ESV: Digging Deep into the Bible

ESV: Digging Deep into the Bible

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ESV: Digging Deep into the Bible episodes

  • March 27: Psalm 86; Exodus 32; Nehemiah 12:27–47; 1 Corinthians 4
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 86
    Psalm 86 (Listen)
    Great Is Your Steadfast Love
    A Prayer of David.

    86   Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me,
        for I am poor and needy.
    2   Preserve my life, for I am godly;
        save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
    3   Be gracious to me, O Lord,
        for to you do I cry all the day.
    4   Gladden the soul of your servant,
        for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
    5   For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
        abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
    6   Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
        listen to my plea for grace.
    7   In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
        for you answer me.
    8   There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
        nor are there any works like yours.
    9   All the nations you have made shall come
        and worship before you, O Lord,
        and shall glorify your name.
    10   For you are great and do wondrous things;
        you alone are God.
    11   Teach me your way, O LORD,
        that I may walk in your truth;
        unite my heart to fear your name.
    12   I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
        and I will glorify your name forever.
    13   For great is your steadfast love toward me;
        you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
    14   O God, insolent men have risen up against me;
        a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
        and they do not set you before them.
    15   But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
        slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
    16   Turn to me and be gracious to me;
        give your strength to your servant,
        and save the son of your maidservant.
    17   Show me a sign of your favor,
        that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
        because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Exodus 32
    Exodus 32 (Listen)
    The Golden Calf

    32 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a goldenHebrew cast metal; also verse 8">1 calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” 6 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.

    7 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” 9 And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”

    11 But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, “O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

    15 Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. 16 The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” 18 But he said, “It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.” 19 And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20 He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.

    21 And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” 22 And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

    25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. 27 And he said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’” 28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. 29 And Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”

    30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” 33 But the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. 34 But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”

    35 Then the LORD sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.

    Footnotes

    [1] 32:4 Hebrew cast metal; also verse 8

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    Nehemiah 12:27–47
    Nehemiah 12:27–47 (Listen)
    Dedication of the Wall

    27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; 29 also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. 30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

    31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. One went to the south on the wall to the Dung Gate. 32 And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, 33 and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35 and certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph; 36 and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. 37 At the Fountain Gate they went up straight before them by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east.

    38 The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall, 39 and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Gate of Yeshanah,Or of the old city">1 and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard. 40 So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me; 41 and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; 42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. 43 And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.

    Service at the Temple

    44 On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered. 45 And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon. 46 For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songsOr leaders">2 of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.

    Footnotes

    [1] 12:39 Or of the old city


    [2] 12:46 Or leaders

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    1 Corinthians 4
    1 Corinthians 4 (Listen)
    The Ministry of Apostles

    4 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

    6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers,Or brothers and sisters">1 that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. 7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

    8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! 9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11 To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, 12 and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; 13 when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.

    14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you have countlessGreek you have ten thousand">2 guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17 That is why I sentOr am sending">3 you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ,Some manuscripts add Jesus">4 as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

    Footnotes

    [1] 4:6 Or brothers and sisters


    [2] 4:15 Greek you have ten thousand

    [3] 4:17 Or am sending

    [4] 4:17 Some manuscripts add Jesus

    (ESV)

    14 min
  • March 26: Psalm 85; Exodus 30–31; Nehemiah 11–12:26; 1 Corinthians 3
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 85
    Psalm 85 (Listen)
    Revive Us Again
    To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

    85   LORD, you were favorable to your land;
        you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
    2   You forgave the iniquity of your people;
        you covered all their sin. Selah
    3   You withdrew all your wrath;
        you turned from your hot anger.
    4   Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
        and put away your indignation toward us!
    5   Will you be angry with us forever?
        Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
    6   Will you not revive us again,
        that your people may rejoice in you?
    7   Show us your steadfast love, O LORD,
        and grant us your salvation.
    8   Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,
        for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
        but let them not turn back to folly.
    9   Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
        that glory may dwell in our land.
    10   Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
        righteousness and peace kiss each other.
    11   Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
        and righteousness looks down from the sky.
    12   Yes, the LORD will give what is good,
        and our land will yield its increase.
    13   Righteousness will go before him
        and make his footsteps a way.

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Exodus 30–31
    Exodus 30–31 (Listen)
    The Altar of Incense

    30 “You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2 A cubitA cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters">1 shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. 4 And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 6 And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, 8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the LORD throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. 10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD.”

    The Census Tax

    11 The LORD said to Moses, 12 “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the LORD when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. 13 Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekelA shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams">2 according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs),A gerah was about 1/50 ounce or 0.6 gram">3 half a shekel as an offering to the LORD. 14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the LORD’s offering. 15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD’s offering to make atonement for your lives. 16 You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the LORD, so as to make atonement for your lives.”

    The Bronze Basin

    17 The LORD said to Moses, 18 “You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, 19 with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. 20 When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offeringOr an offering by fire">4 to the LORD, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. 21 They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations.”

    The Anointing Oil and Incense

    22 The LORD said to Moses, 23 “Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane, 24 and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hinA hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters">5 of olive oil. 25 And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil. 26 With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, 27 and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, 28 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the basin and its stand. 29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy. 30 You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. 31 And you shall say to the people of Israel, ‘This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. 32 It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. 33 Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.’”

    34 The LORD said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part), 35 and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. 36 You shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I shall meet with you. It shall be most holy for you. 37 And the incense that you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the LORD. 38 Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people.”

    Oholiab and Bezalel

    31 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. 6 And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, 8 the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, 9 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, 10 and the finely worked garments,Or garments for worship">6 the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.”

    The Sabbath

    12 And the LORD said to Moses, 13 “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you. 14 You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. 16 Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. 17 It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

    18 And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

    Footnotes

    [1] 30:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters


    [2] 30:13 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

    [3] 30:13 A gerah was about 1/50 ounce or 0.6 gram

    [4] 30:20 Or an offering by fire

    [5] 30:24 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters

    [6] 31:10 Or garments for worship

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    Nehemiah 11–12:26
    Nehemiah 11–12:26 (Listen)
    The Leaders in Jerusalem

    11 Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of tenHebrew nine hands">1 remained in the other towns. 2 And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.

