April 21 Reading through the Bible

 

JOSHUA 22:21-23:16
LUKE 20:27-47
PSALM 89:14-37
PROVERBS 13:17-19

JOSHUA 22:21-23:16
Then the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered these high officials: 22 " The LORD alone is God! The LORD alone is God! We have not built the altar in rebellion against the LORD. If we have done so, do not spare our lives this day. But the LORD knows, and let all Israel know, too, 23 that we have not built an altar for ourselves to turn away from the LORD. Nor will we use it for our burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings. If we have built it for this purpose, may the LORD himself punish us. 24 " We have built this altar because we fear that in the future your descendants will say to ours, ` What right do you have to worship the LORD, the God of Israel? 25 The LORD has placed the Jordan River as a barrier between our people and your people. You have no claim to the LORD.' And your descendants may make our descendants stop worshiping the LORD. 26 So we decided to build the altar, not for burnt sacrifices, 27 but as a memorial. It will remind our descendants and your descendants that we, too, have the right to worship the LORD at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings. Then your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ` You have no claim to the LORD.' 28 If they say this, our descendants can reply, ` Look at this copy of the LORD's altar that our ancestors made. It is not for burnt offerings or sacrifices; it is a reminder of the relationship both of us have with the LORD.' 29 Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD or turn away from him by building our own altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices. Only the altar of the LORD our God that stands in front of the Tabernacle may be used for that purpose." 30 When Phinehas the priest and the high officials heard this from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, they were satisfied. 31 Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, replied to them, " Today we know the LORD is among us because you have not sinned against the LORD as we thought. Instead, you have rescued Israel from being destroyed by the LORD." 32 Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the ten high officials left the tribes of Reuben and Gad in Gilead and returned to the land of Canaan to tell the Israelites what had happened. 33 And all the Israelites were satisfied and praised God and spoke no more of war against Reuben and Gad. 34 The people of Reuben and Gad named the altar " Witness," for they said, " It is a witness between us and them that the LORD is our God, too."23:1 THE years passed, and the LORD had given the people of Israel rest from all their enemies. Joshua, who was now very old, 2 called together all the elders, leaders, judges, and officers of Israel. He said to them, " I am an old man now. 3 You have seen everything the LORD your God has done for you during my lifetime. The LORD your God has fought for you against your enemies. 4 I have allotted to you as an inheritance all the land of the nations yet unconquered, as well as the land of those we have already conquered--from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 This land will be yours, for the LORD your God will drive out all the people living there now. You will live there instead of them, just as the LORD your God promised you. 6 " So be strong! Be very careful to follow all the instructions written in the Book of the Law of Moses. Do not deviate from them in any way. 7 Make sure you do not associate with the other people still remaining in the land. Do not even mention the names of their gods, much less swear by them or worship them. 8 But be faithful to the LORD your God as you have done until now. 9 " For the LORD has driven out great and powerful nations for you, and no one has yet been able to defeat you. 10 Each one of you will put to flight a thousand of the enemy, for the LORD your God fights for you, just as he has promised. 11 So be very careful to love the LORD your God. 12 " But if you turn away from him and intermarry with the survivors of these nations remaining among you, 13 then know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive them out from your land. Instead, they will be a snare and a trap to you, a pain in your side and a thorn in your eyes, and you will be wiped out from this good land the LORD your God has given you. 14 " Soon I will die, going the way of all the earth. Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the LORD your God has come true. Not a single one has failed! 15 But as surely as the LORD your God has given you the good things he promised, he will also bring disaster on you if you disobey him. He will completely wipe you out from this good land he has given you. 16 If you break the covenant of the LORD your God by worshiping and serving other gods, his anger will burn against you, and you will quickly be wiped out from the good land he has given you."

LUKE 20:27-47
Then some Sadducees stepped forward--a group of Jews who say there is no resurrection after death. 28 They posed this question: " Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will be the brother's heir. 29 Well, there were seven brothers. The oldest married and then died without children. 30 His brother married the widow, but he also died. Still no children. 31 And so it went, one after the other, until each of the seven had married her and died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died, too. 33 So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her!" 34 Jesus replied, " Marriage is for people here on earth. 35 But that is not the way it will be in the age to come. For those worthy of being raised from the dead won't be married then. 36 And they will never die again. In these respects they are like angels. They are children of God raised up to new life. 37 But now, as to whether the dead will be raised--even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord as ` the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' 38 So he is the God of the living, not the dead. They are all alive to him." 39 " Well said, Teacher!" remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there. 40 And that ended their questions; no one dared to ask any more. 41 Then Jesus presented them with a question. " Why is it," he asked, " that the Messiah is said to be the son of David? 42 For David himself wrote in the book of Psalms: ` The LORD said to my Lord,
Sit in honor at my right hand
43 until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.'
44 Since David called him Lord, how can he be his son at the same time?" 45 Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said, 46 " Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they love to parade in flowing robes and to have everyone bow to them as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and at banquets. 47 But they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property, and then, to cover up the kind of people they really are, they make long prayers in public. Because of this, their punishment will be the greater."

PSALM 89:14-37
Your throne is founded on two strong pillars--righteousness and justice.
Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.
15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
for they will walk in the light of your presence, LORD.
16 They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.
They exult in your righteousness.
17 You are their glorious strength.
Our power is based on your favor.
18 Yes, our protection comes from the LORD,
and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.
19 You once spoke in a vision to your prophet and said,
" I have given help to a warrior.
I have selected him from the common people to be king.
20 I have found my servant David.
I have anointed him with my holy oil.
21 I will steady him,
and I will make him strong.
22 His enemies will not get the best of him,
nor will the wicked overpower him.
23 I will beat down his adversaries before him
and destroy those who hate him.
24 My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him,
and he will rise to power because of me.
25 I will extend his rule from the Mediterranean Sea in the west
to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the east.
26 And he will say to me, ` You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation.'
27 I will make him my firstborn son,
the mightiest king on earth.
28 I will love him and be kind to him forever;
my covenant with him will never end.
29 I will preserve an heir for him;
his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven.
30 But if his sons forsake my law
and fail to walk in my ways,
31 if they do not obey my decrees
and fail to keep my commands,
32 then I will punish their sin with the rod,
and their disobedience with beating.
33 But I will never stop loving him,
nor let my promise to him fail.
34 No, I will not break my covenant;
I will not take back a single word I said.
35 I have sworn an oath to David,
and in my holiness I cannot lie:
36 His dynasty will go on forever;
his throne is as secure as the sun,
37 as eternal as the moon,
my faithful witness in the sky!"
Interlude

PROVERBS 13:17-19
An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing. If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept criticism, you will be honored. It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools will not turn from evil to attain them.

April 20 Reading through the Bible

 

