June 10 Reading through the Bible

1 KINGS 7:1-51
ACTS 7:30-50
PSALM 128:1-6
PROVERBS 16:31-33

1 KINGS 7:1-51
Solomon also built a palace for himself, and it took him thirteen years to complete the construction. 2 One of Solomon's buildings was called the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. It was 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. The great cedar ceiling beams rested on four rows of cedar pillars. 3 It had a cedar roof supported by forty-five rafters that rested on three rows of pillars, fifteen in each row. 4 On each of the side walls there were three rows of windows facing each other. 5 All the doorways were rectangular in frame; they were in sets of three, facing each other. 6 He also built the Hall of Pillars, which was 75 feet long and 45 feet wide. There was a porch at its front, covered by a canopy that was supported by pillars. 7 There was also the Hall of the Throne, also known as the Hall of Judgment, where Solomon sat to hear legal matters. It was paneled with cedar from floor to ceiling. 8 Solomon's living quarters surrounded a courtyard behind this hall; they were built the same way. He also built similar living quarters for Pharaoh's daughter, one of his wives. 9 All these buildings were built entirely from huge, costly blocks of stone, cut and trimmed to exact measure on all sides. 10 Some of the huge foundation stones were 15 feet long, and some were 12 feet long. 11 The costly blocks of stone used in the walls were also cut to measure, and cedar beams were also used. 12 The walls of the great courtyard were built so that there was one layer of cedar beams after every three layers of hewn stone, just like the walls of the inner courtyard of the LORD's Temple with its entrance foyer. 13 King Solomon then asked for a man named Huram to come from Tyre, 14 for he was a craftsman skilled in bronze work. He was half Israelite, since his mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father had been a foundry worker from Tyre. So he came to work for King Solomon. 15 Huram cast two bronze pillars, each 27 feet tall and 18 feet in circumference. 16 For the tops of the pillars he made capitals of molded bronze, each 7 feet tall. 17 Each capital was decorated with seven sets of latticework and interwoven chains. 18 He also made two rows of pomegranates that encircled the latticework to decorate the capitals over the pillars. 19 The capitals on the columns inside the foyer were shaped like lilies, and they were 6 feet tall. 20 Each capital on the two pillars had two hundred pomegranates in two rows around them, beside the rounded surface next to the latticework. 21 Huram set the pillars at the entrance of the Temple, one toward the south and one toward the north. He named the one on the south Jakin, and the one on the north Boaz. 22 The capitals on the pillars were shaped like lilies. And so the work on the pillars was finished. 23 Then Huram cast a large round tank, 15 feet across from rim to rim; it was called the Sea. It was 7 feet deep and about 45 feet in circumference. 24 The Sea was encircled just below its rim by two rows of decorative gourds. There were about six gourds per foot all the way around, and they had been cast as part of the tank. 25 The Sea rested on a base of twelve bronze oxen, all facing outward. Three faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east. 26 The walls of the Sea were about three inches thick, and its rim flared out like a cup and resembled a lily blossom. It could hold about 11,000 gallons of water. 27 Huram also made ten bronze water carts, each 6 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 4 feet tall. 28 They were constructed with side panels braced with crossbars. 29 Both the panels and the crossbars were decorated with carved lions, oxen, and cherubim. Above and below the lions and oxen were wreath decorations. 30 Each of these carts had four bronze wheels and bronze axles. At each corner of the carts were supporting posts for the bronze basins; these supports were decorated with carvings of wreaths on each side. 31 The top of each cart had a circular frame for the basin. It projected 1 feet above the cart's top like a round pedestal, and its opening was 2 feet across; it was decorated on the outside with carvings of wreaths. The panels of the carts were square, not round. 32 Under the panels were four wheels that were connected to axles that had been cast as one unit with the cart. The wheels were 2 feet in diameter 33 and were similar to chariot wheels. The axles, spokes, rims, and hubs were all cast from molten bronze. 34 There were supports at each of the four corners of the carts, and these, too, were cast as one unit with the cart. 35 Around the top of each cart there was a rim 9 inches wide. The supports and side panels were cast as one unit with the cart. 36 Carvings of cherubim, lions, and palm trees decorated the panels and supports wherever there was room, and there were wreaths all around. 37 All ten water carts were the same size and were made alike, for each was cast from the same mold. 38 Huram also made ten bronze basins, one for each cart. Each basin was 6 feet across and could hold 220 gallons of water. 39 He arranged five water carts on the south side of the Temple and five on the north side. The Sea was placed at the southeast corner of the Temple. 40 He also made the necessary pots, shovels, and basins. So at last Huram completed everything King Solomon had assigned him to make for the Temple of the LORD:41 two pillars, two bowl-shaped capitals on top of the pillars, two networks of chains that decorated the capitals, 42 four hundred pomegranates that hung from the chains on the capitals (two rows of pomegranates for each of the chain networks that were hung around the capitals on top of the pillars), 43 the ten water carts holding the ten basins, 44 the Sea and the twelve oxen under it, 45 the pots, the shovels, and the basins. All these utensils for the Temple of the LORD that Huram made for Solomon were made of burnished bronze. 46 The king had them cast in clay molds in the Jordan Valley between Succoth and Zarethan. 47 Solomon did not weigh all the utensils because there were so many; the weight of the bronze could not be measured. 48 So Solomon made all the furnishings of the Temple of the LORD:the gold altar, the gold table for the Bread of the Presence, 49 the gold lampstands, five on the south and five on the north, in front of the Most Holy Place, the flower decorations, lamps, and tongs, all of gold, 50 the cups, lamp snuffers, basins, dishes, and firepans, all of pure gold, the doors for the entrances to the Most Holy Place and the main room of the Temple, with their fronts overlaid with gold. 51 So King Solomon finished all his work on the Temple of the LORD. Then Solomon brought all the gifts his father, David, had dedicated--the silver, the gold, and the other utensils--and he stored them in the treasuries of the LORD's Temple.

ACTS 7:30-50
" Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush. 31 Moses saw it and wondered what it was. As he went to see, the voice of the Lord called out to him, 32 ` I am the God of your ancestors--the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses shook with terror and dared not look. 33 " And the Lord said to him, ` Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 34 You can be sure that I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries. So I have come to rescue them. Now go, for I will send you to Egypt.' 35 And so God sent back the same man his people had previously rejected by demanding, ` Who made you a ruler and judge over us?' Through the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush, Moses was sent to be their ruler and savior. 36 And by means of many miraculous signs and wonders, he led them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and back and forth through the wilderness for forty years. 37 " Moses himself told the people of Israel, ` God will raise up a Prophet like me from among your own people.' 38 Moses was with the assembly of God's people in the wilderness. He was the mediator between the people of Israel and the angel who gave him life-giving words on Mount Sinai to pass on to us. 39 " But our ancestors rejected Moses and wanted to return to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, ` Make us some gods who can lead us, for we don't know what has become of this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.' 41 So they made an idol shaped like a calf, and they sacrificed to it and rejoiced in this thing they had made. 42 Then God turned away from them and gave them up to serve the sun, moon, and stars as their gods! In the book of the prophets it is written, ` Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices
during those forty years in the wilderness, Israel?
43 No, your real interest was in your pagan gods--
the shrine of Molech,
the star god Rephan,
and the images you made to worship them.
So I will send you into captivity
far away in Babylon.'
44 " Our ancestors carried the Tabernacle with them through the wilderness. It was constructed in exact accordance with the plan shown to Moses by God. 45 Years later, when Joshua led the battles against the Gentile nations that God drove out of this land, the Tabernacle was taken with them into their new territory. And it was used there until the time of King David. 46 " David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who actually built it. 48 However, the Most High doesn't live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,49 ` Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Could you ever build me a temple as good as that?'
asks the Lord.
` Could you build a dwelling place for me?
50 Didn't I make everything in heaven and earth?'