    3 These are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem; but in the towns of Judah everyone lived on his property in their towns: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants. 4 And in Jerusalem lived certain of the sons of Judah and of the sons of Benjamin. Of the sons of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, of the sons of Perez; 5 and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, son of the Shilonite. 6 All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were 468 valiant men.

    7 And these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah, 8 and his brothers, men of valor, 928.Compare Septuagint; Hebrew Jeshaiah, and after him Gabbai, Sallai, 928">2 9 Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.

    10 Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin, 11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, ruler of the house of God, 12 and their brothers who did the work of the house, 822; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah, 13 and his brothers, heads of fathers’ houses, 242; and Amashsai, the son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer, 14 and their brothers, mighty men of valor, 128; their overseer was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim.

    15 And of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni; 16 and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who were over the outside work of the house of God; 17 and Mattaniah the son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, who was the leader of the praise,Compare Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew beginning">3 who gave thanks, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers; and Abda the son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. 18 All the Levites in the holy city were 284.

    19 The gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were 172. 20 And the rest of Israel, and of the priests and the Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, every one in his inheritance. 21 But the temple servants lived on Ophel; and Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants.

    22 The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the work of the house of God. 23 For there was a command from the king concerning them, and a fixed provision for the singers, as every day required. 24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s sideHebrew hand">4 in all matters concerning the people.

    Villages Outside Jerusalem

    25 And as for the villages, with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba and its villages, and in Dibon and its villages, and in Jekabzeel and its villages, 26 and in Jeshua and in Moladah and Beth-pelet, 27 in Hazar-shual, in Beersheba and its villages, 28 in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, 29 in En-rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its villages. So they encamped from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom. 31 The people of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages, 32 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen. 36 And certain divisions of the Levites in Judah were assigned to Benjamin.

    Priests and Levites

    12 These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua.

    8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his brothers was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 9 And Bakbukiah and Unni and their brothers stood opposite them in the service. 10 And Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada, 11 Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.

    12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ houses: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; 18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

    22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the Levites were recorded as heads of fathers’ houses; so too were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 As for the sons of Levi, their heads of fathers’ houses were written in the Book of the Chronicles until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. 24 And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers who stood opposite them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch by watch. 25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storehouses of the gates. 26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra, the priest and scribe.

    Footnotes

    [1] 11:1 Hebrew nine hands


    [2] 11:8 Compare Septuagint; Hebrew Jeshaiah, and after him Gabbai, Sallai, 928

    [3] 11:17 Compare Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew beginning

    [4] 11:24 Hebrew hand

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    1 Corinthians 3
    1 Corinthians 3 (Listen)
    Divisions in the Church

    3 But I, brothers,Or brothers and sisters">1 could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

    5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

    10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilledOr wise">2 master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

    16 Do you not know that youThe Greek for you is plural in verses 16 and 17">3 are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

    18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

    Footnotes

    [1] 3:1 Or brothers and sisters


    [2] 3:10 Or wise

    [3] 3:16 The Greek for you is plural in verses 16 and 17

    (ESV)

    19 min
  • March 25: Psalm 84; Exodus 29; Nehemiah 10; 1 Corinthians 2
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 84
    Psalm 84 (Listen)
    My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord
    To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith.Probably a musical or liturgical term">1 A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

    84   How lovely is your dwelling place,
        O LORD of hosts!
    2   My soul longs, yes, faints
        for the courts of the LORD;
      my heart and flesh sing for joy
        to the living God.
    3   Even the sparrow finds a home,
        and the swallow a nest for herself,
        where she may lay her young,
      at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
        my King and my God.
    4   Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
        ever singing your praise! Selah
    5   Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
        in whose heart are the highways to Zion.Hebrew lacks to Zion">2
    6   As they go through the Valley of Baca
        they make it a place of springs;
        the early rain also covers it with pools.
    7   They go from strength to strength;
        each one appears before God in Zion.
    8   O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
        give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
    9   Behold our shield, O God;
        look on the face of your anointed!
    10   For a day in your courts is better
        than a thousand elsewhere.
      I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
        than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
    11   For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
        the LORD bestows favor and honor.
      No good thing does he withhold
        from those who walk uprightly.
    12   O LORD of hosts,
        blessed is the one who trusts in you!

    Footnotes

    [1] 84:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term


    [2] 84:5 Hebrew lacks to Zion

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Exodus 29
    Exodus 29 (Listen)
    Consecration of the Priests

    29 “Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish, 2 and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. 3 You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. 4 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 5 Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 6 And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban. 7 You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. 8 Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them, 9 and you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.

    10 “Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. 11 Then you shall kill the bull before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting, 12 and shall take part of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and the rest ofHebrew all">1 the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar. 13 And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. 14 But the flesh of the bull and its skin and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.

    15 “Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, 16 and you shall kill the ram and shall take its blood and throw it against the sides of the altar. 17 Then you shall cut the ram into pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and its head, 18 and burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD. It is a pleasing aroma, a food offeringOr an offering by fire; also verses 25, 41">2 to the LORD.

    19 “You shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, 20 and you shall kill the ram and take part of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and on the tips of the right ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the great toes of their right feet, and throw the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar. 21 Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and his sons’ garments with him. He and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.

    22 “You shall also take the fat from the ram and the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination), 23 and one loaf of bread and one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the LORD. 24 You shall put all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. 25 Then you shall take them from their hands and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma before the LORD. It is a food offering to the LORD.

    26 “You shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s ordination and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD, and it shall be your portion. 27 And you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering that is waved and the thigh of the priests’ portion that is contributed from the ram of ordination, from what was Aaron’s and his sons’. 28 It shall be for Aaron and his sons as a perpetual due from the people of Israel, for it is a contribution. It shall be a contribution from the people of Israel from their peace offerings, their contribution to the LORD.

    29 “The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them. 30 The son who succeeds him as priest, who comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place, shall wear them seven days.

    31 “You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. 32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket in the entrance of the tent of meeting. 33 They shall eat those things with which atonement was made at their ordination and consecration, but an outsider shall not eat of them, because they are holy. 34 And if any of the flesh for the ordination or of the bread remain until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

    35 “Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them, 36 and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall purify the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it. 37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.

    38 “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. 39 One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. 40 And with the first lamb a tenth measurePossibly an ephah (about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters)">3 of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hinA hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters">4 of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. 41 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. 42 It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. 43 There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. 44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. 45 I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.