JOSHUA 21:1-22:20
LUKE 20:1-26
PSALM 89:1-13
PROVERBS 13:15-16

JOSHUA 21:1-22:20
Then the leaders of the tribe of Levi came to consult with Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the other tribes of Israel. 2 They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, " The LORD instructed Moses to give us towns to live in and pasturelands for our cattle." 3 So by the command of the LORD the Levites were given as their inheritance the following towns with their pasturelands. 4 The descendants of Aaron, who were members of the Kohathite clan within the tribe of Levi, were given thirteen towns that were originally assigned to the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. 5 The other families of the Kohathite clan were allotted ten towns from the territories of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 6 The clan of Gershon received thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. 7 The clan of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. 8 So the Israelites obeyed the LORD's command to Moses and assigned these towns and pasturelands to the Levites by casting sacred lots.9 The Israelites gave the following towns from the tribes of Judah and Simeon 10 to the descendants of Aaron, who were members of the Kohathite clan within the tribe of Levi, since the sacred lot fell to them first: 11 Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding pasturelands. (Arba was an ancestor of Anak.) 12 But the fields beyond the city and the surrounding villages were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. 13 The following towns with their pasturelands were given to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Hebron (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Libnah, 14 Jattir, Eshtemoa, 15 Holon, Debir, 16 Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh--nine towns from these two tribes. 17 From the tribe of Benjamin the priests were given the following towns with their surrounding pasturelands: Gibeon, Geba, 18 Anathoth, and Almon--four towns. 19 So thirteen towns were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron. 20 The rest of the Kohathite clan from the tribe of Levi was allotted these towns and pasturelands from the tribe of Ephraim: 21 Shechem (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Gezer, 22 Kibzaim, and Beth-horon--four towns. 23 The following towns and pasturelands were allotted to the priests from the tribe of Dan: Eltekeh, Gibbethon, 24 Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon--four towns.25 The half-tribe of Manasseh allotted the following towns with their pasturelands to the priests: Taanach and Gath-rimmon--two towns. 26 So ten towns with their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clan. 27 The descendants of Gershon, another clan within the tribe of Levi, received two towns with their pasturelands from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge) and Be-eshterah. 28 From the tribe of Issachar they received Kishion, Daberath, 29 Jarmuth, and En-gannim--four towns with their pasturelands. 30 From the tribe of Asher they received Mishal, Abdon, 31 Helkath, and Rehob--four towns and their pasturelands.32 From the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan--three towns with their pasturelands. 33 So thirteen towns and their pasturelands were allotted to the clan of Gershon.34 The rest of the Levites--the Merari clan--were given the following towns from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah, 35 Dimnah, and Nahalal--four towns with their pasturelands. 36 From the tribe of Reuben they received Bezer, Jahaz, 37 Kedemoth, and Mephaath--four towns with their pasturelands. 38 From the tribe of Gad they received Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge), Mahanaim, 39 Heshbon, and Jazer--four towns with their pasturelands. 40 So twelve towns were allotted to the clan of Merari. 41 The total number of towns and pasturelands within Israelite territory given to the Levites came to forty-eight. 42 Every one of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it. 43 So the LORD gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they conquered it and settled there. 44 And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD helped them conquer all their enemies. 45 All of the good promises that the LORD had given Israel came true.22:1 THEN Joshua called together the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 2 He told them, " You have done as Moses, the servant of the LORD, commanded you, and you have obeyed every order I have given you. 3 You have not deserted the other tribes, even though the campaign has lasted for such a long time. You have been careful to obey the commands of the LORD your God up to the present day. 4 And now the LORD your God has given the other tribes rest, as he promised them. So go home now to the land Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave you on the east side of the Jordan River. 5 But be very careful to obey all the commands and the law that Moses gave to you. Love the LORD your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, be faithful to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul." 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them home. 7 Now Moses had given the land of Bashan to the half-tribe of Manasseh east of the Jordan. The other half of the tribe was given land west of the Jordan. As Joshua sent them away, he blessed them 8 and said, " Share with your relatives back home the great wealth you have taken from your enemies. Share with them your large herds of cattle, your silver and gold, your bronze and iron, and your clothing." 9 So the men of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the rest of Israel at Shiloh in the land of Canaan. They started the journey back to their own land of Gilead, the territory that belonged to them according to the LORD's command through Moses. 10 But while they were still in Canaan, before they crossed the Jordan River, Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built a very large altar near the Jordan River at a place called Geliloth. 11 When the rest of Israel heard they had built the altar at Geliloth west of the Jordan River, in the land of Canaan, 12 the whole assembly gathered at Shiloh and prepared to go to war against their brother tribes. 13 First, however, they sent a delegation led by Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest. They crossed the river to talk with the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 14 In this delegation were ten high officials of Israel, one from each of the ten tribes, and each a leader within the family divisions of Israel. 15 When they arrived in the land of Gilead, they said to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 16 " The whole community of the LORD demands to know why you are betraying the God of Israel. How could you turn away from the LORD and build an altar in rebellion against him? 17 Was our sin at Peor not enough? We are not yet fully cleansed of it, even after the plague that struck the entire assembly of the LORD. 18 And yet today you are turning away from following the LORD. If you rebel against the LORD today, he will be angry with all of us tomorrow. 19 If you need the altar because your land is defiled, then join us on our side of the river, where the LORD lives among us in his Tabernacle, and we will share our land with you. But do not rebel against the LORD or draw us into your rebellion by building another altar for yourselves. There is only one true altar of the LORD our God. 20 Didn't God punish all the people of Israel when Achan, a member of the clan of Zerah, sinned by stealing the things set apart? He was not the only one who died because of that sin."

LUKE 20:1-26
One day as Jesus was teaching and preaching the Good News in the Temple, the leading priests and teachers of religious law and other leaders came up to him. 2 They demanded, " By whose authority did you drive out the merchants from the Temple? Who gave you such authority?" 3 " Let me ask you a question first," he replied. 4 " Did John's baptism come from heaven, or was it merely human?" 5 They talked it over among themselves. " If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe him. 6 But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us, because they are convinced he was a prophet." 7 Finally they replied, " We don't know." 8 And Jesus responded, " Then I won't answer your question either." 9 Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: " A man planted a vineyard, leased it out to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years. 10 At grape-picking time, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. 11 So the owner sent another servant, but the same thing happened; he was beaten up and treated shamefully, and he went away empty-handed. 12 A third man was sent and the same thing happened. He, too, was wounded and chased away.13 " ` What will I do?' the owner asked himself. ` I know! I'll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.' 14 " But when the farmers saw his son, they said to each other, ` Here comes the heir to this estate. Let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!' 15 So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him. " What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to those farmers?" Jesus asked. 16 " I'll tell you--he will come and kill them all and lease the vineyard to others."" But God forbid that such a thing should ever happen," his listeners protested. 17 Jesus looked at them and said, " Then what do the Scriptures mean? ` The stone rejected by the builders
has now become the cornerstone.'
18 All who stumble over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone on whom it falls." 19 When the teachers of religious law and the leading priests heard this story, they wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized he was pointing at them--that they were the farmers in the story. But they were afraid there would be a riot if they arrested him. 20 Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent secret agents pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus. 21 They said, " Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You sincerely teach the ways of God. 22 Now tell us--is it right to pay taxes to the Roman government or not?" 23 He saw through their trickery and said, 24 " Show me a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it?" " Caesar's," they replied. 25 " Well then," he said, " give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." 26 So they failed to trap him in the presence of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they were silenced.

PSALM 89:1-13
A psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite.
1 I will sing of the tender mercies of the LORD forever!
Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
2 Your unfailing love will last forever.
Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.
3 The LORD said, " I have made a solemn agreement with David, my chosen servant.
I have sworn this oath to him:
4 ` I will establish your descendants as kings forever;
they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.' "
Interlude5 All heaven will praise your miracles, LORD;
myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.
6 For who in all of heaven can compare with the LORD?
What mightiest angel is anything like the LORD?
7 The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God.
He is far more awesome than those who surround his throne.
8 O LORD God Almighty!
Where is there anyone as mighty as you, LORD?
Faithfulness is your very character.
9 You are the one who rules the oceans.
When their waves rise in fearful storms, you subdue them.
10 You are the one who crushed the great sea monster.
You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;
everything in the world is yours--you created it all.
12 You created north and south.
Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.
13 Powerful is your arm!
Strong is your hand!
Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.

PROVERBS 13:15-16
A person with good sense is respected; a treacherous person walks a rocky road. Wise people think before they act; fools don't and even brag about it!

April 19 Reading through the Bible

 