PSALM 128:1-6
A song for the ascent to Jerusalem.
1 How happy are those who fear the LORD--
all who follow his ways!
2 You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
How happy you will be! How rich your life!
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine,
flourishing within your home.
And look at all those children!
There they sit around your table
as vigorous and healthy as young olive trees.
4 That is the LORD's reward
for those who fear him.
5 May the LORD continually bless you from Zion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
6 May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.
And may Israel have quietness and peace.

PROVERBS 16:31-33
Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life. It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city. We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall.

June 9 Reading through the Bible

1 KINGS 5:1-6:38
ACTS 7:1-29
PSALM 127:1-5
PROVERBS 16:28-30

1 KINGS 5:1-6:38
King Hiram of Tyre had always been a loyal friend of David, so when he learned that David's son Solomon was the new king of Israel, Hiram sent ambassadors to congratulate him. 2 Then Solomon sent this message back to Hiram: 3 " You know that my father, David, was not able to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD his God because of the many wars he waged with surrounding nations. He could not build until the LORD gave him victory over all his enemies. 4 But now the LORD my God has given me peace on every side, and I have no enemies and all is well. 5 So I am planning to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD my God, just as he instructed my father that I should do. For the LORD told him, ` Your son, whom I will place on your throne, will build the Temple to honor my name.' 6 Now please command that cedars from Lebanon be cut for me. Let my men work alongside yours, and I will pay your men whatever wages you ask. As you know, there is no one among us who can cut timber like you Sidonians!"7 When Hiram received Solomon's message, he was very pleased and said, " Praise the LORD for giving David a wise son to be king of the great nation of Israel." 8 Then he sent this reply to Solomon: " I have received your message, and I will do as you have asked concerning the timber. I can supply you with both cedar and cypress. 9 My servants will bring the logs from the Lebanon mountains to the Mediterranean Sea and build them into rafts. We will float them along the coast to whatever place you choose. Then we will break the rafts apart and deliver the timber to you. You can pay me with food for my household."10 So Hiram produced for Solomon as much cedar and cypress timber as he desired. 11 In return Solomon sent him an annual payment of 100,000 bushels of wheat for his household and 110,000 gallons of olive oil. 12 So the LORD gave great wisdom to Solomon just as he had promised. And Hiram and Solomon made a formal alliance of peace. 13 Then King Solomon enlisted 30,000 laborers from all Israel. 14 He sent them to Lebanon in shifts, 10,000 every month, so that each man would be one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of this labor force. 15 Solomon also enlisted 70,000 common laborers, 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country, 16 and 3,600 foremen to supervise the work. 17 At the king's command, the stonecutters quarried and shaped costly blocks of stone for the foundation of the Temple. 18 Men from the city of Gebal helped Solomon's and Hiram's builders prepare the timber and stone for the Temple. 6:1 IT was in midspring, during the fourth year of Solomon's reign, that he began the construction of the Temple of the LORD. This was 480 years after the people of Israel were delivered from their slavery in the land of Egypt. 2 The Temple that King Solomon built for the LORD was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 3 The foyer at the front of the Temple was 30 feet wide, running across the entire width of the Temple. It projected outward 15 feet from the front of the Temple. 4 Solomon also made narrow, recessed windows throughout the Temple. 5 A complex of rooms was built against the outer walls of the Temple, all the way around the sides and rear of the building. 6 The complex was three stories high, the bottom floor being 7 feet wide, the second floor 9 feet wide, and the top floor 10 feet wide. The rooms were connected to the walls of the Temple by beams resting on ledges built out from the wall. So the beams were not inserted into the walls themselves.7 The stones used in the construction of the Temple were prefinished at the quarry, so the entire structure was built without the sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site. 8 The entrance to the bottom floor was on the south side of the Temple. There were winding stairs going up to the second floor, and another flight of stairs between the second and third floors. 9 After completing the Temple structure, Solomon put in a ceiling made of beams and planks of cedar. 10 As already stated, there was a complex of rooms on three sides of the building, attached to the Temple walls by cedar timbers. Each story of the complex was 7 feet high.11 Then the LORD gave this message to Solomon: 12 " Concerning this Temple you are building, if you keep all my laws and regulations and obey all my commands, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father, David. 13 I will live among the people of Israel and never forsake my people." 14 So Solomon finished building the Temple. 15 The entire inside, from floor to ceiling, was paneled with wood. He paneled the walls and ceilings with cedar, and he used cypress for the floors. 16 He partitioned off an inner sanctuary--the Most Holy Place--at the far end of the Temple. It was 30 feet deep and was paneled with cedar from floor to ceiling. 17 The main room of the Temple, outside the Most Holy Place, was 60 feet long. 18 Cedar paneling completely covered the stone walls throughout the Temple, and the paneling was decorated with carvings of gourds and open flowers. 19 Solomon prepared the inner sanctuary in the rear of the Temple, where the Ark of the LORD's covenant would be placed. 20 This inner sanctuary was 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. Solomon overlaid its walls and ceiling with pure gold. He also overlaid the altar made of cedar. 21 Then he overlaid the rest of the Temple's interior with pure gold, and he made gold chains to protect the entrance to the Most Holy Place. 22 So he finished overlaying the entire Temple with gold, including the altar that belonged to the Most Holy Place. 23 Within the inner sanctuary Solomon placed two cherubim made of olive wood, each 15 feet tall. 24 The wingspan of each of the cherubim was 15 feet, each wing being 7 feet long. 25 The two cherubim were identical in shape and size; 26 each was 15 feet tall. 27 Solomon placed them side by side in the inner sanctuary of the Temple. Their outspread wings reached from wall to wall, while their inner wings touched at the center of the room. 28 He overlaid the two cherubim with gold. 29 All the walls of the inner sanctuary and the main room were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. 30 The floor in both rooms was overlaid with gold. 31 For the entrance to the inner sanctuary, Solomon made double doors of olive wood with five-sided doorposts. 32 These doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and the doors were overlaid with gold. 33 Then he made four-sided doorposts of olive wood for the entrance to the Temple. 34 There were two folding doors of cypress wood, and each door was hinged to fold back upon itself. 35 These doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and the doors were overlaid with gold. 36 The walls of the inner courtyard were built so that there was one layer of cedar beams after every three layers of hewn stone. 37 The foundation of the LORD's Temple was laid in midspring of the fourth year of Solomon's reign. 38 The entire building was completed in every detail by midautumn of the eleventh year of his reign. So it took seven years to build the Temple.