    Footnotes

    [1] 29:12 Hebrew all


    [2] 29:18 Or an offering by fire; also verses 25, 41

    [3] 29:40 Possibly an ephah (about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters)

    [4] 29:40 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    Nehemiah 10
    Nehemiah 10 (Listen)
    The People Who Sealed the Covenant

    10 “On the seals are the names ofHebrew lacks the names of">1 Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these are the priests. 9 And the Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 10 and their brothers, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. 14 The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

    The Obligations of the Covenant

    28 “The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, 29 join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord and his rules and his statutes. 30 We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons. 31 And if the peoples of the land bring in goods or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. And we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.

    32 “We also take on ourselves the obligation to give yearly a third part of a shekelA shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams">2 for the service of the house of our God: 33 for the showbread, the regular grain offering, the regular burnt offering, the Sabbaths, the new moons, the appointed feasts, the holy things, and the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. 34 We, the priests, the Levites, and the people, have likewise cast lots for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law. 35 We obligate ourselves to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of every tree, year by year, to the house of the LORD; 36 also to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God, the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks; 37 and to bring the first of our dough, and our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the wine and the oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and to bring to the Levites the tithes from our ground, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our towns where we labor. 38 And the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive the tithes. And the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse. 39 For the people of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of grain, wine, and oil to the chambers, where the vessels of the sanctuary are, as well as the priests who minister, and the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not neglect the house of our God.”

    Footnotes

    [1] 10:1 Hebrew lacks the names of


    [2] 10:32 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    1 Corinthians 2
    1 Corinthians 2 (Listen)
    Proclaiming Christ Crucified

    2 And I, when I came to you, brothers,Or brothers and sisters">1 did not come proclaiming to you the testimonySome manuscripts mystery (or secret)">2 of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of menThe Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women">3 but in the power of God.

    Wisdom from the Spirit

    6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,

      “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
        nor the heart of man imagined,
      what God has prepared for those who love him”—

    10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.Or interpreting spiritual truths in spiritual language, or comparing spiritual things with spiritual">4

    14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

    Footnotes

    [1] 2:1 Or brothers and sisters


    [2] 2:1 Some manuscripts mystery (or secret)

    [3] 2:5 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women

    [4] 2:13 Or interpreting spiritual truths in spiritual language, or comparing spiritual things with spiritual

    (ESV)

    15 min
  • March 24: Psalm 83; Exodus 27:20–28:43; Nehemiah 9; 1 Corinthians 1:18–31
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 83
    Psalm 83 (Listen)
    O God, Do Not Keep Silence
    A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.

    83   O God, do not keep silence;
        do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
    2   For behold, your enemies make an uproar;
        those who hate you have raised their heads.
    3   They lay crafty plans against your people;
        they consult together against your treasured ones.
    4   They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
        let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
    5   For they conspire with one accord;
        against you they make a covenant—
    6   the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
        Moab and the Hagrites,
    7   Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
        Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
    8   Asshur also has joined them;
        they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah
    9   Do to them as you did to Midian,
        as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
    10   who were destroyed at En-dor,
        who became dung for the ground.
    11   Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
        all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
    12   who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves
        of the pastures of God.”
    13   O my God, make them like whirling dust,Or like a tumbleweed">1
        like chaff before the wind.
    14   As fire consumes the forest,
        as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
    15   so may you pursue them with your tempest
        and terrify them with your hurricane!
    16   Fill their faces with shame,
        that they may seek your name, O LORD.
    17   Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;
        let them perish in disgrace,
    18   that they may know that you alone,
        whose name is the LORD,
        are the Most High over all the earth.

    Footnotes

    [1] 83:13 Or like a tumbleweed

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Exodus 27:20–28:43
    Exodus 27:20–28:43 (Listen)
    Oil for the Lamp

    20 “You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. 21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.

    The Priests’ Garments

    28 “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2 And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. 3 You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. 4 These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests. 5 They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.

    6 “And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and of fine twined linen, skillfully worked. 7 It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together. 8 And the skillfully woven band on it shall be made like it and be of one piece with it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. 9 You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, 10 six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. 11 As a jeweler engraves signets, so shall you engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall enclose them in settings of gold filigree. 12 And you shall set the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders for remembrance. 13 You shall make settings of gold filigree, 14 and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings.

    15 “You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, in skilled work. In the style of the ephod you shall make it—of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen shall you make it. 16 It shall be square and doubled, a spanA span was about 9 inches or 22 centimeters">1 its length and a span its breadth. 17 You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius,The identity of some of these stones is uncertain">2 topaz, and carbuncle shall be the first row; 18 and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; 19 and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold filigree. 21 There shall be twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. 22 You shall make for the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold. 23 And you shall make for the breastpiece two rings of gold, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece. 24 And you shall put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece. 25 The two ends of the two cords you shall attach to the two settings of filigree, and so attach it in front to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. 26 You shall make two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. 27 And you shall make two rings of gold, and attach them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, at its seam above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 28 And they shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it may lie on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, so that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod. 29 So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the LORD. 30 And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the LORD. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the LORD regularly.

    31 “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32 It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment,The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain; possibly coat of mail">3 so that it may not tear. 33 On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, around its hem, with bells of gold between them, 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe. 35 And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place before the LORD, and when he comes out, so that he does not die.

    36 “You shall make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, ‘Holy to the LORD.’ 37 And you shall fasten it on the turban by a cord of blue. It shall be on the front of the turban. 38 It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

    39 “You shall weave the coat in checker work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash embroidered with needlework.

    40 “For Aaron’s sons you shall make coats and sashes and caps. You shall make them for glory and beauty. 41 And you shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. 42 You shall make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh. They shall reach from the hips to the thighs; 43 and they shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to minister in the Holy Place, lest they bear guilt and die. This shall be a statute forever for him and for his offspring after him.

    Footnotes

    [1] 28:16 A span was about 9 inches or 22 centimeters


    [2] 28:17 The identity of some of these stones is uncertain

    [3] 28:32 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain; possibly coat of mail

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    Nehemiah 9
    Nehemiah 9 (Listen)
    The People of Israel Confess Their Sin

    9 Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. 2 And the IsraelitesHebrew the offspring of Israel">1 separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the LORD their God. 4 On the stairs of the Levites stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani; and they cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God. 5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

    Septuagint adds And Ezra said">2

    6 “You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you. 7 You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham. 8 You found his heart faithful before you, and made with him the covenant to give to his offspring the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite. And you have kept your promise, for you are righteous.