JOSHUA 19:1-20:9
LUKE 19:28-48
PSALM 88:1-18
PROVERBS 13:12-14

JOSHUA 19:1-20:9
The second allotment of land went to the families of the tribe of Simeon. Their inheritance was surrounded by Judah's territory. 2 Simeon's inheritance included Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, 3 Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem, 4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 5 Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, 6 Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen--thirteen towns with their villages. 7 It also included Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan--four towns with their villages, 8 including all the villages as far south as Baalath-beer (also known as Ramah of the Negev).This was the inheritance of the families of the tribe of Simeon. 9 Their inheritance came from part of what had been given to Judah because Judah's territory was too large for them. So the tribe of Simeon received an inheritance within the territory of Judah. 10 The third allotment of land went to the families of the tribe of Zebulun. The boundary of Zebulun's inheritance started at Sarid. 11 From there it went west, going past Maralah, touching Dabbe-sheth, and proceeding to the brook east of Jokneam. 12 In the other direction, the boundary line went east from Sarid to the border of Kisloth-tabor, and from there to Daberath and up to Japhia. 13 Then it continued east to Gath-hepher, Eth-kazin, and Rimmon and turned toward Neah. 14 The northern boundary of Zebulun passed Hannathon and ended at the valley of Iphtah-el. 15 The towns in these areas included Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem--twelve towns with their surround-ing villages.16 This was the inheritance of the families of the tribe of Zebulun. 17 The fourth allotment of land went to the families of the tribe of Issachar. 18 Its boundaries included the following towns: Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 21 Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez. 22 The boundary also touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, ending at the Jordan River--sixteen towns with their surround-ing villages.23 This was the inheritance of the families of the tribe of Issachar. 24 The fifth allotment of land went to the families of the tribe of Asher. 25 Its boundaries included these towns: Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph, 26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. The boundary on the west went from Carmel to Shihor-libnath, 27 turned east toward Beth-dagon, and ran as far as Zebulun in the valley of Iphtah-el, running north to Beth-emek and Neiel. It then continued north to Cabul, 28 Abdon, Rehob, Hammon, Kanah, and as far as Greater Sidon. 29 Then the boundary turned toward Ramah and the fortified city of Tyre and came to the Mediterranean Sea at Hosah. The territory also included Mehebel, Aczib, 30 Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob--twenty-two towns with their surrounding villages.31 This was the inheritance of the families of the tribe of Asher. 32 The sixth allotment of land went to the families of the tribe of Naphtali. 33 Its boundary ran from Heleph, from the oak at Zaanannim, and extended across to Adami-nekeb, Jabneel, and as far as Lakkum, ending at the Jordan River. 34 The western boundary ran past Aznoth-tabor, then to Hukkok, and touched the boundary of Zebulun in the south, the boundary of Asher on the west, and the Jordan River on the east. 35 The fortified cities included in this territory were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, 36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 37 Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, 38 Yiron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh--nineteen cities with their surrounding villages.39 This was the inheritance of the families of the tribe of Naphtali. 40 The seventh and last allotment of land went to the families of the tribe of Dan. 41 The towns within Dan's inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 45 Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon, 46 and Me-jarkon, also Rakkon along with the territory across from Joppa. 47 But the tribe of Dan had trouble taking possession of their land, so they fought against the town of Laish. They captured it, slaughtered its people, and settled there. They renamed the city Dan after their ancestor.48 This was the inheritance of the families of the tribe of Dan--these towns with their villages. 49 After all the land was divided among the tribes, the Israelites gave a special piece of land to Joshua as his inheritance. 50 For the LORD had said he could have any town he wanted. He chose Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. He rebuilt the town and lived there. 51 These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the tribal leaders gave as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel by casting sacred lots in the presence of the LORD at the entrance of the Tabernacle at Shiloh. So the division of the land was completed. 20:1 THE LORD said to Joshua, 2 " Now tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed Moses. 3 Anyone who kills another person unintentionally can run to one of these cities and be protected from the relatives of the one who was killed, for the relatives may seek to avenge the killing. 4 " Upon reaching one of these cities, the one who caused the accidental death will appear before the leaders at the city gate and explain what happened. They must allow the accused to enter the city and live there among them. 5 If the relatives of the victim come to avenge the killing, the leaders must not release the accused to them, for the death was accidental. 6 But the person who caused the death must stay in that city and be tried by the community and found innocent. Then the one declared innocent because the death was accidental must continue to live in that city until the death of the high priest who was in office at the time of the accident. After that, the one found innocent is free to return home."7 The following cities were designated as cities of refuge: Kedesh of Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali; Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim; and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah. 8 On the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho, the following cities were designated as cities of refuge: Bezer, in the wilderness plain of the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead, in the territory of the tribe of Gad; and Golan in Bashan, in the land of the tribe of Manasseh. 9 These cities were set apart for Israelites as well as the foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed another person could take refuge in one of these cities. In this way, they could escape being killed in revenge prior to standing trial before the community.

LUKE 19:28-48
After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. 29 As they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. 30 " Go into that village over there," he told them, " and as you enter it, you will see a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ` The Lord needs it.' " 32 So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33 And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, " Why are you untying our colt?" 34 And the disciples simply replied, " The Lord needs it." 35 So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. 36 Then the crowds spread out their coats on the road ahead of Jesus. 37 As they reached the place where the road started down from the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.38 " Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven
and glory in highest heaven!"
39 But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, " Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!" 40 He replied, " If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!"41 But as they came closer to Jerusalem and Jesus saw the city ahead, he began to cry. 42 " I wish that even today you would find the way of peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from you. 43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you. 44 They will crush you to the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you have rejected the opportunity God offered you." 45 Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants from their stalls. 46 He told them, " The Scriptures declare, ` My Temple will be a place of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves." 47 After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him. 48 But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.

PSALM 88:1-18
For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah, to be sung to the tune " The Suffering of Affliction." A psalm of Heman the Ezrahite. A song.
1 O LORD, God of my salvation,
I have cried out to you day and night.
2 Now hear my prayer;
listen to my cry.
3 For my life is full of troubles,
and death draws near.
4 I have been dismissed as one who is dead,
like a strong man with no strength left.
5 They have abandoned me to death,
and I am as good as dead.
I am forgotten,
cut off from your care.
6 You have thrust me down to the lowest pit,
into the darkest depths.
7 Your anger lies heavy on me;
wave after wave engulfs me.
Interlude8 You have caused my friends to loathe me;
you have sent them all away.
I am in a trap with no way of escape.
9 My eyes are blinded by my tears.
Each day I beg for your help, O LORD;
I lift my pleading hands to you for mercy.
10 Of what use to the dead are your miracles?
Do the dead get up and praise you?
Interlude11 Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love?
In the place of destruction, can they proclaim your faithfulness?
12 Can the darkness speak of your miracles?
Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?
13 O LORD, I cry out to you.
I will keep on pleading day by day.
14 O LORD, why do you reject me?
Why do you turn your face away from me?
15 I have been sickly and close to death since my youth.
I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.
16 Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me.
Your terrors have cut me off.
17 They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long.
They have encircled me completely.
18 You have taken away my companions and loved ones;
only darkness remains.

PROVERBS 13:12-14
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy. People who despise advice will find themselves in trouble; those who respect it will succeed. The advice of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.

April 18 Reading through the Bible

 

JOSHUA 16:1-18:28
LUKE 19:1-27
PSALM 87:1-7
PROVERBS 13:11

JOSHUA 16:1-18:28
The allotment to the descendants of Joseph extended from the Jordan River near Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, through the wilderness and into the hill country of Bethel. 2 From Bethel (that is, Luz) it ran over to Ataroth in the territory of the Arkites. 3 Then it descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as Lower Beth-horon, then to Gezer and on over to the Mediterranean Sea.4 The families of Joseph's sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance. 5 The following territory was given to the families of the tribe of Ephraim as their inheritance. The eastern boundary of their inheritance began at Ataroth-addar. From there it ran to Upper Beth-horon, 6 then on to the Mediterranean Sea. The northern boundary began at the Mediterra-nean, ran east past Micmethath, then curved eastward past Taanath-shiloh to the east of Janoah. 7 From Janoah it turned southward to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho, and ended at the Jordan River. 8 From Tappuah the border extended westward, following the Kanah Ravine to the Mediterranean Sea. This is the inheritance given to the families of the tribe of Ephraim. 9 Ephraim was also given some towns with surrounding villages in the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh. 10 They did not drive the Canaanites out of Gezer, however, so the people of Gezer live as slaves among the people of Ephraim to this day.17:1 THE next allotment of land was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph's older son. Gilead and Bashan on the east side of the Jordan had already been given to the family of Makir because he was a great warrior. (Makir was Manasseh's oldest son and was the father of Gilead.) 2 Land on the west side of the Jordan was allotted to the remaining families within the tribe of Manasseh: Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. 3 However, Zelophehad son of Hepher, who was a descendant of Manasseh, Makir, and Gilead, had no sons. Instead, he had five daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4 These women came to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite leaders and said, " The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance along with the men of our tribe." So Joshua gave them an inheritance along with their uncles, as the LORD had commanded. 5 As a result, Manasseh's inheritance came to ten parcels of land, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan across the Jordan River, 6 because the female descendants of Manasseh received an inheritance along with the male descendants. (The land of Gilead was given to the rest of the male descendants of Manasseh.) 7 The boundary of the tribe of Manasseh extended from the border of Asher to Micmethath, which is east of Shechem. Then the boundary went south from Micmethath to the people living near the spring of Tappuah. 8 (The land surrounding Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah, on the border of Manasseh's territory, belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.) 9 From the spring of Tappuah, the border of Manasseh followed the northern side of the Kanah Ravine to the Mediterranean Sea. (Several towns in Manasseh's territory belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.) 10 The land south of the ravine belonged to Ephraim, and the land north of the ravine belonged to Manasseh, with the Mediterranean Sea forming Manasseh's western border. North of Manasseh was the territory of Asher, and to the east was the territory of Issachar. 11 The following towns within the territory of Issachar and Asher were given to Manasseh: Beth-shan, Ibleam, Dor (that is, Naphoth-dor), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, with their respective villages. 12 But the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these towns. They could not drive out the Canaanites who continued to live there. 13 Later on, however, when the Israelites became strong enough, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves. But they did not drive them out of the land.14 The descendants of Joseph came to Joshua and asked, " Why have you given us only one portion of land when the LORD has given us so many people?" 15 Joshua replied, " If the hill country of Ephraim is not large enough for you, clear out land for yourselves in the forest where the Perizzites and Rephaites live." 16 They said, " The hill country is not enough for us, and the Canaanites in the lowlands around Beth-shan and the valley of Jezreel have iron chariots--they are too strong for us." 17 Then Joshua said to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph, " Since you are so large and strong, you will be given more than one portion. 18 The forests of the hill country will be yours as well. Clear as much of the land as you wish and live there. And I am sure you can drive out the Canaanites from the valleys, too, even though they are strong and have iron chariots."18:1 NOW that the land was under Israelite control, the entire Israelite assembly gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle. 2 But there remained seven tribes who had not yet been allotted their inheritance. 3 Then Joshua asked them, " How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given to you? 4 Select three men from each tribe, and I will send them out to survey the unconquered territory. They will return to me with a written report of their proposed divisions of the inheritance. 5 The scouts will map the land into seven sections, excluding Judah's territory in the south and Joseph's territory in the north. 6 Then I will cast sacred lots in the presence of the LORD our God to decide which section will be assigned to each tribe. 7 However, the Levites will not receive any land. Their role as priests of the LORD is their inheritance. And the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh won't receive any more land, for they have already received their inheritance, which Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave them on the east side of the Jordan River." 8 As the men who were mapping out the land started on their way, Joshua commanded them, " Go and survey the land. Then return to me with your written report, and I will assign the land to the tribes by casting sacred lots in the presence of the LORD here at Shiloh." 9 The men did as they were told and mapped the entire territory into seven sections, listing the towns in each section. Then they returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh. 10 There at Shiloh, Joshua cast sacred lots in the presence of the LORD to determine which tribe should have each section.11 The first allotment of land went to the families of the tribe of Benjamin. It lay between the territory previously assigned to the tribes of Judah and Joseph. 12 The northern boundary began at the Jordan River, went north of the slope of Jericho, then west through the hill country and the wilderness of Beth-aven. 13 From there the boundary went south to Luz (that is, Bethel) and pro-ceeded down to Ataroth-addar to the top of the hill south of Lower Beth-horon. 14 The boundary then ran south along the western edge of the hill facing Beth-horon, ending at the village of Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), one of the towns belonging to the tribe of Judah. This was the western boundary. 15 The southern boundary began at the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim. From there it ran westward to the spring at the waters of Nephtoah, 16 and down to the base of the mountain beside the valley of the son of Hinnom, at the northern end of the valley of Rephaim. From there it went down the valley of Hinnom, crossing south of the slope where the Jebusites lived, and continued down to En-rogel. 17 From En-rogel the boundary proceeded northeast to En-shemesh and on to Geliloth (which is across from the slopes of Adummim). Then it went down to the stone of Bohan. (Bohan was Reuben's son.) 18 From there it passed along the north side of the slope overlooking the Jordan Valley. The border then went down into the valley, 19 ran past the north slope of Beth-hoglah, and ended at the north bay of the Dead Sea, which is the southern end of the Jordan River. 20 The eastern boundary was the Jordan River.This was the inheritance for the families of the tribe of Benjamin. 21 These were the towns given to the families of the tribe of Benjamin. Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, 22 Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, 23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, 24 Kephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba--twelve towns with their villages. 25 Also Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 26 Mizpeh, Kephirah, Mozah, 27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28 Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath-jearim--fourteen towns with their villages.This was the inheritance given to the families of the tribe of Benjamin.