ACTS 7:1-29
Then the high priest asked Stephen, " Are these accusations true?" 2 This was Stephen's reply: " Brothers and honorable fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia before he moved to Haran. 3 God told him, ` Leave your native land and your relatives, and come to the land that I will show you.' 4 So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran until his father died. Then God brought him here to the land where you now live. 5 But God gave him no inheritance here, not even one square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole country would belong to Abraham and his descendants--though he had no children yet. 6 But God also told him that his descendants would live in a foreign country where they would be mistreated as slaves for four hundred years. 7 ` But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,' God told him, ` and in the end they will come out and worship me in this place.' 8 God also gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision at that time. And so Isaac, Abraham's son, was circumcised when he was eight days old. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob was the father of the twelve patriarchs of the Jewish nation. 9 " These sons of Jacob were very jealous of their brother Joseph, and they sold him to be a slave in Egypt. But God was with him 10 and delivered him from his anguish. And God gave him favor before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. God also gave Joseph unusual wisdom, so that Pharaoh appointed him governor over all of Egypt and put him in charge of all the affairs of the palace. 11 " But a famine came upon Egypt and Canaan. There was great misery for our ancestors, as they ran out of food. 12 Jacob heard that there was still grain in Egypt, so he sent his sons to buy some. 13 The second time they went, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and they were introduced to Pharaoh. 14 Then Joseph sent for his father, Jacob, and all his relatives to come to Egypt, seventy-five persons in all. 15 So Jacob went to Egypt. He died there, as did all his sons. 16 All of them were taken to Shechem and buried in the tomb Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. 17 " As the time drew near when God would fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased. 18 But then a new king came to the throne of Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph. 19 This king plotted against our people and forced parents to abandon their newborn babies so they would die. 20 " At that time Moses was born--a beautiful child in God's eyes. His parents cared for him at home for three months. 21 When at last they had to abandon him, Pharaoh's daughter found him and raised him as her own son. 22 Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he became mighty in both speech and action. 23 " One day when he was forty years old, he decided to visit his relatives, the people of Israel. 24 During this visit, he saw an Egyptian mistreating a man of Israel. So Moses came to his defense and avenged him, killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses assumed his brothers would realize that God had sent him to rescue them, but they didn't. 26 " The next day he visited them again and saw two men of Israel fighting. He tried to be a peacemaker. ` Men,' he said, ` you are brothers. Why are you hurting each other?' 27 " But the man in the wrong pushed Moses aside and told him to mind his own business. ` Who made you a ruler and judge over us?' he asked. 28 ` Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?' 29 When Moses heard that, he fled the country and lived as a foreigner in the land of Midian, where his two sons were born."

PSALM 127:1-5
A song for the ascent to Jerusalem. A psalm of Solomon.
1 Unless the LORD builds a house,
the work of the builders is useless.
Unless the LORD protects a city,
guarding it with sentries will do no good.
2 It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones.
3 Children are a gift from the LORD;
they are a reward from him.
4 Children born to a young man
are like sharp arrows in a warrior's hands.
5 How happy is the man whose quiver is full of them!
He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.

PROVERBS 16:28-30
A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. Violent people deceive their companions, leading them down a harmful path. With narrowed eyes, they plot evil; without a word, they plan their mischief.

June 8 Reading through the Bible

1 KINGS 3:3-4:34
ACTS 6:1-15
PSALM 126:1-6
PROVERBS 16:26-27

1 KINGS 3:3-4:34
Solomon loved the LORD and followed all the instructions of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local altars. 4 The most important of these altars was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed one thousand burnt offerings. 5 That night the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, " What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!" 6 Solomon replied, " You were wonderfully kind to my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued this great kindness to him today by giving him a son to succeed him. 7 O LORD my God, now you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn't know his way around. 8 And here I am among your own chosen people, a nation so great they are too numerous to count! 9 Give me an understanding mind so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great nation of yours?" 10 The Lord was pleased with Solomon's reply and was glad that he had asked for wisdom. 11 So God replied, " Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people and have not asked for a long life or riches for yourself or the death of your enemies--12 I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding mind such as no one else has ever had or ever will have! 13 And I will also give you what you did not ask for--riches and honor! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! 14 And if you follow me and obey my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life." 15 Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Lord's covenant, where he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he invited all his officials to a great banquet. 16 Some time later, two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled. 17 " Please, my lord," one of them began, " this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house. 18 Three days later, she also had a baby. We were alone; there were only two of us in the house. 19 But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it. 20 Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep. She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her. 21 And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead! But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn't my son at all." 22 Then the other woman interrupted, " It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine." " No," the first woman said, " the dead one is yours, and the living one is mine." And so they argued back and forth before the king. 23 Then the king said, " Let's get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead child belongs to the other. 24 All right, bring me a sword." So a sword was brought to the king. 25 Then he said, " Cut the living child in two and give half to each of these women!" 26 Then the woman who really was the mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, " Oh no, my lord! Give her the child--please do not kill him!" But the other woman said, " All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!" 27 Then the king said, " Do not kill him, but give the baby to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother!" 28 Word of the king's decision spread quickly throughout all Israel, and the people were awed as they realized the great wisdom God had given him to render decisions with justice.4:1 SO Solomon was king over all Israel, 2 and these were his high officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest. 3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were court secretaries. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian. 4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of the army. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests. 5 Azariah son of Nathan presided over the district governors. Zabud son of Nathan, a priest, was a trusted adviser to the king. 6 Ahishar was manager of palace affairs. Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the labor force. 7 Solomon also had twelve district governors who were over all Israel. They were responsible for providing food from the people for the king's household. Each of them arranged provisions for one month of the year. 8 These are the names of the twelve governors:Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim. 9 Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-bethhanan. 10 Ben-hesed, in Arubboth, including Socoh and all the land of Hepher. 11 Ben-abinadab, in Naphoth-dor. (He was married to Taphath, one of Solomon's daughters.) 12 Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, all of Beth-shan near Zarethan below Jezreel, and all the territory from Beth-shan to Abel-meholah and over to Jokmeam. 13 Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead, including the Towns of Jair (named for Jair son of Manasseh) in Gilead, and in the Argob region of Bashan, including sixty great fortified cities with gates barred with bronze. 14 Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim. 15 Ahimaaz, in Naphtali. (He was married to Basemath, another of Solomon's daughters.) 16 Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and in Aloth. 17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar. 18 Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin. 19 Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, including the territories of King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. And there was one governor over the land of Judah. 20 The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They were very contented, with plenty to eat and drink. 21 King Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far south as the border of Egypt. The conquered peoples of those lands sent tribute money to Solomon and continued to serve him throughout his lifetime. 22 The daily food requirements for Solomon's palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal, 23 ten oxen from the fattening pens, twenty pasture-fed cattle, one hundred sheep or goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks, and choice fowl. 24 Solomon's dominion extended over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza. And there was peace throughout the entire land. 25 Throughout the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety. And from Dan to Beersheba, each family had its own home and garden. 26 Solomon had four thousand stalls for his chariot horses and twelve thousand horses. 27 The district governors faithfully provided food for King Solomon and his court, each during his assigned month. 28 They also brought the necessary barley and straw for the royal horses in the stables.29 God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge too vast to be measured. 30 In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman, Calcol, and Darda--the sons of Mahol. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. 32 He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. 33 He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. 34 And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.