    9 “And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea, 10 and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted arrogantly against our fathers. And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day. 11 And you divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into mighty waters. 12 By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go. 13 You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right rules and true laws, good statutes and commandments, 14 and you made known to them your holy Sabbath and commanded them commandments and statutes and a law by Moses your servant. 15 You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them.

    16 “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. 17 They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt.Some Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts and in their rebellion appointed a leader to return to their slavery">3 But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. 18 Even when they had made for themselves a goldenHebrew metal">4 calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed great blasphemies, 19 you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go. 20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. 21 Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

    22 “And you gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner. So they took possession of the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan. 23 You multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and you brought them into the land that you had told their fathers to enter and possess. 24 So the descendants went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would. 25 And they captured fortified cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns already hewn, vineyards, olive orchards and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness.

    26 “Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies. 27 Therefore you gave them into the hand of their enemies, who made them suffer. And in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them saviors who saved them from the hand of their enemies. 28 But after they had rest they did evil again before you, and you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you delivered them according to your mercies. 29 And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey. 30 Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

    32 “Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. 33 Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly. 34 Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them. 35 Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works. 36 Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. 37 And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress.

    Ch 10:1 in Hebrew">5

    38 “Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names ofHebrew lacks the names of">6 our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

    Footnotes

    [1] 9:2 Hebrew the offspring of Israel


    [2] 9:5 Septuagint adds And Ezra said

    [3] 9:17 Some Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts and in their rebellion appointed a leader to return to their slavery

    [4] 9:18 Hebrew metal

    [5] 9:37 Ch 10:1 in Hebrew

    [6] 9:38 Hebrew lacks the names of

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    1 Corinthians 1:18–31
    1 Corinthians 1:18–31 (Listen)
    Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

    18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

      “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
        and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

    20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preachOr the folly of preaching">1 to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

    26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,Greek according to the flesh">2 not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human beingGreek no flesh">3 might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of himGreek And from him">4 you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

    Footnotes

    [1] 1:21 Or the folly of preaching


    [2] 1:26 Greek according to the flesh

    [3] 1:29 Greek no flesh

    [4] 1:30 Greek And from him

    (ESV)

    18 min
  • March 23: Psalm 82; Exodus 27:1–19; Nehemiah 8; 1 Corinthians 1:1–17
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 82
    Psalm 82 (Listen)
    Rescue the Weak and Needy
    A Psalm of Asaph.

    82   God has taken his place in the divine council;
        in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
    2   “How long will you judge unjustly
        and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
    3   Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
        maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
    4   Rescue the weak and the needy;
        deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
    5   They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
        they walk about in darkness;
        all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
    6   I said, “You are gods,
        sons of the Most High, all of you;
    7   nevertheless, like men you shall die,
        and fall like any prince.”Or fall as one man, O princes">1
    8   Arise, O God, judge the earth;
        for you shall inherit all the nations!

    Footnotes

    [1] 82:7 Or fall as one man, O princes

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Exodus 27:1–19
    Exodus 27:1–19 (Listen)
    The Bronze Altar

    27 “You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubitsA cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters">1 long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. 2 And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. 3 You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze. 4 You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. 5 And you shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net extends halfway down the altar. 6 And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. 7 And the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles are on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. 8 You shall make it hollow, with boards. As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.

    The Court of the Tabernacle

    9 “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side. 10 Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. 11 And likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, its pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. 12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases. 13 The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits. 14 The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. 15 On the other side the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. 16 For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases. 17 All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze. 18 The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze. 19 All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

    Footnotes

    [1] 27:1 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    Nehemiah 8
    Nehemiah 8 (Listen)
    Ezra Reads the Law

    8 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites,Vulgate; Hebrew and the Levites">1 helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly,Or with interpretation, or paragraph by paragraph">2 and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

    This Day Is Holy

    9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

    Feast of Booths Celebrated

    13 On the second day the heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law. 14 And they found it written in the Law that the LORD had commanded by Moses that the people of Israel should dwell in boothsOr temporary shelters">3 during the feast of the seventh month, 15 and that they should proclaim it and publish it in all their towns and in Jerusalem, “Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. 18 And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule.

    Footnotes

    [1] 8:7 Vulgate; Hebrew and the Levites


    [2] 8:8 Or with interpretation, or paragraph by paragraph

    [3] 8:14 Or temporary shelters

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    1 Corinthians 1:1–17
    1 Corinthians 1:1–17 (Listen)
    Greeting

    1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,

    2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

    3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Thanksgiving

    4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

    Divisions in the Church

    10 I appeal to you, brothers,Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verses 11, 26">1 by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

    Footnotes

    [1] 1:10 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verses 11, 26

    (ESV)

    9 min
  • March 22: Psalm 81; Exodus 26; Nehemiah 7; Romans 16
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 81
    Psalm 81 (Listen)
    Oh, That My People Would Listen to Me
    To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith.Probably a musical or liturgical term">1 Of Asaph.

    81   Sing aloud to God our strength;
        shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
    2   Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
        the sweet lyre with the harp.
    3   Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
        at the full moon, on our feast day.
    4   For it is a statute for Israel,
        a ruleOr just decree">2 of the God of Jacob.
    5   He made it a decree in Joseph
        when he went out overOr against">3 the land of Egypt.
      I hear a language I had not known:
    6   “I relieved yourHebrew his; also next line">4 shoulder of the burden;
        your hands were freed from the basket.
    7   In distress you called, and I delivered you;
        I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
        I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
    8   Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
        O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
    9   There shall be no strange god among you;
        you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
    10   I am the LORD your God,
        who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
        Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
    11   “But my people did not listen to my voice;
        Israel would not submit to me.
    12   So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
        to follow their own counsels.
    13   Oh, that my people would listen to me,
        that Israel would walk in my ways!
    14   I would soon subdue their enemies
        and turn my hand against their foes.
    15   Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him,
        and their fate would last forever.
    16   But he would feed youThat is, Israel; Hebrew him">5 with the finest of the wheat,
        and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

    Footnotes

    [1] 81:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term


    [2] 81:4 Or just decree

    [3] 81:5 Or against

    [4] 81:6 Hebrew his; also next line

    [5] 81:16 That is, Israel; Hebrew him

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Exodus 26
    Exodus 26 (Listen)
    The Tabernacle

    26 “Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them. 2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits,A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters">1 and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be the same size. 3 Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another. 4 And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. 5 Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. 6 And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single whole.