LUKE 19:1-27
Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, so he could watch from there. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. " Zacchaeus!" he said. " Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today." 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the crowds were displeased. " He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner," they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, " I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!" 9 Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a son of Abraham. 10 And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost."11 The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away. 12 He said, " A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. 13 Before he left, he called together ten servants and gave them ten pounds of silver to invest for him while he was gone. 14 But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say they did not want him to be their king. 15 " When he returned, the king called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what they had done with the money and what their profits were. 16 The first servant reported a tremendous gain--ten times as much as the original amount! 17 ` Well done!' the king exclaimed. ` You are a trustworthy servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.' 18 " The next servant also reported a good gain--five times the original amount. 19 ` Well done!' the king said. ` You can be governor over five cities.' 20 " But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ` I hid it and kept it safe. 21 I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn't yours and harvesting crops you didn't plant.' 22 " ` You wicked servant!' the king roared. ` Hard, am I? If you knew so much about me and how tough I am, 23 why didn't you deposit the money in the bank so I could at least get some interest on it?' 24 Then turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, ` Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who earned the most.' 25 " ` But, master,' they said, ` that servant has enough already!' 26 " ` Yes,' the king replied, ` but to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who are unfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away. 27 And now about these enemies of mine who didn't want me to be their king--bring them in and execute them right here in my presence.' "

PSALM 87:1-7
A psalm of the descendants of Korah. A song.
1 On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the LORD.
2 He loves the city of Jerusalem
more than any other city in Israel.
3 O city of God,
what glorious things are said of you!
Interlude4 I will record Egypt and Babylon among those who know me--
also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia.
They have all become citizens of Jerusalem!
5 And it will be said of Jerusalem,
" Everyone has become a citizen here."
And the Most High will personally bless this city.
6 When the LORD registers the nations,
he will say, " This one has become a citizen of Jerusalem."
Interlude7 At all the festivals, the people will sing,
" The source of my life is in Jerusalem!"

PROVERBS 13:11
Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows.

April 17 Reading through the Bible

 

JOSHUA 15:1-63
LUKE 18:18-43
PSALM 86:1-17
PROVERBS 13:9-10

JOSHUA 15:1-63
The land assigned to the families of the tribe of Judah reached southward to the border of Edom, with the wilderness of Zin being its southernmost point. 2 The southern boundary began at the south bay of the Dead Sea, 3 ran south of Scorpion Pass into the wilderness of Zin and went south of Kadesh-barnea to Hezron. Then it went up to Addar, where it turned toward Karka. 4 From there it passed to Azmon, until it finally reached the brook of Egypt, which it followed to the Mediterranean Sea. This was their southern boundary. 5 The eastern boundary extended along the Dead Sea to the mouth of the Jordan River. The northern boundary began at the bay where the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea, 6 crossed to Beth-hoglah, then proceeded north of Beth-arabah to the stone of Bohan. (Bohan was Reuben's son.) 7 From that point it went through the valley of Achor to Debir, turning north toward Gilgal, which is across from the slopes of Adummim on the south side of the valley. From there the border extended to the springs at En-shemesh and on to En-rogel. 8 The boundary then passed through the valley of the son of Hinnom, along the southern slopes of the Jebusites, where the city of Jerusalem is located. Then it went west to the top of the mountain above the valley of Hinnom, and on up to the northern end of the valley of Rephaim. 9 From there the border extended from the top of the mountain to the spring at the waters of Nephtoah, and from there to the towns on Mount Ephron. Then it turned toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim). 10 The border circled west of Baalah to Mount Seir, passed along to the town of Kesalon on the northern slope of Mount Jearim, and went down to Beth-shemesh and on to Timnah. 11 The boundary line then proceeded to the slope of the hill north of Ekron, where it turned toward Shikkeron and Mount Baalah. It passed Jabneel and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. 12 The western boundary was the shoreline of the Mediterra-nean Sea.These are the boundaries for the families of the tribe of Judah. 13 The LORD instructed Joshua to assign some of Judah's territory to Caleb son of Jephunneh. So Caleb was given the city of Arba (that is, Hebron), which had been named after Anak's ancestor. 14 Caleb drove out the three Anakites--Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai--descendants of Anak. 15 Then he fought against the people living in the town of Debir (formerly called Kiriath-sepher). 16 Caleb said, " I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher." 17 Othniel, the son of Caleb's brother Kenaz, was the one who conquered it, so Acsah became Othniel's wife. 18 When Acsah married Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for an additional field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, " What is it? What can I do for you?" 19 She said, " Give me a further blessing. You have been kind enough to give me land in the Negev; please give me springs as well." So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.20 This was the inheritance given to the families of the tribe of Judah. 21 The towns of Judah situated along the borders of Edom in the extreme south are Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, 28 Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon. In all, there were twenty-nine of these towns with their surrounding villages. 33 The following towns situated in the western foothills were also given to Judah: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim. In all, there were fourteen towns with their surrounding villages. 37 Also included were Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel, 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 40 Cabbon, Lahmam, Kitlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah--sixteen towns with their surrounding villages. 42 Besides these, there were Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah--nine towns with their surrounding villages. 45 The territory of the tribe of Judah also included all the towns and villages of Ekron. 46 From Ekron the boundary extended west and included the towns near Ashdod with their surrounding villages. 47 It also included Ashdod with its towns and villages and Gaza with its towns and villages, as far as the brook of Egypt and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. 48 Judah also received the follow-ing towns in the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 49 Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh--eleven towns with their surrounding villages. 52 Also included were the towns of Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior--nine towns with their surrounding villages. 55 Besides these, there were Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah--ten towns with their surrounding villages. 58 In addition, there were Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon--six towns with their surrounding villages. 60 There were also Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim) and Rabbah--two towns with their surrounding villages. 61 In the wilderness there were the towns of Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En-gedi--six towns with their surrounding villages.63 But the tribe of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, who lived in the city of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live there among the people of Judah to this day.

