ESV: Digging Deep into the Bible

ESV: Digging Deep into the Bible

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ESV: Digging Deep into the Bible episodes

  • February 5: Psalm 35; Genesis 32; 2 Chronicles 9; Acts 1
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 35
    Psalm 35 (Listen)
    Great Is the Lord
    Of David.

    35   Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
        fight against those who fight against me!
    2   Take hold of shield and buckler
        and rise for my help!
    3   Draw the spear and javelinOr and close the way">1
        against my pursuers!
      Say to my soul,
        “I am your salvation!”
    4   Let them be put to shame and dishonor
        who seek after my life!
      Let them be turned back and disappointed
        who devise evil against me!
    5   Let them be like chaff before the wind,
        with the angel of the LORD driving them away!
    6   Let their way be dark and slippery,
        with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
    7   For without cause they hid their net for me;
        without cause they dug a pit for my life.The word pit is transposed from the preceding line; Hebrew For without cause they hid the pit of their net for me; without cause they dug for my life">2
    8   Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!
      And let the net that he hid ensnare him;
        let him fall into it—to his destruction!
    9   Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD,
        exulting in his salvation.
    10   All my bones shall say,
        “O LORD, who is like you,
      delivering the poor
        from him who is too strong for him,
        the poor and needy from him who robs him?”
    11   MaliciousOr Violent">3 witnesses rise up;
        they ask me of things that I do not know.
    12   They repay me evil for good;
        my soul is bereft.Hebrew it is bereavement to my soul">4
    13   But I, when they were sick—
        I wore sackcloth;
        I afflicted myself with fasting;
      I prayed with head bowedOr my prayer shall turn back">5 on my chest.
    14     I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;
      as one who laments his mother,
        I bowed down in mourning.
    15   But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered;
        they gathered together against me;
      wretches whom I did not know
        tore at me without ceasing;
    16   like profane mockers at a feast,The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain">6
        they gnash at me with their teeth.
    17   How long, O Lord, will you look on?
        Rescue me from their destruction,
        my precious life from the lions!
    18   I will thank you in the great congregation;
        in the mighty throng I will praise you.
    19   Let not those rejoice over me
        who are wrongfully my foes,
      and let not those wink the eye
        who hate me without cause.
    20   For they do not speak peace,
        but against those who are quiet in the land
        they devise words of deceit.
    21   They open wide their mouths against me;
        they say, “Aha, Aha!
        Our eyes have seen it!”
    22   You have seen, O LORD; be not silent!
        O Lord, be not far from me!
    23   Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication,
        for my cause, my God and my Lord!
    24   Vindicate me, O LORD, my God,
        according to your righteousness,
        and let them not rejoice over me!
    25   Let them not say in their hearts,
        “Aha, our heart’s desire!”
      Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
    26   Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether
        who rejoice at my calamity!
      Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
        who magnify themselves against me!
    27   Let those who delight in my righteousness
        shout for joy and be glad
        and say evermore,
      “Great is the LORD,
        who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
    28   Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness
        and of your praise all the day long.

    Footnotes

    [1] 35:3 Or and close the way


    [2] 35:7 The word pit is transposed from the preceding line; Hebrew For without cause they hid the pit of their net for me; without cause they dug for my life

    [3] 35:11 Or Violent

    [4] 35:12 Hebrew it is bereavement to my soul

    [5] 35:13 Or my prayer shall turn back

    [6] 35:16 The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Genesis 32
    Genesis 32 (Listen)
    Jacob Fears Esau

    32 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.Mahanaim means two camps">1

    3 And Jacob sentOr had sent">2 messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, 4 instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’”

    6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.” 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, 8 thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape.”

    9 And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

    13 So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.” 17 He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’” 19 He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him, 20 and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he thought, “I may appease himHebrew appease his face">3 with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.”Hebrew he will lift my face">4 21 So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.

    Jacob Wrestles with God

    22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children,Or sons">5 and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,Israel means He strives with God, or God strives">6 for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel,Peniel means the face of God">7 saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

    Footnotes

    [1] 32:2 Mahanaim means two camps


    [2] 32:3 Or had sent

    [3] 32:20 Hebrew appease his face

    [4] 32:20 Hebrew he will lift my face

    [5] 32:22 Or sons

    [6] 32:28 Israel means He strives with God, or God strives

    [7] 32:30 Peniel means the face of God

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    2 Chronicles 9
    2 Chronicles 9 (Listen)
    The Queen of Sheba

    9 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions, having a very great retinue and camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. 2 And Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from Solomon that he could not explain to her. 3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 4 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his cupbearers, and their clothing, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more breath in her.

    5 And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 6 but I did not believe theHebrew their">1 reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, half the greatness of your wisdom was not told me; you surpass the report that I heard. 7 Happy are your wives!Septuagint (compare 1 Kings 10:8); Hebrew men">2 Happy are these your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 8 Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the LORD your God! Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, that you may execute justice and righteousness.” 9 Then she gave the king 120 talentsA talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms">3 of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There were no spices such as those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

    10 Moreover, the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum wood and precious stones. 11 And the king made from the algum wood supports for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, lyres also and harps for the singers. There never was seen the like of them before in the land of Judah.

    12 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what she had brought to the king. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants.