    7 “You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make. 8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains shall be the same size. 9 You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent. 10 You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.

    11 “You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together that it may be a single whole. 12 And the part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. 13 And the extra that remains in the length of the curtains, the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it. 14 And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skinsOr of rams’ skins dyed red">2 and a covering of goatskins on top.

    15 “You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame. 17 There shall be two tenons in each frame, for fitting together. So shall you do for all the frames of the tabernacle. 18 You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side; 19 and forty bases of silver you shall make under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons; 20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames, 21 and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame, and two bases under the next frame. 22 And for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames. 23 And you shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear; 24 they shall be separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring. Thus shall it be with both of them; they shall form the two corners. 25 And there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one frame, and two bases under another frame.

    26 “You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward. 28 The middle bar, halfway up the frames, shall run from end to end. 29 You shall overlay the frames with gold and shall make their rings of gold for holders for the bars, and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30 Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain.

    31 “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. 32 And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. 33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy. 34 You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. 35 And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table, and you shall put the table on the north side.

    36 “You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. 37 And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.

    Footnotes

    [1] 26:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters


    [2] 26:14 Or of rams’ skins dyed red

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    Nehemiah 7
    Nehemiah 7 (Listen)

    7 Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2 I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. 3 And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.” 4 The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt.

    Lists of Returned Exiles

    5 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written in it:

    6 These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. 7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.

    The number of the men of the people of Israel: 8 the sons of Parosh, 2,172. 9 The sons of Shephatiah, 372. 10 The sons of Arah, 652. 11 The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818. 12 The sons of Elam, 1,254. 13 The sons of Zattu, 845. 14 The sons of Zaccai, 760. 15 The sons of Binnui, 648. 16 The sons of Bebai, 628. 17 The sons of Azgad, 2,322. 18 The sons of Adonikam, 667. 19 The sons of Bigvai, 2,067. 20 The sons of Adin, 655. 21 The sons of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, 98. 22 The sons of Hashum, 328. 23 The sons of Bezai, 324. 24 The sons of Hariph, 112. 25 The sons of Gibeon, 95. 26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188. 27 The men of Anathoth, 128. 28 The men of Beth-azmaveth, 42. 29 The men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743. 30 The men of Ramah and Geba, 621. 31 The men of Michmas, 122. 32 The men of Bethel and Ai, 123. 33 The men of the other Nebo, 52. 34 The sons of the other Elam, 1,254. 35 The sons of Harim, 320. 36 The sons of Jericho, 345. 37 The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721. 38 The sons of Senaah, 3,930.

    39 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, namely the house of Jeshua, 973. 40 The sons of Immer, 1,052. 41 The sons of Pashhur, 1,247. 42 The sons of Harim, 1,017.

    43 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the sons of Hodevah, 74. 44 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148. 45 The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138.

    46 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 47 the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon, 48 the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai, 49 the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, 50 the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, 51 the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, 52 the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephushesim, 53 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 54 the sons of Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 55 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 56 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.

    57 The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, 58 the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 59 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Amon.

    60 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants were 392.

    61 The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their fathers’ houses nor their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. 63 Also, of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). 64 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.

    Totals of People and Gifts

    66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 67 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337. And they had 245 singers, male and female. 68 Their horses were 736, their mules 245,Compare Ezra 2:66 and the margins of some Hebrew manuscripts; Hebrew lacks Their horses . . . 245">1 69 their camels 435, and their donkeys 6,720.

    70 Now some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 daricsA daric was a coin weighing about 1/4 ounce or 8.5 grams">2 of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests’ garments and 500 minasA mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram">3 of silver.Probable reading; Hebrew lacks minas of silver">4 71 And some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. 72 And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests’ garments.

    73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns.

    And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.

    Footnotes

    [1] 7:68 Compare Ezra 2:66 and the margins of some Hebrew manuscripts; Hebrew lacks Their horses . . . 245


    [2] 7:70 A daric was a coin weighing about 1/4 ounce or 8.5 grams

    [3] 7:70 A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram

    [4] 7:70 Probable reading; Hebrew lacks minas of silver

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Romans 16
    Romans 16 (Listen)
    Personal Greetings

    16 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servantOr deaconess">1 of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

    3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convertGreek firstfruit">2 to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia,Or Junias">3 my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles,Or messengers">4 and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothersOr brothers and sisters; also verse 17">5 who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

    Final Instructions and Greetings

    17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites,Greek their own belly">6 and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

    21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

    22 I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

    23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.Some manuscripts insert verse 24: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen">7

    Doxology

    25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

    Footnotes

    [1] 16:1 Or deaconess


    [2] 16:5 Greek firstfruit

    [3] 16:7 Or Junias

    [4] 16:7 Or messengers

    [5] 16:14 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 17

    [6] 16:18 Greek their own belly

    [7] 16:23 Some manuscripts insert verse 24: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen

    (ESV)

    17 min
  • March 21: Psalm 80; Exodus 25; Nehemiah 6; Romans 15:14–33
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 80
    Psalm 80 (Listen)
    Restore Us, O God
    To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Testimony. Of Asaph, a Psalm.