LUKE 18:18-43
Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: " Good teacher, what should I do to get eternal life?" 19 " Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked him. " Only God is truly good. 20 But as for your question, you know the commandments: ` Do not commit adultery. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.'" 21 The man replied, " I've obeyed all these commandments since I was a child." 22 " There is still one thing you lack," Jesus said. " Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 23 But when the man heard this, he became sad because he was very rich. 24 Jesus watched him go and then said to his disciples, " How hard it is for rich people to get into the Kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!" 26 Those who heard this said, " Then who in the world can be saved?" 27 He replied, " What is impossible from a human perspective is possible with God." 28 Peter said, " We have left our homes and followed you." 29 " Yes," Jesus replied, " and I assure you, everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, 30 will be repaid many times over in this life, as well as receiving eternal life in the world to come." 31 Gathering the twelve disciples around him, Jesus told them, " As you know, we are going to Jerusalem. And when we get there, all the predictions of the ancient prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true. 32 He will be handed over to the Romans to be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon. 33 They will whip him and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again." 34 But they didn't understand a thing he said. Its significance was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about. 35 As they approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. 36 When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was going by. 38 So he began shouting, " Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 39 The crowds ahead of Jesus tried to hush the man, but he only shouted louder, " Son of David, have mercy on me!"40 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. 41 Then Jesus asked the man, " What do you want me to do for you?" " Lord," he pleaded, " I want to see!" 42 And Jesus said, " All right, you can see! Your faith has healed you." 43 Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.

PSALM 86:1-17
A prayer of David.
1 Bend down, O LORD, and hear my prayer;
answer me, for I need your help.
2 Protect me, for I am devoted to you.
Save me, for I serve you and trust you.
You are my God.
3 Be merciful, O Lord,
for I am calling on you constantly.
4 Give me happiness, O Lord,
for my life depends on you.
5 O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,
so full of unfailing love for all who ask your aid.
6 Listen closely to my prayer, O LORD;
hear my urgent cry.
7 I will call to you whenever trouble strikes,
and you will answer me.
8 Nowhere among the pagan gods is there a god like you, O Lord.
There are no other miracles like yours.
9 All the nations--and you made each one--
will come and bow before you, Lord;
they will praise your great and holy name.
10 For you are great and perform great miracles.
You alone are God.
11 Teach me your ways, O LORD,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
that I may honor you.
12 With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
I will give glory to your name forever,
13 for your love for me is very great.
You have rescued me from the depths of death!
14 O God, insolent people rise up against me;
violent people are trying to kill me.
And you mean nothing to them.
15 But you, O Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,
slow to get angry,
full of unfailing love and truth.
16 Look down and have mercy on me.
Give strength to your servant;
yes, save me, for I am your servant.
17 Send me a sign of your favor.
Then those who hate me will be put to shame,
for you, O LORD, help and comfort me.

PROVERBS 13:9-10
The life of the godly is full of light and joy, but the sinner's light is snuffed out. Pride leads to arguments; those who take advice are wise.

April 16 Reading through the Bible

 

JOSHUA 13:1-14:15
LUKE 18:1-17
PSALM 85:1-13
PROVERBS 13:7-8

JOSHUA 13:1-14:15
When Joshua was an old man, the LORD said to him, " You are growing old, and much land remains to be conquered. 2 The people still need to occupy the land of the Philistines and the Geshurites--3 territory that belongs to the Canaanites. This land extends from the stream of Shihor, which is on the boundary of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, 4 and includes the five Philistine cities of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. The land of the Avvites in the south also remains to be conquered. In the north, this area has not yet been conquered: all the land of the Canaanites, including Mearah (which belongs to the Sidonians), stretching northward to Aphek on the border of the Amorites; 5 the land of the Gebalites and all of the Lebanon mountain area to the east, from Baal-gad beneath Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath; 6 and all the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, including all the land of the Sidonians. " I will drive these people out of the land for the Israelites. So be sure to give this land to Israel as a special possession, just as I have commanded you. 7 Include all this territory as Israel's inheritance when you divide the land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh."8 Half the tribe of Manasseh and the tribes of Reuben and Gad had already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan, for Moses, the servant of the LORD, had previously assigned this land to them. 9 Their territory extended from Aroer on the edge of the Arnon Gorge (including the town in the middle of the gorge) to the plain beyond Medeba, as far as Dibon. 10 It also included all the towns of King Sihon of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and extended as far as the borders of Ammon. 11 It included Gilead, the territory of the kingdoms of Geshur and Maacah, all of Mount Hermon, all of Bashan as far as Salecah, 12 and all the territory of King Og of Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. King Og was the last of the Rephaites, for Moses had attacked them and driven them out. 13 But the Israelites failed to drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.14 Moses did not assign any land to the tribe of Levi. Instead, as the LORD had promised them, their inheritance came from the offerings burned on the altar to the LORD, the God of Israel. 15 Moses had assigned the following area to the families of the tribe of Reuben. 16 Their territory extended from Aroer on the edge of the Arnon Gorge (including the town in the middle of the gorge) to the plain beyond Medeba. 17 It included Heshbon and the other towns on the plain--Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth-shahar on the hill above the valley, 20 Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth. 21 The land of Reuben also included all the towns of the plain and the entire kingdom of Sihon. Sihon was the Amorite king who had reigned in Heshbon and was killed by Moses along with the chiefs of Midian--Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba--princes living in the region who were allied with Sihon. 22 The Israelites also killed Balaam the magician, the son of Beor. 23 The Jordan River marked the western boundary for the tribe of Reuben. The towns and villages in this area were given as an inheritance to the families of the tribe of Reuben.24 Moses had assigned the following area to the families of the tribe of Gad. 25 Their territory included Jazer, all the towns of Gilead, and half of the land of Ammon, as far as the town of Aroer just west of Rabbah. 26 It extended from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to Lo-debar. 27 In the valley were Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, Zaphon, and the rest of the kingdom of King Sihon of Heshbon. The Jordan River was the western border, extending as far north as the Sea of Galilee. 28 The towns and villages in this area were given as an inheritance to the families of the tribe of Gad.29 Moses had assigned the following area to the families of the half-tribe of Manasseh. 30 Their territory extended from Mahanaim, including all of Bashan, all the former kingdom of King Og, and the sixty towns of Jair in Bashan. 31 It also included half of Gilead and King Og's royal cities of Ashtaroth and Edrei. All this was given to the descendants of Makir, who was Manasseh's son.32 These are the allotments Moses had made while he was on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River, east of Jericho. 33 But Moses gave no land to the tribe of Levi, for the LORD, the God of Israel, had promised to be their inheritance. 14:1 THE remaining tribes of Israel inherited land in Canaan as allotted by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the tribal leaders. 2 These nine and a half tribes received their inheritance by means of sacred lots, in accordance with the LORD's command through Moses. 3 Moses had already given an inheritance of land to the two and a half tribes on the east side of the Jordan River. 4 The tribe of Joseph had become two separate tribes--Manasseh and Ephraim. And the Levites were given no land at all, only towns to live in and the surrounding pasturelands for their flocks and herds. 5 So the distribution of the land was in strict accordance with the LORD's instructions to Moses. 6 A delegation from the tribe of Judah, led by Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb said to Joshua, " Remember what the LORD said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at Kadesh-barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the LORD, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave from my heart a good report, 8 but my brothers who went with me frightened the people and discouraged them from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I followed the LORD my God completely. 9 So that day Moses promised me, ` The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your special possession and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God.' 10 " Now, as you can see, the LORD has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise--even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. 11 I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. 12 So I'm asking you to give me the hill country that the LORD promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the Anakites living there in great, walled cities. But if the LORD is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the LORD said." 13 So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as an inheritance. 14 Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the LORD, the God of Israel. 15 (Previously Hebron had been called Kiriath-arba. It had been named after Arba, a great hero of the Anakites.) And the land had rest from war.


LUKE 18:1-17
One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up. 2 " There was a judge in a certain city," he said, " who was a godless man with great contempt for everyone. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, appealing for justice against someone who had harmed her. 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but eventually she wore him out. ` I fear neither God nor man,' he said to himself, 5 ` but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!' " 6 Then the Lord said, " Learn a lesson from this evil judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end, so don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who plead with him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when I, the Son of Man, return, how many will I find who have faith?" 9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else: 10 " Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. 11 The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ` I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' 13 " But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ` O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored."15 One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch them and bless them, but the disciples told them not to bother him. 16 Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, " Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God."

