CIL Daily Bible Readings

CIL Daily Bible Readings

By Christadelphian Isolation LeagueReligion & SpiritualityChristianity
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CIL Daily Bible Readings episodes

  • Jeremiah 5
    Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
    And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
    O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
    Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.
    I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
    Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
    How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses.
    They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour's wife.
    Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
    Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD's.
    For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD.
    They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
    And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
    Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
    Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
    Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
    And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.
    Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you.
    And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not your's.
    Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
    Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
    Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
    But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
    Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
    Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
    For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares;
    6 min
  • Jeremiah 4
    If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.
    And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
    For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
    Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
    Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities.
    Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.
    The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.
    For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl: for the fierce anger of the LORD is not turned back from us.
    And it shall come to pass at that day, saith the LORD, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.
    Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.
    At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,
    Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them.
    Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.
    O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?
    For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount Ephraim.
    Make ye mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah.
    As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD.
    Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart.
    My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
    Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.
    How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
    For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
    I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
    I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
    I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
    I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.
    For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
    For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.
    The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowm
    6 min
  • Matthew 15
    Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
    Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
    But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
    For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
    But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
    And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
    Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
    This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
    But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
    And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
    Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
    Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
    But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
    Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
    Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
    And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
    Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
    But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
    For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
    These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
    Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
    And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
    But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
    But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
    Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
    But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
    And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
    Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
    And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.
    And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:
    Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.
    Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
    And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?
    And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
    And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
    And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitud
    7 min
  • 1st Samuel 28
    And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.
    And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.
    Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
    And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.
    And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
    And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
    Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
    And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
    And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
    And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
    Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
    And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
    And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
    And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
    And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
    Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
    And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:
    Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.
    Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.
    Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
    And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.
    Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.
    But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the
    5 min
  • Matthew 14
    At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
    And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
    For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
    For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
    And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
    But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
    Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
    And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.
    And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
    And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
    And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
    And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
    When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
    And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
    And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
    But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
    And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
    He said, Bring them hither to me.
    And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
    And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
    And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
    And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
    And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
    But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
    And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
    And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
    But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
    And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
    And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
    But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
    And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
    And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
    Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
    And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
    And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;
    And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
    6 min
  • Jeremiah 3
    They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.
    Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.
    Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.
    Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?
    Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.
    The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.
    And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
    And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
    And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.
    And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
    And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
    Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.
    Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
    Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
    And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
    And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.
    At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
    In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.
    But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
    Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.
    A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.
    Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.
    Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.
    For shame hath
    6 min
  • 1st Samuel 26,27
    And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?
    Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
    And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.
    David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.
    And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.
    Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.
    So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
    Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
    And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?
    David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.
    The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD's anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.
    So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.
    Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them:
    And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?
    And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.
    This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.
    And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.
    And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
    Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.
    Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.
    Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.
    And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.
    The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch
    8 min
  • Matthew 13
    The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
    And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
    And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
    And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
    Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
    And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
    And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
    But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
    Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
    And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
    He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
    For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
    Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
    And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
    For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
    But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
    For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
    Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
    When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
    But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
    Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
    He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
    But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
    Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
    But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
    But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
    So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
    He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
    But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
    Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
    Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
    Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it
    8 min
  • Jeremiah 2
    Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
    Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
    Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.
    Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:
    Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
    Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
    And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
    The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
    Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.
    For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.
    Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
    Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.
    For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
    Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?
    The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.
    Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.
    Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?
    And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
    Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
    For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.
    Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
    For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.
    How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
    A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
    Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.
    As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets.
    Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not th
    7 min
  • 1st Samuel 25
    And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
    And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
    Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.
    And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.
    And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:
    And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.
    And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.
    Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.
    And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.
    And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.
    Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?
    So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.
    And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.
    But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.
    But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:
    They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
    Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.
    Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.
    And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.
    And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert on the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them.
    Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.
    So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.
    And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
    And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.
    Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is wi
    9 min

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The Bible Companion is a simple method by which you can be sure that by the end of a year, you have read the whole of the Bible, Old Testament once and New Testament twice. The plan starts on January…