ACTS 6:1-15
But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. Those who spoke Greek complained against those who spoke Hebrew, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. " We apostles should spend our time preaching and teaching the word of God, not administering a food program," they said. 3 " Now look around among yourselves, brothers,> and select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will put them in charge of this business. 4 Then we can spend our time in prayer and preaching and teaching the word." 5 This idea pleased the whole group, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had now become a Christian). 6 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them. 7 God's message was preached in ever-widening circles. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.8 Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 9 But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10 None of them was able to stand against the wisdom and Spirit by which Stephen spoke. 11 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, " We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God." 12 Naturally, this roused the crowds, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. 13 The lying witnesses said, " This man is always speaking against the Temple and against the law of Moses. 14 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us." 15 At this point everyone in the council stared at Stephen because his face became as bright as an angel's.

PSALM 126:1-6
A song for the ascent to Jerusalem.
1 When the LORD restored his exiles to Jerusalem,
it was like a dream!
2 We were filled with laughter,
and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,
" What amazing things the LORD has done for them."
3 Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us!
What joy!
4 Restore our fortunes, LORD,
as streams renew the desert.
5 Those who plant in tears
will harvest with shouts of joy.
6 They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest.

PROVERBS 16:26-27
It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on. Scoundrels hunt for scandal; their words are a destructive blaze.

June 7 Reading through the Bible

1 KINGS 2:1-3:2
ACTS 5:1-42
PSALM 125:1-5
PROVERBS 16:25

1 KINGS 2:1-3:2
As the time of King David's death approached, he gave this charge to his son Solomon: 2 " I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man. 3 Observe the requirements of the LORD your God and follow all his ways. Keep each of the laws, commands, regulations, and stipulations written in the law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. 4 If you do this, then the LORD will keep the promise he made to me: ` If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.' 5 " And there is something else. You know that Joab son of Zeruiah murdered my two army commanders, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He pretended that it was an act of war, but it was done in a time of peace, staining his belt and sandals with the blood of war. 6 Do with him what you think best, but don't let him die in peace. 7 " Be kind to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead. Make them permanent guests of the king, for they took care of me when I fled from your brother Absalom. 8 " And remember Shimei son of Gera, the man from Bahurimin Benjamin. He cursed me with a terrible curse as I was fleeing to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, I swore by the LORD that I would not kill him. 9 But that oath does not make him innocent. You are a wise man, and you will know how to arrange a bloody death for him." 10 Then David died and was buried in the City of David. 11 He had reigned over Israel for forty years, seven of them in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 12 Solomon succeeded him as king, replacing his father, David, and he was firmly established on the throne. 13 One day Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, came to see Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. " Have you come to make trouble?" she asked him. " No," he said, " I come in peace. 14 In fact, I have a favor to ask of you." " What is it?" she asked. 15 He replied, " As you know, the kingdom was mine; everyone expected me to be the next king. But the tables were turned, and everything went to my brother instead; for that is the way the LORD wanted it. 16 So now I have just one favor to ask of you. Please don't turn me down." " What is it?" she asked. 17 He replied, " Speak to King Solomon on my behalf, for I know he will do anything you request. Ask him to give me Abishag, the girl from Shunem, as my wife." 18 " All right," Bathsheba replied. " I will speak to the king for you." 19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak on Adonijah's behalf. The king rose from his throne to meet her, and he bowed down before her. When he sat down on his throne again, he ordered that a throne be brought for his mother, and she sat at his right hand. 20 " I have one small request to make of you," she said. " I hope you won't turn me down." " What is it, my mother?" he asked. " You know I won't refuse you." 21 " Then let your brother Adonijah marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem," she replied. 22 " How can you possibly ask me to give Abishag to Adonijah?" Solomon demanded. " You might as well be asking me to give him the kingdom! You know that he is my older brother, and that he has Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side." 23 Then King Solomon swore solemnly by the LORD: " May God strike me dead if Adonijah has not sealed his fate with this request. 24 The LORD has confirmed me and placed me on the throne of my father, David; he has established my dynasty as he promised. So as surely as the LORD lives, Adonijah will die this very day!" 25 So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death. 26 Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, " Go back to your home in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not kill you now, because you carried the Ark of the Sovereign LORD for my father, and you suffered right along with him through all his troubles." 27 So Solomon deposed Abiathar from his position as priest of the LORD, thereby fulfilling the decree the LORD had made at Shiloh concerning the descendants of Eli. 28 Although he had not followed Absalom earlier, Joab had also joined Adonijah's revolt. When Joab heard about Adonijah's death, he ran to the sacred tent of the LORD and caught hold of the horns of the altar. 29 When news of this reached King Solomon, he sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him. 30 Benaiah went into the sacred tent of the LORD and said to Joab, " The king orders you to come out!" But Joab answered, " No, I will die here." So Benaiah returned to the king and told him what Joab had said. 31 " Do as he said," the king replied. " Kill him there beside the altar and bury him. This will remove the guilt of his senseless murders from me and from my father's family. 32 Then the LORD will repay him for the murders of two men who were more righteous and better than he. For my father was no party to the deaths of Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 May Joab and his descendants be forever guilty of these murders, and may the LORD grant peace to David and his descendants and to his throne forever." 34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada returned to the sacred tent and killed Joab, and Joab was buried at his home in the wilderness. 35 Then the king appointed Benaiah to command the army in place of Joab, and he installed Zadok the priest to take the place of Abiathar. 36 The king then sent for Shimei and told him, " Build a house here in Jerusalem and live there. But don't step outside the city to go anywhere else. 37 On the day you cross the Kidron Valley, you will surely die; your blood will be on your own head." 38 Shimei replied, " Your sentence is fair; I will do whatever my lord the king commands." So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time. 39 But three years later, two of Shimei's slaves escaped to King Achish of Gath. When Shimei learned where they were, 40 he saddled his donkey and went to Gath to search for them. When he had found them, he took them back to Jerusalem. 41 Solomon heard that Shimei had left Jerusalem and had gone to Gath and returned. 42 So he sent for Shimei and demanded, " Didn't I make you swear by the LORD and warn you not to go anywhere else, or you would surely die? And you replied, ` The sentence is fair; I will do as you say.' 43 Then why haven't you kept your oath to the LORD and obeyed my command?" 44 The king also said to Shimei, " You surely remember all the wicked things you did to my father, King David. May the LORD punish you for them. 45 But may I receive the LORD's rich blessings, and may one of David's descendants always sit on this throne." 46 Then, at the king's command, Benaiah son of Jehoiada took Shimei outside and killed him. So the kingdom was now firmly in Solomon's grip.3:1 SOLOMON made an alliance with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and married one of his daughters. He brought her to live in the City of David until he could finish building his palace and the Temple of the LORD and the wall around the city. 2 At that time the people of Israel sacrificed their offerings at local altars, for a temple honoring the name of the LORD had not yet been built.

