead's sister, the daughter of Makir. They had a son named Segub. 22 Segub was the father of Jair, who ruled twenty-three towns in the land of Gilead. 23 (Later Geshur and Aram captured the Towns of Jair and also took Kenath and its sixty surrounding villages.) All these were descendants of Makir, the father of Gilead. 24 Soon after Hezron died in the town of Caleb-ephrathah, his wife Abijah gave birth to a son named Ashhur (the father of Tekoa). 25 The sons of Jerahmeel, the oldest son of Hezron, were Ram (the oldest), Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah. 26 Jerahmeel had a second wife named Atarah. She was the mother of Onam. 27 The sons of Ram, the oldest son of Jerahmeel, were Maaz, Jamin, and Eker. 28 The sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada. The sons of Shammai were Nadab and Abishur.29 The sons of Abishur and his wife Abihail were Ahban and Molid. 30 The sons of Nadab were Seled and Appaim. Seled died without children, 31 but Appaim had a son named Ishi. The son of Ishi was Sheshan. Sheshan had a descendant named Ahlai. 32 Shammai's brother, Jada, had two sons named Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children, 33 but Jonathan had two sons named Peleth and Zaza. These were all descendants of Jerahmeel. 34 Sheshan had no sons, though he did have daughters. He also had an Egyptian servant named Jarha. 35 Sheshan gave one of his daughters to be the wife of Jarha, and they had a son named Attai.36 Attai was the father of Nathan. Nathan was the father of Zabad. 37 Zabad was the father of Ephlal. Ephlal was the father of Obed. 38 Obed was the father of Jehu. Jehu was the father of Azariah. 39 Azariah was the father of Helez. Helez was the father of Eleasah. 40 Eleasah was the father of Sismai. Sismai was the father of Shallum. 41 Shallum was the father of Jekamiah. Jekamiah was the father of Elishama. 42 The oldest son of Caleb, the brother of Jerahmeel, was Mesha, the father of Ziph. Caleb's second son was Mareshah, the father of Hebron. 43 The sons of Hebron were Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema. 44 Shema was the father of Raham. Raham was the father of Jorkeam. Rekem was the father of Shammai. 45 The son of Shammai was Maon. Maon was the father of Beth-zur. 46 Caleb's concubine Ephah gave birth to Haran, Moza, and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez. 47 The sons of Jahdai were Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph. 48 Another of Caleb's concubines, Maacah, gave birth to Sheber and Tirhanah. 49 She also gave birth to Shaaph (the father of Madmannah) and Sheva (the father of Macbenah and Gibea). Caleb also had a daughter named Acsah. 50 These were all descendants of Caleb. The sons of Hur, the oldest son of Caleb's wife Ephrathah, were Shobal (the father of Kiriath-jearim), 51 Salma (the father of Bethlehem), and Hareph (the father of Beth-gader). 52 The descendants of Shobal (the father of Kiriath-jearim) were Haroeh, half the Manahathites, 53 and the families of Kiriath-jearim--the Ithrites, Puthites, Shumathites, and Mishraites, from whom came the people of Zorah and Eshtaol. 54 The descendants of Salma were Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth-beth-joab, the other half of the Manahathites, the Zorites, 55 and the families of scribes living at Jabez--the Tirathites, Shimeathites, and Sucathites. All these were Kenites who descended from Hammath, the father of the family of Recab.3:1 THESE were the sons who were born to David in Hebron: The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam of Jezreel. The second was Kileab, whose mother was Abigail from Carmel. 2 The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. 3 The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital. The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah. 4 These six sons were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven and a half years. Then David moved the capital to Jerusalem, where he reigned another thirty-three years. 5 The sons born to David in Jerusalem included Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. Bathsheba, the daughter of Ammiel, was the mother of these sons. 6 David also had nine other sons: Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 7 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 8 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. 9 These were the sons of David, not including the sons of his concubines. David also had a daughter named Tamar. 10 The descendants of Solomon were Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehosha-phat, 11 Jehoram, Ahaziah, Joash, 12 Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, 13 Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, 14 Amon, and Josiah. 15 The sons of Josiah were Johanan (the oldest), Jehoiakim (the second), Zedekiah (the third), and Jehoahaz (the fourth). 16 Jehoiakim was succeeded by his son Jehoichin; he, in turn, was succeeded by his uncle Zedekiah.* 17 The sons of Jehoiachin,* who was taken prisoner by the Babylonians, were Shealtiel, 18 Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. 19 The sons of Pedaiah were Zerubbabel and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel were Meshullam and Hananiah. He also had a daughter named Shelomith. 20 His five other sons were Hashubah, Ohel, Berekiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed. 21 The sons of Hananiah were Pelatiah and Jeshaiah. Jeshaiah's son was Rephaiah. Rephaiah's son was Arnan. Arnan's son was Obadiah. Obadiah's son was Shecaniah. 22 Shecaniah's descendants were Shemaiah and his sons, Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat--six in all. 23 The sons of Neariah were Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam--three in all. 24 The sons of Elioenai were Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani--seven in all. 4:1 SOME of the descendants of Judah were Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. 2 Shobal's son Reaiah was the father of Jahath. Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites. 3 The descendants of Etam were Jezreel, Ishma, Idbash, Hazzelelponi (his daughter), 4 Penuel (the father of Gedor), and Ezer (the father of Hushah). These were the descendants of Hur (the firstborn of Ephrathah), the ancestor of Bethlehem.