PSALM 85:1-13
For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
1 LORD, you have poured out amazing blessings on your land!
You have restored the fortunes of Israel.
2 You have forgiven the guilt of your people--
yes, you have covered all their sins.
Interlude3 You have withdrawn your fury.
You have ended your blazing anger.
4 Now turn to us again, O God of our salvation.
Put aside your anger against us.
5 Will you be angry with us always?
Will you prolong your wrath to distant generations?
6 Won't you revive us again,
so your people can rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, O LORD,
and grant us your salvation.
8 I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying,
for he speaks peace to his people, his faithful ones.
But let them not return to their foolish ways.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who honor him;
our land will be filled with his glory.
10 Unfailing love and truth have met together.
Righteousness and peace have kissed!
11 Truth springs up from the earth,
and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
12 Yes, the LORD pours down his blessings.
Our land will yield its bountiful crops.
13 Righteousness goes as a herald before him,
preparing the way for his steps.

PROVERBS 13:7-8
Some who are poor pretend to be rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor. The rich can pay a ransom, but the poor won't even get threatened.

April 15 Reading through the Bible

 

JOSHUA 11:1-12:24
LUKE 17:11-37
PSALM 84:1-12
PROVERBS 13:5-6

JOSHUA 11:1-12:24
When King Jabin of Hazor heard what had happened, he sent urgent messages to the following kings: King Jobab of Madon; the king of Shimron; the king of Acshaph; 2 all the kings of the northern hill country; the kings in the Jordan Valley south of Galilee; the kings in the western foothills; the kings of Naphoth-dor on the west; 3 the kings of Canaan, both east and west; the kings of the Amorites; the kings of the Hittites; the kings of the Perizzites; the kings in the Jebusite hill country; and the Hivites in the towns on the slopes of Mount Hermon, in the land of Mizpah. 4 All these kings responded by mobilizing their warriors and uniting to fight against Israel. Their combined armies, along with a vast array of horses and chariots, covered the landscape like the sand on the seashore. 5 They established their camp around the water near Merom to fight against Israel. 6 Then the LORD said to Joshua, " Do not be afraid of them. By this time tomorrow they will all be dead. Cripple their horses and burn their chariots." 7 So Joshua and his warriors traveled to the water near Merom and attacked suddenly. 8 And the LORD gave them victory over their enemies. The Israelites chased them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward into the valley of Mizpah, until not one enemy warrior was left alive. 9 Then Joshua crippled the horses and burned all the chariots, as the LORD had instructed.10 Joshua then turned back and captured Hazor and killed its king. (Hazor had at one time been the capital of the federation of all these kingdoms.) 11 The Israelites completely destroyed every living thing in the city. Not a single person was spared. And then Joshua burned the city. 12 Joshua slaughtered all the other kings and their people, completely destroying them, just as Moses, the servant of the LORD, had commanded. 13 However, Joshua did not burn any of the cities built on mounds except Hazor. 14 And the Israelites took all the captured goods and cattle of the ravaged cities for themselves, but they killed all the people. 15 As the LORD had commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua. And Joshua did as he was told, carefully obeying all of the LORD's instructions to Moses. 16 So Joshua conquered the entire region--the hill country, the Negev, the land of Goshen, the western foothills, the Jordan Valley, and the mountains and lowlands of Israel. 17 The Israelite territory now extended all the way from Mount Halak, which leads up to Seir, to Baal-gad at the foot of Mount Hermon in the valley of Lebanon. Joshua killed all the kings of those territories, 18 waging war for a long time to accomplish this. 19 No one in this region made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites of Gibeon. All the others were defeated. 20 For the LORD hardened their hearts and caused them to fight the Israelites instead of asking for peace. So they were completely and mercilessly destroyed, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 21 During this period, Joshua destroyed all the descendants of Anak, who lived in the hill country of Hebron, Debir, Anab, and the entire hill country of Judah and Israel. He killed them all and completely destroyed their towns. 22 Not one was left in all the land of Israel, though some still remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. 23 So Joshua took control of the entire land, just as the LORD had instructed Moses. He gave it to the people of Israel as their special possession, dividing the land among the tribes. So the land finally had rest from war.12:1 THESE are the kings east of the Jordan River who had been killed and whose land was taken. Their territory extended from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon and included all the land east of the Jordan Valley. 2 King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, was defeated. His kingdom included Aroer, on the edge of the Arnon Gorge, and extended from the middle of the Arnon Gorge to the Jabbok River, which serves as a boundary for the Ammonites. This territory included half of the present area of Gilead, which lies north of the Jabbok River. 3 Sihon also controlled the Jordan Valley as far north as the western shores of the Sea of Galilee and as far south as the Dead Sea, from Beth-jeshimoth to the slopes of Pisgah. 4 King Og of Bashan, the last of the Rephaites, lived at Ashtaroth and Edrei. 5 He ruled a territory stretching from Mount Hermon to Salecah in the north and to all of Bashan in the east, and westward to the boundaries of the kingdoms of Geshur and Maacah. His kingdom included the northern half of Gilead, the other portion of which was in the territory of King Sihon of Heshbon. 6 Moses, the servant of the LORD, and the Israelites had destroyed the people of King Sihon and King Og. And Moses gave their land to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 7 The following is a list of the kings Joshua and the Israelite armies defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, which leads up to Seir. (Joshua allotted this land to the tribes of Israel as their inheritance, 8 including the hill country, the western foothills, the Jordan Valley, the mountain slopes, the Judean wilderness, and the Negev. The people who lived in this region were the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.) These are the kings Israel defeated:9 The king of Jericho The king of Ai, near Bethel 10 The king of Jerusalem The king of Hebron 11 The king of Jarmuth The king of Lachish 12 The king of Eglon The king of Gezer 13 The king of Debir The king of Geder 14 The king of Hormah The king of Arad 15 The king of Libnah The king of Adullam 16 The king of Makkedah The king of Bethel 17 The king of Tappuah The king of Hepher 18 The king of Aphek The king of Lasharon 19 The king of Madon The king of Hazor 20 The king of Shimron-meron The king of Acshaph 21 The king of Taanach The king of Megiddo 22 The king of Kedesh The king of Jokneam in Carmel 23 The king of Dor in the city of Naphoth-dor The king of Goyim in Gilgal 24 The king of Tirzah. In all, thirty-one kings and their cities were destroyed.

LUKE 17:11-37
As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13 crying out, " Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14 He looked at them and said, " Go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, their leprosy disappeared. 15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, " Praise God, I'm healed!" 16 He fell face down on the ground at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, " Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Does only this foreigner return to give glory to God?" 19 And Jesus said to the man, " Stand up and go. Your faith has made you well." 20 One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, " When will the Kingdom of God come?"Jesus replied, " The Kingdom of God isn't ushered in with visible signs. 21 You won't be able to say, ` Here it is!' or ` It's over there!' For the Kingdom of God is among you." 22 Later he talked again about this with his disciples. " The time is coming when you will long to share in the days of the Son of Man, but you won't be able to," he said. 23 " Reports will reach you that the Son of Man has returned and that he is in this place or that. Don't believe such reports or go out to look for him. 24 For when the Son of Man returns, you will know it beyond all doubt. It will be as evident as the lightning that flashes across the sky. 25 But first the Son of Man must suffer terribly and be rejected by this generation. 26 " When the Son of Man returns, the world will be like the people were in Noah's day. 27 In those days before the flood, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came to destroy them all. 28 " And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business--eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building--29 until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Yes, it will be ` business as usual' right up to the hour when the Son of Man returns. 31 On that day a person outside the house must not go into the house to pack. A person in the field must not return to town. 32 Remember what happened to Lot's wife! 33 Whoever clings to this life will lose it, and whoever loses this life will save it. 34 That night two people will be asleep in one bed; one will be taken away, and the other will be left. 35 Two women will be grinding flour together at the mill; one will be taken, the other left." 37 " Lord, where will this happen?" the disciples asked. Jesus replied, " Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near."

PSALM 84:1-12
For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty.
2 I long, yes, I faint with longing
to enter the courts of the LORD.
With my whole being, body and soul,
I will shout joyfully to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home there,
and the swallow builds her nest
and raises her young--
at a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God!
4 How happy are those who can live in your house,
always singing your praises.
Interlude5 Happy are those who are strong in the LORD,
who set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
6 When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,
it will become a place of refreshing springs,
where pools of blessing collect after the rains!
7 They will continue to grow stronger,
and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.
8 O LORD God Almighty, hear my prayer.
Listen, O God of Israel.
Interlude9 O God, look with favor upon the king, our protector!
Have mercy on the one you have anointed.
10 A single day in your courts
is better than a thousand anywhere else!
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God
than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.
11 For the LORD God is our light and protector.
He gives us grace and glory.
No good thing will the LORD withhold
from those who do what is right.
12 O LORD Almighty,
happy are those who trust in you.

PROVERBS 13:5-6
Those who are godly hate lies; the wicked come to shame and disgrace. Godliness helps people all through life, while the evil are destroyed by their wickedness.