ACTS 5:1-42
There was also a man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. 2 He brought part of the money to the apostles, but he claimed it was the full amount. His wife had agreed to this deception. 3 Then Peter said, " Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God."5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. 6 Then some young men wrapped him in a sheet and took him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, " Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?" " Yes," she replied, " that was the price." 9 And Peter said, " How could the two of you even think of doing a thing like this--conspiring together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Just outside that door are the young men who buried your husband, and they will carry you out, too." 10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear gripped the entire church and all others who heard what had happened. 12 Meanwhile, the apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon's Colonnade. 13 No one else dared to join them, though everyone had high regard for them. 14 And more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord--crowds of both men and women. 15 As a result of the apostles' work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter's shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds came in from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.17 The high priest and his friends, who were Sadducees, reacted with violent jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 " Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!" 21 So the apostles entered the Temple about daybreak and immediately began teaching. When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council, along with all the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought for trial. 22 But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, 23 " The jail was locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!" 24 When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. 25 Then someone arrived with the news that the men they had jailed were out in the Temple, teaching the people. 26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested them, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would kill them if they treated the apostles roughly. 27 Then they brought the apostles in before the council. 28 " Didn't we tell you never again to teach in this man's name?" the high priest demanded. " Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about Jesus, and you intend to blame us for his death!" 29 But Peter and the apostles replied, " We must obey God rather than human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by crucifying him. 31 Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this to give the people of Israel an opportunity to turn from their sins and turn to God so their sins would be forgiven. 32 We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him." 33 At this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one member had a different perspective. He was a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert on religious law and was very popular with the people. He stood up and ordered that the apostles be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 35 Then he addressed his colleagues as follows: " Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About four hundred others joined him, but he was killed, and his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. 37 After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got some people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered. 38 " So my advice is, leave these men alone. If they are teaching and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God." 40 The council accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. 41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus. 42 And every day, in the Temple and in their homes, they continued to teach and preach this message: " The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus."

PSALM 125:1-5
A song for the ascent to Jerusalem.
1 Those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion;
they will not be defeated but will endure forever.
2 Just as the mountains surround and protect Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds and protects his people, both now and forever.
3 The wicked will not rule the godly,
for then the godly might be forced to do wrong.
4 O LORD, do good to those who are good,
whose hearts are in tune with you.
5 But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O LORD.
Take them away with those who do evil.
And let Israel have quietness and peace.

PROVERBS 16:25
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

June 6 Reading through the Bible!

1 KINGS 1:1-53
ACTS 4:1-37
PSALM 124:1-8
PROVERBS 16:24

1 KINGS 1:1-53
Now King David was very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm. 2 So his advisers told him, " We will find a young virgin who will wait on you and be your nurse. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm." 3 So they searched throughout the country for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king. 4 The girl was very beautiful, and she waited on the king and took care of him. But the king had no sexual relations with her. 5 About that time David's son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, decided to make himself king in place of his aged father. So he provided himself with chariots and horses and recruited fifty men to run in front of him. 6 Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, " What are you doing?" Adonijah was a very handsome man and had been born next after Absalom. 7 Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king. 8 But among those who remained loyal to David and refused to support Adonijah were Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's personal bodyguard. 9 Adonijah went to the stone of Zoheleth near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers--the other sons of King David--and all the royal officials of Judah. 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, or Benaiah, or the king's bodyguard, or his brother Solomon. 11 Then Nathan the prophet went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and asked her, " Did you realize that Haggith's son, Adonijah, has made himself king and that our lord David doesn't even know about it? 12 If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my counsel. 13 Go at once to King David and say to him, ` My lord, didn't you promise me that my son Solomon would be the next king and would sit upon your throne? Then why has Adonijah become king?' 14 And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said." 15 So Bathsheba went into the king's bedroom. He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him. 16 Bathsheba bowed low before him. " What can I do for you?" he asked her. 17 She replied, " My lord, you vowed to me by the LORD your God that my son Solomon would be the next king and would sit on your throne. 18 But instead, Adonijah has become the new king, and you do not even know about it. 19 He has sacrificed many oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all your sons and Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon. 20 And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for your decision as to who will become king after you. 21 If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as you are dead." 22 While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23 The king's advisers told him, " Nathan the prophet is here to see you." Nathan went in and bowed low before the king. 24 He asked, " My lord, have you decided that Adonijah will be the next king and that he will sit on your throne? 25 Today he has sacrificed many oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited your sons to attend the celebration. He also invited Joab, the commander of the army, and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ` Long live King Adonijah!' 26 But I myself, your servant, was not invited; neither were Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor Solomon. 27 Has my lord really done this without letting any of his servants know who should be the next king?" 28 " Call Bathsheba," David said. So she came back in and stood before the king. 29 And the king vowed, " As surely as the LORD lives, who has rescued me from every danger, 30 today I decree that your son Solomon will be the next king and will sit on my throne, just as I swore to you before the LORD, the God of Israel." 31 Then Bathsheba bowed low before him again and exclaimed, " May my lord King David live forever!" 32 Then King David ordered, " Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." When they came into the king's presence, 33 the king said to them, " Take Solomon and my officers down to Gihon Spring. Solomon is to ride on my personal mule. 34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the trumpets and shout, ` Long live King Solomon!' 35 When you bring him back here, he will sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king, for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah." 36 " Amen!" Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied. " May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, decree it to be so. 37 And may the LORD be with Solomon as he has been with you, and may he make Solomon's reign even greater than yours!" 38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king's bodyguard took Solomon down to Gihon Spring, and Solomon rode on King David's personal mule. 39 There Zadok the priest took a flask of olive oil from the sacred tent and poured it on Solomon's head. Then the trumpets were blown, and all the people shouted, " Long live King Solomon!" 40 And all the people returned with Solomon to Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound. 41 Adonijah and his guests heard the celebrating and shouting just as they were finishing their banquet. When Joab heard the sound of trumpets, he asked, " What's going on? Why is the city in such an uproar?" 42 And while he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. " Come in," Adonijah said to him, " for you are a good man. You must have good news." 43 " Not at all!" Jonathan replied. " Our lord King David has just declared Solomon king! 44 The king sent him down to Gihon Spring with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, protected by the king's bodyguard. They had him ride on the king's own mule, 45 and Zadok and Nathan have anointed him as the new king. They have just returned, and the whole city is celebrating and rejoicing. That's what all the noise is about. 46 Moreover, Solomon is now sitting on the royal throne as king. 47 All the royal officials went to King David and congratulated him, saying, ` May your God make Solomon's fame even greater than your own, and may Solomon's kingdom be even greater than yours!' Then the king bowed his head in worship as he lay in his bed, 48 and he spoke these words: ` Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who today has chosen someone to sit on my throne while I am still alive to see it.' " 49 Then all of Adonijah's guests jumped up in panic from the banquet table and quickly went their separate ways. 50 Adonijah himself was afraid of Solomon, so he rushed to the sacred tent and caught hold of the horns of the altar. 51 Word soon reached Solomon that Adonijah had seized the horns of the altar and that he was pleading, " Let Solomon swear today that he will not kill me!" 52 Solomon replied, " If he proves himself to be loyal, he will not be harmed. But if he does not, he will die." 53 So King Solomon summoned Adonijah, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed low before the king, and Solomon dismissed him, saying, " Go on home."