ACTS 24:1-27
Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish leaders and the lawyer Tertullus, to press charges against Paul. 2 When Paul was called in, Tertullus laid charges against Paul in the following address to the governor: " Your Excellency, you have given peace to us Jews and have enacted reforms for us. 3 And for all of this we are very grateful to you. 4 But lest I bore you, kindly give me your attention for only a moment as I briefly outline our case against this man. 5 For we have found him to be a troublemaker, a man who is constantly inciting the Jews throughout the world to riots and rebellions against the Roman government. He is a ringleader of the sect known as the Nazarenes. 6 Moreover he was trying to defile the Temple when we arrested him. 8 You can find out the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself." 9 Then the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything Tertullus said was true. 10 Now it was Paul's turn. The governor motioned for him to rise and speak. Paul said, " I know, sir, that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for many years, and this gives me confidence as I make my defense. 11 You can quickly discover that it was no more than twelve days ago that I arrived in Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. 12 I didn't argue with anyone in the Temple, nor did I incite a riot in any synagogue or on the streets of the city. 13 These men certainly cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing. 14 " But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a sect. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the books of prophecy. 15 I have hope in God, just as these men do, that he will raise both the righteous and the ungodly. 16 Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and everyone else. 17 " After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God. 18 My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ritual. There was no crowd around me and no rioting. 19 But some Jews from the province of Asia were there--and they ought to be here to bring charges if they have anything against me! 20 Ask these men here what wrongdoing the Jewish high council found in me, 21 except for one thing I said when I shouted out, ` I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!' " 22 Felix, who was quite familiar with the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, " Wait until Lysias, the garrison commander, arrives. Then I will decide the case." 23 He ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs. 24 A few days later Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified. " Go away for now," he replied. " When it is more convenient, I'll call for you again." 26 He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him. 27 Two years went by in this way; then Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish leaders, he left Paul in prison.

PSALM 4:1-8
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.
1 Answer me when I call,
O God who declares me innocent.
Take away my distress.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 How long will you people ruin my reputation?
How long will you make these groundless accusations?
How long will you pursue lies?
Interlude3 You can be sure of this:
The LORD has set apart the godly for himself.
The LORD will answer when I call to him.
4 Don't sin by letting anger gain control over you.
Think about it overnight and remain silent.
Interlude5 Offer proper sacrifices,
and trust in the LORD.
6 Many people say, " Who will show us better times?"
Let the smile of your face shine on us, LORD.
7 You have given me greater joy
than those who have abundant harvests of grain and wine.
8 I will lie down in peace and sleep,
for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.

PROVERBS 18:16-18

Giving a gift works wonders; it may bring you before important people! Any story sounds true until someone sets the record straight. Casting lots can end arguments and settle disputes between powerful opponents.