April 14 Reading through the Bible

 

JOSHUA 9:3-10:43
LUKE 16:19-17:10
PSALM 83:1-18
PROVERBS 13:4

JOSHUA 9:3-10:43
But when the people of Gibeon heard what had happened to Jericho and Ai, 4 they resorted to deception to save themselves. They sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old patched wineskins. 5 They put on ragged clothes and worn-out, patched sandals. And they took along dry, moldy bread for provisions. 6 When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, " We have come from a distant land to ask you to make a peace treaty with us." 7 The Israelites replied to these Hivites, " How do we know you don't live nearby? For if you do, we cannot make a treaty with you." 8 They replied, " We will be your servants." " But who are you?" Joshua demanded. " Where do you come from?"9 They answered, " We are from a very distant country. We have heard of the might of the LORD your God and of all he did in Egypt. 10 We have also heard what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River--King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan (who lived in Ashtaroth). 11 So our leaders and our people instructed us, ` Prepare for a long journey. Go meet with the people of Israel and declare our people to be their servants, and ask for peace.' 12 " This bread was hot from the ovens when we left. But now, as you can see, it is dry and moldy. 13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, but now they are old and cracked. And our clothing and sandals are worn out from our long, hard trip." 14 So the Israelite leaders examined their bread, but they did not consult the LORD. 15 Then Joshua went ahead and signed a peace treaty with them, and the leaders of Israel ratified their agreement with a binding oath. 16 Three days later, the facts came out--these people of Gibeon lived nearby! 17 The Israelites set out at once to investigate and reached their towns in three days. The names of these towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack the towns, for their leaders had made a vow to the LORD, the God of Israel.The people of Israel grumbled against their leaders because of the treaty. 19 But the leaders replied, " We have sworn an oath in the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel. We cannot touch them. 20 We must let them live, for God would be angry with us if we broke our oath. 21 Let them live. But we will make them chop the wood and carry the water for the entire community." So the Israelites kept their promise to the Gibeonites. 22 But Joshua called together the Gibeonite leaders and said, " Why did you lie to us? Why did you say that you live in a distant land when you live right here among us? 23 May you be cursed! From now on you will chop wood and carry water for the house of my God."24 They replied, " We did it because we were told that the LORD your God instructed his servant Moses to conquer this entire land and destroy all the people living in it. So we feared for our lives because of you. That is why we have done it. 25 Now we are at your mercy--do whatever you think is right." 26 Joshua did not allow the people of Israel to kill them. 27 But that day he made the Gibeonites the woodchoppers and water carriers for the people of Israel and for the altar of the LORD--wherever the LORD would choose to build it. That arrangement continues to this day.10:1 NOW Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard that Joshua had captured and completely destroyed Ai and killed its king, just as he had destroyed the city of Jericho and killed its king. He also learned that the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel and were now their allies. 2 He and his people became very afraid when they heard all this because Gibeon was a large city--as large as the royal cities and larger than Ai. And the Gibeonite men were mighty warriors. 3 So King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent messengers to several other kings: Hoham of Hebron, Piram of Jarmuth, Japhia of Lachish, and Debir of Eglon. 4 " Come and help me destroy Gibeon," he urged them, " for they have made peace with Joshua and the people of Israel." 5 So these five Amorite kings combined their armies for a united attack. They moved all their troops into place and attacked Gibeon. 6 The men of Gibeon quickly sent messengers to Joshua at Gilgal, " Don't abandon your servants now!" they pleaded. " Come quickly and save us! For all the Amorite kings who live in the hill country have come out against us with their armies." 7 So Joshua and the entire Israelite army left Gilgal and set out to rescue Gibeon. 8 " Do not be afraid of them," the LORD said to Joshua, " for I will give you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you." 9 Joshua traveled all night from Gilgal and took the Amorite armies by surprise. 10 The LORD threw them into a panic, and the Israelites slaughtered them in great numbers at Gibeon. Then the Israelites chased the enemy along the road to Beth-horon and attacked them at Azekah and Makkedah, killing them along the way. 11 As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon, the LORD destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm that continued until they reached Azekah. The hail killed more of the enemy than the Israelites killed with the sword. 12 On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the LORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said, " Let the sun stand still over Gibeon,
and the moon over the valley of Aijalon."
13 So the sun and moon stood still until the Israelites had defeated their enemies. Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day. 14 The LORD fought for Israel that day. Never before or since has there been a day like that one, when the LORD answered such a request from a human being. 15 Then Joshua and the Israelite army returned to their camp at Gilgal. 16 During the battle, the five kings escaped and hid in a cave at Makkedah. 17 When Joshua heard that they had been found, 18 he issued this command: " Cover the opening of the cave with large rocks and place guards at the entrance to keep the kings inside. 19 The rest of you continue chasing the enemy and cut them down from the rear. Don't let them get back to their cities, for the LORD your God has given you victory over them." 20 So Joshua and the Israelite army continued the slaughter and wiped out the five armies except for a tiny remnant that managed to reach their fortified cities. 21 Then the Israelites returned safely to their camp at Makkedah. After that, no one dared to speak a word against Israel. 22 Then Joshua said, " Remove the rocks covering the opening of the cave and bring the five kings to me." 23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave--the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 24 Joshua told the captains of his army, " Come and put your feet on the kings' necks." And they did as they were told. 25 " Don't ever be afraid or discouraged," Joshua told his men. " Be strong and courageous, for the LORD is going to do this to all of your enemies." 26 Then Joshua killed each of the five kings and hung them on five trees until evening. 27 As the sun was going down, Joshua gave instructions for the bodies of the kings to be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave where they had been hiding. Then they covered the opening of the cave with a large pile of stones, which remains to this very day. 28 That same day Joshua completely destroyed the city of Makkedah, killing everyone in it, including the king. Not one person in the city was left alive. He killed the king of Makkedah as he had killed the king of Jericho. 29 Then Joshua and the Israelites went to Libnah and attacked it. 30 There, too, the LORD gave them the city and its king. They slaughtered everyone in the city and left no survivors. Then Joshua killed the king of Libnah just as he had killed the king of Jericho. 31 From Libnah, Joshua and the Israelites went to Lachish and attacked it. 32 And the LORD gave it to them on the second day. Here, too, the entire population was slaughtered, just as at Libnah. 33 During the attack on Lachish, King Horam of Gezer had arrived with his army to help defend the city. But Joshua's men killed him and destroyed his entire army. 34 Then Joshua and the Israelite army went to Eglon and attacked it. 35 They captured it in one day, and as at Lachish, they completely destroyed everyone in the city. 36 After leaving Eglon, they attacked Hebron, 37 capturing it and all of its surrounding towns. And just as they had done at Eglon, they completely destroyed the entire population. Not one person was left alive. 38 Then they turned back and attacked Debir. 39 They captured the city, its king, and all of its surrounding villages. And they killed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. They completely destroyed Debir just as they had destroyed Libnah and Hebron.40 So Joshua conquered the whole region--the kings and people of the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills, and the mountain slopes. He completely destroyed everyone in the land, leaving no survivors, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41 Joshua slaughtered them from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza and from Goshen to Gibeon. 42 In a single campaign Joshua conquered all these kings and their land, for the LORD, the God of Israel, was fighting for his people. 43 Then Joshua and the Israelite army returned to their camp at Gilgal.

LUKE 16:19-17:10
Jesus said, " There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed and who lived each day in luxury. 20 At his door lay a diseased beggar named Lazarus. 21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man's table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. 22 Finally, the beggar died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Lazarus in the far distance with Abraham. 24 " The rich man shouted, ` Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in these flames.' 25 " But Abraham said to him, ` Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. Anyone who wanted to cross over to you from here is stopped at its edge, and no one there can cross over to us.' 27 " Then the rich man said, ` Please, Father Abraham, send him to my father's home. 28 For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them about this place of torment so they won't have to come here when they die.' 29 " But Abraham said, ` Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read their writings anytime they want to.' 30 " The rich man replied, ` No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will turn from their sins.' 31 " But Abraham said, ` If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even if someone rises from the dead.' "17:1 ONE day Jesus said to his disciples, " There will always be temptations to sin, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting. 2 It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck than to face the punishment in store for harming one of these little ones. 3 I am warning you! If another believer* sins, rebuke him; then if he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, forgive him." 5 One day the apostles said to the Lord, " We need more faith; tell us how to get it." 6 " Even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed," the Lord answered, " you could say to this mulberry tree, ` May God uproot you and throw you into the sea,' and it would obey you! 7 " When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, he doesn't just sit down and eat. 8 He must first prepare his master's meal and serve him his supper before eating his own. 9 And the servant is not even thanked, because he is merely doing what he is supposed to do. 10 In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ` We are not worthy of praise. We are servants who have simply done our duty.' "

PSALM 83:1-18
A psalm of Asaph. A song.
1 O God, don't sit idly by,
silent and inactive!
2 Don't you hear the tumult of your enemies?
Don't you see what your arrogant enemies are doing?
3 They devise crafty schemes against your people,
laying plans against your precious ones.
4 " Come," they say, " let us wipe out Israel as a nation.
We will destroy the very memory of its existence."
5 This was their unanimous decision.
They signed a treaty as allies against you--
6 these Edomites and Ishmaelites,
Moabites and Hagrites,
7 Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites,
and people from Philistia and Tyre.
8 Assyria has joined them, too,
and is allied with the descendants of Lot.
Interlude9 Do to them as you did to the Midianites
or as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.
10 They were destroyed at Endor,
and their decaying corpses fertilized the soil.
11 Let their mighty nobles die as Oreb and Zeeb did.
Let all their princes die like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 for they said, " Let us seize for our own use
these pasturelands of God!"
13 O my God, blow them away like whirling dust,
like chaff before the wind!
14 As a fire roars through a forest
and as a flame sets mountains ablaze,
15 chase them with your fierce storms;
terrify them with your tempests.
16 Utterly disgrace them
until they submit to your name, O LORD.
17 Let them be ashamed and terrified forever.
Make them failures in everything they do,
18 until they learn that you alone are called the LORD,
that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.