ACTS 4:1-37
While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the leading priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees came over to them. 2 They were very disturbed that Peter and John were claiming, on the authority of Jesus, that there is a resurrection of the dead. 3 They arrested them and, since it was already evening, jailed them until morning. 4 But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so that the number of believers totaled about five thousand men, not counting women and children. 5 The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. 7 They brought in the two disciples and demanded, " By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, " Leaders and elders of our nation, 9 are we being questioned because we've done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? 10 Let me clearly state to you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed in the name and power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, the man you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead. 11 For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ` The stone that you builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.'
12 There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them." 13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men who had had no special training. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. 14 But since the man who had been healed was standing right there among them, the council had nothing to say. 15 So they sent Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves. 16 " What should we do with these men?" they asked each other. " We can't deny they have done a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17 But perhaps we can stop them from spreading their propaganda. We'll warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus' name again." 18 So they called the apostles back in and told them never again to speak or teach about Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, " Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard."21 The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn't know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God 22 for this miraculous sign--the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years. 23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John found the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 Then all the believers were united as they lifted their voices in prayer: " O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them--25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor King David, your servant, saying, ` Why did the nations rage?
Why did the people waste their time with futile plans?
26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
the rulers gathered together
against the Lord
and against his Messiah.'
27 " That is what has happened here in this city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 In fact, everything they did occurred according to your eternal will and plan. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give your servants great boldness in their preaching. 30 Send your healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 31 After this prayer, the building where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they preached God's message with boldness. 32 All the believers were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had. 33 And the apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great favor was upon them all. 34 There was no poverty among them, because people who owned land or houses sold them 35 and brought the money to the apostles to give to others in need. 36 For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means " Son of Encouragement"). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. 37 He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles for those in need.

PSALM 124:1-8
A song for the ascent to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.
1 If the LORD had not been on our side--
let Israel now say--
2 if the LORD had not been on our side
when people rose up against us,
3 they would have swallowed us alive
because of their burning anger against us.
4 The waters would have engulfed us;
a torrent would have overwhelmed us.
5 Yes, the raging waters of their fury
would have overwhelmed our very lives.
6 Blessed be the LORD,
who did not let their teeth tear us apart!
7 We escaped like a bird from a hunter's trap.
The trap is broken, and we are free!
8 Our help is from the LORD,
who made the heavens and the earth.

PROVERBS 16:24
Kind words are like honey--sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.

June 5 Reading through the Bible!

2 SAMUEL 23:24-24:25
ACTS 3:1-26
PSALM 123:1-4
PROVERBS 16:21-23

2 SAMUEL 23:24-24:25
Other members of the Thirty included: Asahel, Joab's brother; Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem; 25 Shammah from Harod; Elika from Harod; 26 Helez from Pelon; Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; 27 Abiezer from Anathoth; Sibbecai from Hushah; 28 Zalmon from Ahoah; Maharai from Netophah; 29 Heled son of Baanah from Netophah; Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah (from the tribe of Benjamin); 30 Benaiah from Pirathon; Hurai from Nahale-gaash; 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth from Bahurim; 32 Eliahba from Shaalbon; the sons of Jashen; 33 Jonathan son of Shagee from Harar; Ahiam son of Sharar from Harar; 34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai from Maacah; Eliam son of Ahithophel from Giloh; 35 Hezro from Carmel; Paarai from Arba; 36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah; Bani from Gad; 37 Zelek from Ammon; Naharai from Beeroth (Joab's armor bearer); 38 Ira from Jattir; Gareb from Jattir; 39 Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all. 24:1 ONCE again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. " Go and count the people of Israel and Judah," the LORD told him. 2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of his army, " Take a census of all the people in the land--from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south--so that I may know how many people there are." 3 But Joab replied to the king, " May the LORD your God let you live until there are a hundred times as many people in your kingdom as there are now! But why do you want to do this?" 4 But the king insisted that they take the census, so Joab and his officers went out to count the people of Israel. 5 First they crossed the Jordan and camped at Aroer, south of the town in the valley, in the direction of Gad. Then they went on to Jazer, 6 then to Gilead in the land of Tahtim-hodshi and to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon. 7 Then they came to the stronghold of Tyre, and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went south to Judah as far as Beersheba. 8 Having gone through the entire land, they completed their task in nine months and twenty days and then returned to Jerusalem. 9 Joab reported the number of people to the king. There were 800,000 men of military age in Israel and 500,000 in Judah. 10 But after he had taken the census, David's conscience began to bother him. And he said to the LORD, " I have sinned greatly and shouldn't have taken the census. Please forgive me, LORD, for doing this foolish thing." 11 The next morning the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, who was David's seer. This was the message: 12 " Go and say to David, ` This is what the LORD says: I will give you three choices. Choose one of these punishments, and I will do it.' " 13 So Gad came to David and asked him, " Will you choose three years of famine throughout the land, three months of fleeing from your enemies, or three days of severe plague throughout your land? Think this over and let me know what answer to give the LORD." 14 " This is a desperate situation!" David replied to Gad. " But let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great. Do not let me fall into human hands." 15 So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel that morning, and it lasted for three days. Seventy thousand people died throughout the nation. 16 But as the death angel was preparing to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD relented and said to the angel, " Stop! That is enough!" At that moment the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 When David saw the angel, he said to the LORD, " I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are innocent--what have they done? Let your anger fall against me and my family." 18 That day Gad came to David and said to him, " Go and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." 19 So David went to do what the LORD had commanded him. 20 When Araunah saw the king and his men coming toward him, he came forward and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. 21 " Why have you come, my lord?" Araunah asked. And David replied, " I have come to buy your threshing floor and to build an altar to the LORD there, so that the LORD will stop the plague." 22 " Take it, my lord, and use it as you wish," Araunah said to David. " Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and you can use the threshing tools and ox yokes for wood to build a fire on the altar. 23 I will give it all to you, and may the LORD your God accept your sacrifice." 24 But the king replied to Araunah, " No, I insist on buying it, for I cannot present burnt offerings to the LORD my God that have cost me nothing." So David paid him fifty pieces of silver for the threshing floor and the oxen. 25 David built an altar there to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the LORD answered his prayer, and the plague was stopped.

ACTS 3:1-26
Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o'clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. 4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, " Look at us!" 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting a gift. 6 But Peter said, " I don't have any money for you. But I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!" 7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man's feet and anklebones were healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them. 9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. 10 When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! 11 They all rushed out to Solomon's Colonnade, where he was holding tightly to Peter and John. Everyone stood there in awe of the wonderful thing that had happened. 12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. " People of Israel," he said, " what is so astounding about this? And why look at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power and godliness? 13 For it is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of all our ancestors who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate's decision to release him. 14 You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him to life. And we are witnesses of this fact! 16 " The name of Jesus has healed this man--and you know how lame he was before. Faith in Jesus' name has caused this healing before your very eyes. 17 " Friends, I realize that what you did to Jesus was done in ignorance; and the same can be said of your leaders. 18 But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had declared about the Messiah beforehand--that he must suffer all these things. 19 Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins. 20 Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will send Jesus your Messiah to you again. 21 For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his prophets. 22 Moses said, ` The Lord your God will raise up a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.' 23 Then Moses said, ` Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be cut off from God's people and utterly destroyed.' 24 " Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. 25 You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ` Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.' 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways."

PSALM 123:1-4
A song for the ascent to Jerusalem.
1 I lift my eyes to you,
O God, enthroned in heaven.
2 We look to the LORD our God for his mercy,
just as servants keep their eyes on their master,
as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.
3 Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy,
for we have had our fill of contempt.
4 We have had our fill of the scoffing of the proud
and the contempt of the arrogant.