    80   Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
        you who lead Joseph like a flock.
      You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
    2     Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
      stir up your might
        and come to save us!
    3   Restore us,Or Turn us again; also verses 7, 19">1 O God;
        let your face shine, that we may be saved!
    4   O LORD God of hosts,
        how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
    5   You have fed them with the bread of tears
        and given them tears to drink in full measure.
    6   You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
        and our enemies laugh among themselves.
    7   Restore us, O God of hosts;
        let your face shine, that we may be saved!
    8   You brought a vine out of Egypt;
        you drove out the nations and planted it.
    9   You cleared the ground for it;
        it took deep root and filled the land.
    10   The mountains were covered with its shade,
        the mighty cedars with its branches.
    11   It sent out its branches to the sea
        and its shoots to the River.That is, the Euphrates">2
    12   Why then have you broken down its walls,
        so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
    13   The boar from the forest ravages it,
        and all that move in the field feed on it.
    14   Turn again, O God of hosts!
        Look down from heaven, and see;
      have regard for this vine,
    15     the stock that your right hand planted,
        and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
    16   They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
        may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
    17   But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
        the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
    18   Then we shall not turn back from you;
        give us life, and we will call upon your name!
    19   Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!
        Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

    Footnotes

    [1] 80:3 Or Turn us again; also verses 7, 19


    [2] 80:11 That is, the Euphrates

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Exodus 25
    Exodus 25 (Listen)
    Contributions for the Sanctuary

    25 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. 3 And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, 4 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats’ hair, 5 tanned rams’ skins, goatskins,Uncertain; possibly dolphin skins, or dugong skins; compare 26:14">1 acacia wood, 6 oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

    The Ark of the Covenant

    10 “They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubitsA cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters">2 and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. 12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 13 You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. 15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16 And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.

    17 “You shall make a mercy seatOr cover">3 of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 18 And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. 20 The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. 21 And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. 22 There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.

    The Table for Bread

    23 “You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 24 You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a molding of gold around it. 25 And you shall make a rim around it a handbreadthA handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters">4 wide, and a molding of gold around the rim. 26 And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 27 Close to the frame the rings shall lie, as holders for the poles to carry the table. 28 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these. 29 And you shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. 30 And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me regularly.

    The Golden Lampstand

    31 “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32 And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 33 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 34 And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 35 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand. 36 Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37 You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it. 38 Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39 It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a talentA talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms">5 of pure gold. 40 And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

    Footnotes

    [1] 25:5 Uncertain; possibly dolphin skins, or dugong skins; compare 26:14


    [2] 25:10 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

    [3] 25:17 Or cover

    [4] 25:25 A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters

    [5] 25:39 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    Nehemiah 6
    Nehemiah 6 (Listen)
    Conspiracy Against Nehemiah

    6 Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. 5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and GeshemHebrew Gashmu">1 also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God,Hebrew lacks O God">2 strengthen my hands.

    10 Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.” 11 But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live?Or would go into the temple to save his life">3 I will not go in.” 12 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. 14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

    The Wall Is Finished

    15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. 17 Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. 19 Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.

    Footnotes

    [1] 6:6 Hebrew Gashmu


    [2] 6:9 Hebrew lacks O God

    [3] 6:11 Or would go into the temple to save his life

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Romans 15:14–33
    Romans 15:14–33 (Listen)
    Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

    14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers,Or brothers and sisters; also verse 30">1 that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. 15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 18 For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, 19 by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; 20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, 21 but as it is written,

      “Those who have never been told of him will see,
        and those who have never heard will understand.”

    Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome

    22 This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected,Greek sealed to them this fruit">2 I will leave for Spain by way of you. 29 I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessingSome manuscripts insert of the gospel">3 of Christ.

    30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31 that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. 33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

    Footnotes

    [1] 15:14 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 30


    [2] 15:28 Greek sealed to them this fruit

    [3] 15:29 Some manuscripts insert of the gospel

    (ESV)

    13 min
  • March 20: Psalm 79; Exodus 24; Nehemiah 5; Romans 15:1–13
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 79
    Psalm 79 (Listen)
    How Long, O Lord?
    A Psalm of Asaph.

    79   O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
        they have defiled your holy temple;
        they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
    2   They have given the bodies of your servants
        to the birds of the heavens for food,
        the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.
    3   They have poured out their blood like water
        all around Jerusalem,
        and there was no one to bury them.
    4   We have become a taunt to our neighbors,
        mocked and derided by those around us.
    5   How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever?
        Will your jealousy burn like fire?
    6   Pour out your anger on the nations
        that do not know you,
      and on the kingdoms
        that do not call upon your name!
    7   For they have devoured Jacob
        and laid waste his habitation.
    8   Do not remember against us our former iniquities;Or the iniquities of former generations">1
        let your compassion come speedily to meet us,
        for we are brought very low.
    9   Help us, O God of our salvation,
        for the glory of your name;
      deliver us, and atone for our sins,
        for your name’s sake!
    10   Why should the nations say,
        “Where is their God?”
      Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants
        be known among the nations before our eyes!
    11   Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;
        according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die!
    12   Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors
        the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!
    13   But we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
        will give thanks to you forever;
        from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

    Footnotes

    [1] 79:8 Or the iniquities of former generations

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Exodus 24
    Exodus 24 (Listen)
    The Covenant Confirmed

    24 Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. 2 Moses alone shall come near to the LORD, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”

    3 Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules.Or all the just decrees">1 And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.” 4 And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD. 6 And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” 8 And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

    9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. 11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.

    12 The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”

    15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the LORD dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

    Footnotes

    [1] 24:3 Or all the just decrees

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    Nehemiah 5
    Nehemiah 5 (Listen)
    Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor

    5 Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” 3 There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” 4 And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

    6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them 8 and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. 9 So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. 11 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” 12 Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. 13 I also shook out the foldHebrew bosom">1 of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.

    Nehemiah’s Generosity

    14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. 15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily rationCompare Vulgate; Hebrew took from them for food and wine after">2 forty shekelsA shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams">3 of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. 16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now what was prepared at my expenseOr prepared for me">4 for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. 19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

    Footnotes

    [1] 5:13 Hebrew bosom


    [2] 5:15 Compare Vulgate; Hebrew took from them for food and wine after

    [3] 5:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

    [4] 5:18 Or prepared for me

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Romans 15:1–13
    Romans 15:1–13 (Listen)
    The Example of Christ

    15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

    Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles

    8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

      “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
        and sing to your name.”

    10 And again it is said,

      “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

    11 And again,

      “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
        and let all the peoples extol him.”

    12 And again Isaiah says,

      “The root of Jesse will come,
        even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
      in him will the Gentiles hope.”

    13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

    (ESV)

    10 min
  • March 19: Psalm 78; Exodus 23:10–33; Nehemiah 4; Romans 14
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 78
    Psalm 78 (Listen)
    Tell the Coming Generation
    A MaskilProbably a musical or liturgical term">1 of Asaph.