PROVERBS 13:4
Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied.

April 13 Reading through the Bible

 

JOSHUA 7:16-9:2
LUKE 16:1-18
PSALM 82:1-8
PROVERBS 13:2-3

JOSHUA 7:16-9:2
Early the next morning Joshua brought the tribes of Israel before the LORD, and the tribe of Judah was singled out. 17 Then the clans of Judah came forward, and the clan of Zerah was singled out. Then the families of Zerah came before the LORD, and the family of Zimri was singled out. 18 Every member of Zimri's family was brought forward person by person, and Achan was singled out. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, " My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don't hide it from me." 20 Achan replied, " I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. 21 For I saw a beautiful robe imported from Babylon, two hundred silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest." 22 So Joshua sent some men to make a search. They ran to the tent and found the stolen goods hidden there, just as Achan had said, with the silver buried beneath the rest. 23 They took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites. Then they laid them on the ground in the presence of the LORD.24 Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, sheep, tent, and everything he had, and they brought them to the valley of Achor. 25 Then Joshua said to Achan, " Why have you brought trouble on us? The LORD will now bring trouble on you." And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies. 26 They piled a great heap of stones over Achan, which remains to this day. That is why the place has been called the Valley of Trouble ever since. So the LORD was no longer angry. 8:1 THEN the LORD said to Joshua, " Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the entire army and attack Ai, for I have given to you the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. 2 You will destroy them as you destroyed Jericho and its king. But this time you may keep the captured goods and the cattle for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city." 3 So Joshua and the army of Israel set out to attack Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand fighting men and sent them out at night 4 with these orders: " Hide in ambush close behind the city and be ready for action. 5 When our main army attacks, the men of Ai will come out to fight as they did before, and we will run away from them. 6 We will let them chase us until they have all left the city. For they will say, ` The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.' 7 Then you will jump up from your ambush and take possession of the city, for the LORD your God will give it to you. 8 Set the city on fire, as the LORD has commanded. You have your orders." 9 So they left that night and lay in ambush between Bethel and the west side of Ai. But Joshua remained among the people in the camp that night. 10 Early the next morning Joshua roused his men and started toward Ai, accompanied by the leaders of Israel. 11 They camped on the north side of Ai, with a valley between them and the city. 12 That night Joshua sent five thousand men to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. 13 So they stationed the main army north of the city and the ambush west of the city. Joshua himself spent that night in the valley. 14 When the king of Ai saw the Israelites across the valley, he and all his army hurriedly went out early the next morning and attacked the Israelites at a place overlooking the Jordan Valley. But he didn't realize there was an ambush behind the city. 15 Joshua and the Israelite army fled toward the wilderness as though they were badly beaten, 16 and all the men in the city were called out to chase after them. In this way, they were lured away from the city. 17 There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not chase after the Israelites, and the city was left wide open. 18 Then the LORD said to Joshua, " Point your spear toward Ai, for I will give you the city." Joshua did as he was commanded. 19 As soon as Joshua gave the signal, the men in ambush jumped up and poured into the city. They quickly captured it and set it on fire. 20 When the men of Ai looked behind them, smoke from the city was filling the sky, and they had nowhere to go. For the Israelites who had fled in the direction of the wilderness now turned on their pursuers. 21 When Joshua and the other Israelites saw that the ambush had succeeded and that smoke was rising from the city, they turned and attacked the men of Ai. 22 Then the Israelites who were inside the city came out and started killing the enemy from the rear. So the men of Ai were caught in a trap, and all of them died. Not a single person survived or escaped. 23 Only the king of Ai was taken alive and brought to Joshua. 24 When the Israelite army finished killing all the men outside the city, they went back and finished off everyone inside. 25 So the entire population of Ai was wiped out that day--twelve thousand in all. 26 For Joshua kept holding out his spear until everyone who had lived in Ai was completely destroyed. 27 Only the cattle and the treasures of the city were not destroyed, for the Israelites kept these for themselves, as the LORD had commanded Joshua. 28 So Ai became a permanent mound of ruins, desolate to this very day. 29 Joshua hung the king of Ai on a tree and left him there until evening. At sunset the Israelites took down the body and threw it in front of the city gate. They piled a great heap of stones over him that can still be seen today.30 Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal. 31 He followed the instructions that Moses the LORD's servant had written in the Book of the Law: " Make me an altar from stones that are uncut and have not been shaped with iron tools." Then on the altar they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD. 32 And as the Israelites watched, Joshua copied the law of Moses onto the stones of the altar. 33 Then all the Israelites--foreigners and citizens alike--along with the leaders, officers, and judges, were divided into two groups. One group stood at the foot of Mount Gerizim, the other at the foot of Mount Ebal. Each group faced the other, and between them stood the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the LORD's covenant. This was all done according to the instructions Moses, the servant of the LORD, had given for blessing the people of Israel.34 Joshua then read to them all the blessings and curses Moses had written in the Book of the Law. 35 Every command Moses had ever given was read to the entire assembly, including the women and children and the foreigners who lived among the Israelites. 9:1 NOW all the kings west of the Jordan heard about what had happened. (These were the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who lived in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far north as the Lebanon mountains.) 2 These kings quickly combined their armies to fight against Joshua and the Israelites.

LUKE 16:1-18
Jesus told this story to his disciples: " A rich man hired a manager to handle his affairs, but soon a rumor went around that the manager was thoroughly dishonest. 2 So his employer called him in and said, ` What's this I hear about your stealing from me? Get your report in order, because you are going to be dismissed.' 3 " The manager thought to himself, ` Now what? I'm through here, and I don't have the strength to go out and dig ditches, and I'm too proud to beg. 4 I know just the thing! And then I'll have plenty of friends to take care of me when I leave!' 5 " So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, ` How much do you owe him?' 6 The man replied, ` I owe him eight hundred gallons of olive oil.' So the manager told him, ` Tear up that bill and write another one for four hundred gallons.' 7 " ` And how much do you owe my employer?' he asked the next man. ` A thousand bushels of wheat,' was the reply. ` Here,' the manager said, ` take your bill and replace it with one for only eight hundred bushels.'8 " The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the citizens of this world are more shrewd than the godly are. 9 I tell you, use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven. 10 " Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won't be faithful in large ones. If you cheat even a little, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities. 11 And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? 12 And if you are not faithful with other people's money, why should you be trusted with money of your own? 13 " No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." 14 The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, naturally scoffed at all this. 15 Then he said to them, " You like to look good in public, but God knows your evil hearts. What this world honors is an abomination in the sight of God. 16 " Until John the Baptist began to preach, the laws of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and eager multitudes are forcing their way in. 17 But that doesn't mean that the law has lost its force in even the smallest point. It is stronger and more permanent than heaven and earth. 18 " Anyone who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

PSALM 82:1-8
A psalm of Asaph.
1 God presides over heaven's court;
he pronounces judgment on the judges:
2 " How long will your judges hand down unjust decisions?
How long will you shower special favors on the wicked?
Interlude
3 " Give fair judgment to the poor and the orphan;
uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
4 Rescue the poor and helpless;
deliver them from the grasp of evil people.
5 But these oppressors know nothing;
they are so ignorant!
And because they are in darkness,
the whole world is shaken to the core.
6 I say, ` You are gods
and children of the Most High.
7 But in death you are mere men.
You will fall as any prince,
for all must die.' "
8 Rise up, O God, and judge the earth,
for all the nations belong to you.

PROVERBS 13:2-3
Good people enjoy the positive results of their words, but those who are treacherous crave violence. Those who control their tongue will have a long life; a quick retort can ruin everything.