PROVERBS 16:21-23
The wise are known for their understanding, and instruction is appreciated if it's well presented. Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it, but discipline is wasted on fools. From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive.

June 4 Reading through the Bible

2 SAMUEL 22:1-23:23
ACTS 2:1-47
PSALM 122:1-9
PROVERBS 16:19-20

2 SAMUEL 22:1-23:23
David sang this song to the LORD after the LORD had rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. 2 These are the words he sang: " The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
3 my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold,
my high tower, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.
4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
for he saves me from my enemies.
5 " The waves of death surrounded me;
the floods of destruction swept over me.
6 The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
death itself stared me in the face.
7 But in my distress I cried out to the LORD;
yes, I called to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.
8 " Then the earth quaked and trembled;
the foundations of the heavens shook;
they quaked because of his anger.
9 Smoke poured from his nostrils;
fierce flames leaped from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
10 He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
11 Mounted on a mighty angel, he flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
12 He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.
13 A great brightness shone before him,
and bolts of lightning blazed forth.
14 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the Most High gave a mighty shout.
15 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;
his lightning flashed, and they were confused.
16 Then at the command of the LORD,
at the blast of his breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
17 " He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
18 He delivered me from my powerful enemies,
from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
19 They attacked me at a moment when I was weakest,
but the LORD upheld me.
20 He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.
21 The LORD rewarded me for doing right;
he compensated me because of my innocence.
22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
23 For all his laws are constantly before me;
I have never abandoned his principles.
24 I am blameless before God;
I have kept myself from sin.
25 The LORD rewarded me for doing right,
because of my innocence in his sight.
26 " To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
to those with integrity you show integrity.
27 To the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the wicked you show yourself hostile.
28 You rescue those who are humble,
but your eyes are on the proud to humiliate them.
29 O LORD, you are my light;
yes, LORD, you light up my darkness.
30 In your strength I can crush an army;
with my God I can scale any wall.
31 " As for God, his way is perfect.
All the LORD's promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
32 For who is God except the LORD?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
33 God is my strong fortress;
he has made my way safe.
34 He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
leading me safely along the mountain heights.
35 He prepares me for battle;
he strengthens me to draw a bow of bronze.
36 You have given me the shield of your salvation;
your help has made me great.
37 You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.
38 " I chased my enemies and destroyed them;
I did not stop until they were conquered.
39 I consumed them; I struck them down so they could not get up;
they fell beneath my feet.
40 You have armed me with strength for the battle;
you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
41 You made them turn and run;
I have destroyed all who hated me.
42 They called for help, but no one came to rescue them.
They cried to the LORD, but he refused to answer them.
43 I ground them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I swept them into the gutter like dirt.
44 " You gave me victory over my accusers.
You preserved me as the ruler over nations;
people I don't even know now serve me.
45 Foreigners cringe before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they submit.
46 They all lose their courage
and come trembling from their strongholds.
47 " The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock!
May God, the rock of my salvation, be exalted!
48 He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
he subdues the nations under me
49 and rescues me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
you save me from violent opponents.
50 For this, O LORD, I will praise you among the nations;
I will sing joyfully to your name.
51 You give great victories to your king;
you show unfailing love to your anointed,
to David and all his descendants forever."
23:1 THESE are the last words of David: " David, the son of Jesse, speaks--
David, the man to whom God gave such wonderful success,
David, the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
David, the sweet psalmist of Israel.
2 " The Spirit of the LORD speaks through me;
his words are upon my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke.
The Rock of Israel said to me:
` The person who rules righteously,
who rules in the fear of God,
4 he is like the light of the morning,
like the sunrise bursting forth in a cloudless sky,
like the refreshing rains that bring tender grass from the earth.'
5 " It is my family God has chosen!
Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me.
His agreement is eternal, final, sealed.
He will constantly look after my safety and success.
6 But the godless are like thorns to be thrown away,
for they tear the hand that touches them.
7 One must be armed to chop them down;
they will be utterly consumed with fire."
8 These are the names of David's mightiest men. The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite, who was commander of the Three--the three greatest warriors among David's men. He once used his spear to kill eight hundred enemy warriors in a single battle. 9 Next in rank among the Three was Eleazar son of Dodai, a descendant of Ahoah. Once Eleazar and David stood together against the Philistines when the entire Israelite army had fled. 10 He killed Philistines until his hand was too tired to lift his sword, and the LORD gave him a great victory that day. The rest of the army did not return until it was time to collect the plunder! 11 Next in rank was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils. The Israelite army fled, 12 but Shammah held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory. 13 Once during harvest time, when David was at the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty--an elite group among David's fighting men) went down to meet him there. 14 David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem. 15 David remarked longingly to his men, " Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well in Bethlehem, the one by the gate." 16 So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out before the LORD. 17 " The LORD forbid that I should drink this!" he exclaimed. " This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me." So David did not drink it. This is an example of the exploits of the Three.18 Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty. He once used his spear to kill three hundred enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three. 19 Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three. 20 There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two of Moab's mightiest warriors. Another time he chased a lion down into a pit. Then, despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it. 21 Another time, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with it. 22 These are some of the deeds that made Benaiah almost as famous as the Three. 23 He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him commander of his bodyguard.

ACTS 2:1-47
On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus' resurrection, the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. 5 Godly Jews from many nations were living in Jerusalem at that time. 6 When they heard this sound, they came running to see what it was all about, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. 7 They were beside themselves with wonder. " How can this be?" they exclaimed. " These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking the languages of the lands where we were born! 9 Here we are--Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya toward Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), 11 Cretans, and Arabians. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!" 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. " What can this mean?" they asked each other. 13 But others in the crowd were mocking. " They're drunk, that's all!" they said. 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, " Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 Some of you are saying these people are drunk. It isn't true! It's much too early for that. People don't get drunk by nine o'clock in the morning. 16 No, what you see this morning was predicted centuries ago by the prophet Joel:17 ` In the last days, God said,
I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
upon all my servants, men and women alike,
and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below--
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned into darkness,
and the moon will turn bloodred,
before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21 And anyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.'
22 " People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus of Nazareth by doing wonderful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23 But you followed God's prearranged plan. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to the cross and murdered him. 24 However, God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life again, for death could not keep him in its grip. 25 King David said this about him: ` I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
26 No wonder my heart is filled with joy,
and my mouth shouts his praises!
My body rests in hope.
27 For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
28 You have shown me the way of life,
and you will give me wonderful joy in your presence.'
29 " Dear brothers, think about this! David wasn't referring to himself when he spoke these words I have quoted, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. 30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David's own descendants would sit on David's throne as the Messiah. 31 David was looking into the future and predicting the Messiah's resurrection. He was saying that the Messiah would not be left among the dead and that his body would not rot in the grave. 32 " This prophecy was speaking of Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, and we all are witnesses of this. 33 Now he sits on the throne of highest honor in heaven, at God's right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 34 For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said, ` The LORD said to my Lord,
Sit in honor at my right hand
35 until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.'
36 So let it be clearly known by everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah!" 37 Peter's words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, " Brothers, what should we do?" 38 Peter replied, " Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles--all who have been called by the Lord our God." 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, " Save yourselves from this generation that has gone astray!" 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church--about three thousand in all. 42 They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord's Supper and in prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity--47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.