    78   Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
        incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
    2   I will open my mouth in a parable;
        I will utter dark sayings from of old,
    3   things that we have heard and known,
        that our fathers have told us.
    4   We will not hide them from their children,
        but tell to the coming generation
      the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,
        and the wonders that he has done.
    5   He established a testimony in Jacob
        and appointed a law in Israel,
      which he commanded our fathers
        to teach to their children,
    6   that the next generation might know them,
        the children yet unborn,
      and arise and tell them to their children,
    7     so that they should set their hope in God
      and not forget the works of God,
        but keep his commandments;
    8   and that they should not be like their fathers,
        a stubborn and rebellious generation,
      a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
        whose spirit was not faithful to God.
    9   The Ephraimites, armed withHebrew armed and shooting">2 the bow,
        turned back on the day of battle.
    10   They did not keep God’s covenant,
        but refused to walk according to his law.
    11   They forgot his works
        and the wonders that he had shown them.
    12   In the sight of their fathers he performed wonders
        in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
    13   He divided the sea and let them pass through it,
        and made the waters stand like a heap.
    14   In the daytime he led them with a cloud,
        and all the night with a fiery light.
    15   He split rocks in the wilderness
        and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
    16   He made streams come out of the rock
        and caused waters to flow down like rivers.
    17   Yet they sinned still more against him,
        rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
    18   They tested God in their heart
        by demanding the food they craved.
    19   They spoke against God, saying,
        “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?
    20   He struck the rock so that water gushed out
        and streams overflowed.
      Can he also give bread
        or provide meat for his people?”
    21   Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of wrath;
        a fire was kindled against Jacob;
        his anger rose against Israel,
    22   because they did not believe in God
        and did not trust his saving power.
    23   Yet he commanded the skies above
        and opened the doors of heaven,
    24   and he rained down on them manna to eat
        and gave them the grain of heaven.
    25   Man ate of the bread of the angels;
        he sent them food in abundance.
    26   He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,
        and by his power he led out the south wind;
    27   he rained meat on them like dust,
        winged birds like the sand of the seas;
    28   he let them fall in the midst of their camp,
        all around their dwellings.
    29   And they ate and were well filled,
        for he gave them what they craved.
    30   But before they had satisfied their craving,
        while the food was still in their mouths,
    31   the anger of God rose against them,
        and he killed the strongest of them
        and laid low the young men of Israel.
    32   In spite of all this, they still sinned;
        despite his wonders, they did not believe.
    33   So he made their days vanish likeHebrew in">3 a breath,Or vapor">4
        and their years in terror.
    34   When he killed them, they sought him;
        they repented and sought God earnestly.
    35   They remembered that God was their rock,
        the Most High God their redeemer.
    36   But they flattered him with their mouths;
        they lied to him with their tongues.
    37   Their heart was not steadfast toward him;
        they were not faithful to his covenant.
    38   Yet he, being compassionate,
        atoned for their iniquity
        and did not destroy them;
      he restrained his anger often
        and did not stir up all his wrath.
    39   He remembered that they were but flesh,
        a wind that passes and comes not again.
    40   How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness
        and grieved him in the desert!
    41   They tested God again and again
        and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
    42   They did not remember his powerHebrew hand">5
        or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,
    43   when he performed his signs in Egypt
        and his marvels in the fields of Zoan.
    44   He turned their rivers to blood,
        so that they could not drink of their streams.
    45   He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them,
        and frogs, which destroyed them.
    46   He gave their crops to the destroying locust
        and the fruit of their labor to the locust.
    47   He destroyed their vines with hail
        and their sycamores with frost.
    48   He gave over their cattle to the hail
        and their flocks to thunderbolts.
    49   He let loose on them his burning anger,
        wrath, indignation, and distress,
        a company of destroying angels.
    50   He made a path for his anger;
        he did not spare them from death,
        but gave their lives over to the plague.
    51   He struck down every firstborn in Egypt,
        the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of Ham.
    52   Then he led out his people like sheep
        and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
    53   He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid,
        but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
    54   And he brought them to his holy land,
        to the mountain which his right hand had won.
    55   He drove out nations before them;
        he apportioned them for a possession
        and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
    56   Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God
        and did not keep his testimonies,
    57   but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers;
        they twisted like a deceitful bow.
    58   For they provoked him to anger with their high places;
        they moved him to jealousy with their idols.
    59   When God heard, he was full of wrath,
        and he utterly rejected Israel.
    60   He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh,
        the tent where he dwelt among mankind,
    61   and delivered his power to captivity,
        his glory to the hand of the foe.
    62   He gave his people over to the sword
        and vented his wrath on his heritage.
    63   Fire devoured their young men,
        and their young women had no marriage song.
    64   Their priests fell by the sword,
        and their widows made no lamentation.
    65   Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
        like a strong man shouting because of wine.
    66   And he put his adversaries to rout;
        he put them to everlasting shame.
    67   He rejected the tent of Joseph;
        he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
    68   but he chose the tribe of Judah,
        Mount Zion, which he loves.
    69   He built his sanctuary like the high heavens,
        like the earth, which he has founded forever.
    70   He chose David his servant
        and took him from the sheepfolds;
    71   from following the nursing ewes he brought him
        to shepherd Jacob his people,
        Israel his inheritance.
    72   With upright heart he shepherded them
        and guided them with his skillful hand.

    Footnotes

    [1] 78:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term


    [2] 78:9 Hebrew armed and shooting

    [3] 78:33 Hebrew in

    [4] 78:33 Or vapor

    [5] 78:42 Hebrew hand

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Exodus 23:10–33
    Exodus 23:10–33 (Listen)
    Laws About the Sabbath and Festivals

    10 “For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield, 11 but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.

    12 “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.

    13 “Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.

    14 “Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. 15 You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed. 16 You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. 17 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord GOD.

    18 “You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the fat of my feast remain until the morning.

    19 “The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God.

    “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.

    Conquest of Canaan Promised

    20 “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. 21 Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.

    22 “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

    23 “When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, 24 you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. 25 You shall serve the LORD your God, and heSeptuagint, Vulgate I">1 will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. 26 None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. 27 I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 And I will send hornetsOr the hornet">2 before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. 29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land. 31 And I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates,Hebrew the River">3 for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. 32 You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

    Footnotes

    [1] 23:25 Septuagint, Vulgate I


    [2] 23:28 Or the hornet

    [3] 23:31 Hebrew the River

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    Nehemiah 4
    Nehemiah 4 (Listen)
    Opposition to the Work

    4 Ch 3:33 in Hebrew">1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. 2 And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves?Or Will they commit themselves to God?">2 Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” 3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” 4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.

    6 So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

    7 Ch 4:1 in Hebrew">3 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. 8 And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.

    10 In Judah it was said,Hebrew Judah said">4 “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” 11 And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” 12 At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.”The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain">5 13 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

    The Work Resumes

    15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

    21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. 22 I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.Or his weapon when drinking">6

    Footnotes

    [1] 4:1 Ch 3:33 in Hebrew


    [2] 4:2 Or Will they commit themselves to God?

    [3] 4:7 Ch 4:1 in Hebrew

    [4] 4:10 Hebrew Judah said

    [5] 4:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain

    [6] 4:23 Or his weapon when drinking

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Romans 14
    Romans 14 (Listen)
    Do Not Pass Judgment on One Another

    14 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own masterOr lord">1 that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

    5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

    10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,

      “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
        and every tongue shall confessOr shall give praise">2 to God.”

    12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

    Do Not Cause Another to Stumble

    13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

    20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.Some manuscripts add or be hindered or be weakened">3 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.Some manuscripts insert here 16:25–27">4

    Footnotes

    [1] 14:4 Or lord


    [2] 14:11 Or shall give praise

    [3] 14:21 Some manuscripts add or be hindered or be weakened

    [4] 14:23 Some manuscripts insert here 16:25–27

    (ESV)

    18 min
  • March 18: Psalm 77; Exodus 22:16–23:9; Nehemiah 3; Romans 13
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 77
    Psalm 77 (Listen)
    In the Day of Trouble I Seek the Lord
    To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

    77   I cry aloud to God,
        aloud to God, and he will hear me.
    2   In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
        in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
        my soul refuses to be comforted.
    3   When I remember God, I moan;
        when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah
    4   You hold my eyelids open;
        I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
    5   I consider the days of old,
        the years long ago.
    6   I said,Hebrew lacks I said">1 “Let me remember my song in the night;
        let me meditate in my heart.”
        Then my spirit made a diligent search:
    7   “Will the Lord spurn forever,
        and never again be favorable?
    8   Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
        Are his promises at an end for all time?
    9   Has God forgotten to be gracious?
        Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
    10   Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
        to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”Or This is my grief: that the right hand of the Most High has changed">2
    11   I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
        yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
    12   I will ponder all your work,
        and meditate on your mighty deeds.
    13   Your way, O God, is holy.
        What god is great like our God?
    14   You are the God who works wonders;
        you have made known your might among the peoples.
    15   You with your arm redeemed your people,
        the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
    16   When the waters saw you, O God,
        when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
        indeed, the deep trembled.
    17   The clouds poured out water;
        the skies gave forth thunder;
        your arrows flashed on every side.
    18   The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
        your lightnings lighted up the world;
        the earth trembled and shook.
    19   Your way was through the sea,
        your path through the great waters;
        yet your footprints were unseen.Hebrew unknown">3
    20   You led your people like a flock
        by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

    Footnotes

    [1] 77:6 Hebrew lacks I said


    [2] 77:10 Or This is my grief: that the right hand of the Most High has changed

    [3] 77:19 Hebrew unknown

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Exodus 22:16–23:9
    Exodus 22:16–23:9 (Listen)
    Laws About Social Justice

    16 “If a man seduces a virginOr a girl of marriageable age; also verse 17">1 who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-priceOr engagement present; also verse 17">2 for her and make her his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.

    18 “You shall not permit a sorceress to live.

    19 “Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.

    20 “Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the LORD alone, shall be devoted to destruction.That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction)">3

    21 “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 22 You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. 23 If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, 24 and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

    25 “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. 26 If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, 27 for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

    28 “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

    29 “You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me. 30 You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

    31 “You shall be consecrated to me. Therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.

    23 “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. 2 You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, 3 nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.

    4 “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. 5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.

    6 “You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit. 7 Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. 8 And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.

    9 “You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

    Footnotes

    [1] 22:16 Or a girl of marriageable age; also verse 17


    [2] 22:16 Or engagement present; also verse 17

    [3] 22:20 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction)

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    Nehemiah 3
    Nehemiah 3 (Listen)
    Rebuilding the Wall

    3 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to themHebrew him">1 Zaccur the son of Imri built.

    3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired. 5 And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.Or lords">2

    6 Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Gate of Yeshanah.Or of the old city">3 They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 7 And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, the seat of the governor of the province Beyond the River. 8 Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, ruler of half the district ofOr foreman of half the portion assigned to; also verses 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18">4 Jerusalem, repaired. 10 Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah repaired. 11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters.

    13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubitsA cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters">5 of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate.

    14 Malchijah the son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

    15 And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David. 16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool, and as far as the house of the mighty men. 17 After him the Levites repaired: Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, repaired for his district. 18 After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai the son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. 19 Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress.Or corner; also verses 20, 24, 25">6 20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai repairedSome manuscripts vigorously repaired">7 another section from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 After him Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired another section from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib. 22 After him the priests, the men of the surrounding area, repaired. 23 After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah repaired beside his own house. 24 After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress and to the corner. 25 Palal the son of Uzai repaired opposite the buttress and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh 26 and the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower. 27 After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel.

    28 Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house. 29 After them Zadok the son of Immer repaired opposite his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, repaired. 30 After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah repaired opposite his chamber. 31 After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Muster Gate,Or Hammiphkad Gate">8 and to the upper chamber of the corner. 32 And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.

    Footnotes

    [1] 3:2 Hebrew him


    [2] 3:5 Or lords

    [3] 3:6 Or of the old city

    [4] 3:9 Or foreman of half the portion assigned to; also verses 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

    [5] 3:13 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

    [6] 3:19 Or corner; also verses 20, 24, 25

    [7] 3:20 Some manuscripts vigorously repaired

    [8] 3:31 Or Hammiphkad Gate

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Romans 13
    Romans 13 (Listen)
    Submission to the Authorities

    13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

    Fulfilling the Law Through Love

    8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

    11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

    (ESV)

    13 min

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