PSALM 122:1-9
A song for the ascent to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.
1 I was glad when they said to me,
" Let us go to the house of the LORD."
2 And now we are standing here
inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is a well-built city,
knit together as a single unit.
4 All the people of Israel--the LORD's people--
make their pilgrimage here.
They come to give thanks to the name of the LORD
as the law requires.
5 Here stand the thrones where judgment is given,
the thrones of the dynasty of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
May all who love this city prosper.
7 O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls
and prosperity in your palaces.
8 For the sake of my family and friends, I will say,
" Peace be with you."
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.

PROVERBS 16:19-20
It is better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud. Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will be happy.

June 3 Reading through the Bible

2 SAMUEL 20:14-21:22
ACTS 1:1-26
PSALM 121:1-8
PROVERBS 16:18

2 SAMUEL 20:14-21:22
Meanwhile, Sheba had traveled across Israel to mobilize his own clan of Bicri at the city of Abel-beth-maacah. 15 When Joab's forces arrived, they attacked Abel-beth-maacah and built a ramp against the city wall and began battering it down. 16 But a wise woman in the city called out to Joab, " Listen to me, Joab. Come over here so I can talk to you." 17 As he approached, the woman asked, " Are you Joab?" " I am," he replied. So she said, " Listen carefully to your servant." " I'm listening," he said. 18 Then she continued, " There used to be a saying, ` If you want to settle an argument, ask advice at the city of Abel.' 19 I am one who is peace loving and faithful in Israel. But you are destroying a loyal city. Why do you want to destroy what belongs to the LORD?" 20 And Joab replied, " Believe me, I don't want to destroy your city! 21 All I want is a man named Sheba son of Bicri from the hill country of Ephraim, who has revolted against King David. If you hand him over to me, we will leave the city in peace."" All right," the woman replied, " we will throw his head over the wall to you." 22 Then the woman went to the people with her wise advice, and they cut off Sheba's head and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet and called his troops back from the attack, and they all returned to their homes. Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem. 23 Joab once again became the commander of David's army. Benaiah son of Jehoiada was commander of the king's bodyguard. 24 Adoniram was in charge of the labor force. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian. 25 Sheva was the court secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests. 26 Ira the Jairite was David's personal priest. 21:1 THERE was a famine during David's reign that lasted for three years, so David asked the LORD about it. And the LORD said, " The famine has come because Saul and his family are guilty of murdering the Gibeonites." 2 So King David summoned the Gibeonites. They were not part of Israel but were all that was left of the nation of the Amorites. Israel had sworn not to kill them, but Saul, in his zeal, had tried to wipe them out. 3 David asked them, " What can I do for you to make amends? Tell me so that the LORD will bless his people again." 4 " Well, money won't do it," the Gibeonites replied. " And we don't want to see the Israelites executed in revenge." " What can I do then?" David asked. " Just tell me and I will do it for you." 5 Then they replied, " It was Saul who planned to destroy us, to keep us from having any place at all in Israel. 6 So let seven of Saul's sons or grandsons be handed over to us, and we will execute them before the LORD at Gibeon, on the mountain of the LORD." " All right," the king said, " I will do it." 7 David spared Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, who was Saul's grandson, because of the oath David and Jonathan had sworn before the LORD. 8 But he gave them Saul's two sons Armoni and Mephibosheth, whose mother was Rizpah daughter of Aiah. He also gave them the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab, the wife of Adriel son of Barzillai from Meholah. 9 The men of Gibeon executed them on the mountain before the LORD. So all seven of them died together at the beginning of the barley harvest.10 Then Rizpah, the mother of two of the men, spread sackcloth on a rock and stayed there the entire harvest season. She prevented vultures from tearing at their bodies during the day and stopped wild animals from eating them at night. 11 When David learned what Rizpah, Saul's concubine, had done, 12 he went to the people of Jabesh-gilead and asked for the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. (When Saul and Jonathan had died in a battle with the Philistines, it was the people of Jabesh-gilead who had retrieved their bodies from the public square of the Philistine city of Beth-shan.) 13 So David brought the bones of Saul and Jonathan, as well as the bones of the men the Gibeonites had executed. 14 He buried them all in the tomb of Kish, Saul's father, at the town of Zela in the land of Benjamin. After that, God ended the famine in the land of Israel. 15 Once again the Philistines were at war with Israel. And when David and his men were in the thick of battle, David became weak and exhausted. 16 Ishbi-benob was a descendant of the giants; his bronze spearhead weighed more than seven pounds, and he was armed with a new sword. He had cornered David and was about to kill him. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his rescue and killed the Philistine. After that, David's men declared, " You are not going out to battle again! Why should we risk snuffing out the light of Israel?"18 After this, there was another battle against the Philistines at Gob. As they fought, Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, another descendant of the giants. 19 In still another battle at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair from Bethlehem killed the brother of Goliath of Gath. The handle of his spear was as thick as a weaver's beam! 20 In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot--a descendant of the giants--21 defied and taunted Israel. But he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David's brother Shimea. 22 These four Philistines were descended from the giants of Gath, but they were killed by David and his warriors.

ACTS 1:1-26
Dear Theophilus: In my first book I told you about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he ascended to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions from the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time and proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. On these occasions he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 4 In one of these meetings as he was eating a meal with them, he told them, " Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you about this before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 6 When the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, " Lord, are you going to free Israel now and restore our kingdom?" 7 " The Father sets those dates," he replied, " and they are not for you to know. 8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9 It was not long after he said this that he was taken up into the sky while they were watching, and he disappeared into a cloud. 10 As they were straining their eyes to see him, two white-robed men suddenly stood there among them. 11 They said, " Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!" 12 The apostles were at the Mount of Olives when this happened, so they walked the half mile back to Jerusalem. 13 Then they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying. Here is the list of those who were present:Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the Zealot), and Judas (son of James). 14 They all met together continually for prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. 15 During this time, on a day when about 120 believers* were present, Peter stood up and addressed them as follows: 16 " Brothers, it was necessary for the Scriptures to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided the Temple police to arrest Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. 17 Judas was one of us, chosen to share in the ministry with us." 18 (Judas bought a field with the money he received for his treachery, and falling there, he burst open, spilling out his intestines. 19 The news of his death spread rapidly among all the people of Jerusalem, and they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means " Field of Blood.")20 Peter continued, " This was predicted in the book of Psalms, where it says, ` Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.' And again, ` Let his position be given to someone else.' 21 " So now we must choose another man to take Judas's place. It must be someone who has been with us all the time that we were with the Lord Jesus--22 from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us into heaven. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus' resurrection." 23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they all prayed for the right man to be chosen. " O Lord," they said, " you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen 25 as an apostle to replace Judas the traitor in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs." 26 Then they cast lots, and in this way Matthias was chosen and became an apostle with the other eleven.

PSALM 121:1-8
A song for the ascent to Jerusalem.
1 I look up to the mountains--
does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
who made the heavens and the earth!
3 He will not let you stumble and fall;
the one who watches over you will not sleep.
4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never tires and never sleeps.
5 The LORD himself watches over you!
The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 The sun will not hurt you by day,
nor the moon at night.
7 The LORD keeps you from all evil
and preserves your life.
8 The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.

PROVERBS 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.