    Solomon’s Wealth

    13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, 14 besides that which the explorers and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekelsA shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams">4 of beaten gold went into each shield. 16 And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; 300 shekels of gold went into each shield; and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 17 The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps and a footstool of gold, which were attached to the throne, and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, 19 while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. Nothing like it was ever made for any kingdom. 20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. Silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.Or baboons">5

    22 Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. 24 Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and of gold, garments, myrrh,Or armor">6 spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year. 25 And Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 26 And he ruled over all the kings from the EuphratesHebrew the River">7 to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. 27 And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. 28 And horses were imported for Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.

    Solomon’s Death

    29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father, and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

    Footnotes

    [1] 9:6 Hebrew their


    [2] 9:7 Septuagint (compare 1 Kings 10:8); Hebrew men

    [3] 9:9 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms

    [4] 9:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

    [5] 9:21 Or baboons

    [6] 9:24 Or armor

    [7] 9:26 Hebrew the River

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Acts 1
    Acts 1 (Listen)
    The Promise of the Holy Spirit

    1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

    4 And while stayingOr eating">1 with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized withOr in">2 the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

    The Ascension

    6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

    Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

    12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his 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 verse 15">3

    15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlongOr swelling up">4 he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

      “‘May his camp become desolate,
        and let there be no one to dwell in it’;

    and

      “‘Let another take his office.’

    21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

    Footnotes

    [1] 1:4 Or eating


    [2] 1:5 Or in

    [3] 1:14 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 verse 15

    [4] 1:18 Or swelling up

    (ESV)

    17 min
  • February 4: Psalm 34; Genesis 31; 2 Chronicles 8; Luke 24
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 34
    Psalm 34 (Listen)
    Taste and See That the Lord Is Good
    This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet">1 Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

    34   I will bless the LORD at all times;
        his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
    2   My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
        let the humble hear and be glad.
    3   Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
        and let us exalt his name together!
    4   I sought the LORD, and he answered me
        and delivered me from all my fears.
    5   Those who look to him are radiant,
        and their faces shall never be ashamed.
    6   This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
        and saved him out of all his troubles.
    7   The angel of the LORD encamps
        around those who fear him, and delivers them.
    8   Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
        Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
    9   Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
        for those who fear him have no lack!
    10   The young lions suffer want and hunger;
        but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
    11   Come, O children, listen to me;
        I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
    12   What man is there who desires life
        and loves many days, that he may see good?
    13   Keep your tongue from evil
        and your lips from speaking deceit.
    14   Turn away from evil and do good;
        seek peace and pursue it.
    15   The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
        and his ears toward their cry.
    16   The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
        to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
    17   When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
        and delivers them out of all their troubles.
    18   The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
        and saves the crushed in spirit.
    19   Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
        but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
    20   He keeps all his bones;
        not one of them is broken.
    21   Affliction will slay the wicked,
        and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
    22   The LORD redeems the life of his servants;
        none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

    Footnotes

    [1] 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Genesis 31
    Genesis 31 (Listen)
    Jacob Flees from Laban

    31 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

    4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was 5 and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. 8 If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. 9 Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. 10 In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ 12 And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’” 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. 16 All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”

    17 So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. 20 And Jacob trickedHebrew stole the heart of; also verses 26, 27">1 Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates,Hebrew the River">2 and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

    22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

    25 And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre? 28 And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of yourThe Hebrew for your is plural here">3 father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ 30 And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?” 31 Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

    33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household gods.

    36 Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? 37 For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”

    43 Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne? 44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me.” 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha,Aramaic the heap of witness">4 but Jacob called it Galeed.Hebrew the heap of witness">5 48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Galeed, 49 and Mizpah,Mizpah means watchpost">6 for he said, “The LORD watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight. 50 If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.”

    51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, to do harm. 53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac, 54 and Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country.

    55 Ch 32:1 in Hebrew">7 Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home.

    Footnotes

    [1] 31:20 Hebrew stole the heart of; also verses 26, 27


    [2] 31:21 Hebrew the River

    [3] 31:29 The Hebrew for your is plural here

    [4] 31:47 Aramaic the heap of witness

    [5] 31:47 Hebrew the heap of witness

    [6] 31:49 Mizpah means watchpost

    [7] 31:55 Ch 32:1 in Hebrew

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    2 Chronicles 8
    2 Chronicles 8 (Listen)
    Solomon’s Accomplishments

    8 At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of the LORD and his own house, 2 Solomon rebuilt the cities that Hiram had given to him, and settled the people of Israel in them.

    3 And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and took it. 4 He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the store cities that he built in Hamath. 5 He also built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars, 6 and Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had and all the cities for his chariots and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 7 All the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel, 8 from their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel had not destroyed—these Solomon drafted as forced labor, and so they are to this day. 9 But of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves for his work; they were soldiers, and his officers, the commanders of his chariots, and his horsemen. 10 And these were the chief officers of King Solomon, 250, who exercised authority over the people.

    11 Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the city of David to the house that he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not live in the house of David king of Israel, for the places to which the ark of the LORD has come are holy.”

    12 Then Solomon offered up burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the LORD that he had built before the vestibule, 13 as the duty of each day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the three annual feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths. 14 According to the ruling of David his father, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites for their offices of praise and ministry before the priests as the duty of each day required, and the gatekeepers in their divisions at each gate, for so David the man of God had commanded. 15 And they did not turn aside from what the king had commanded the priests and Levites concerning any matter and concerning the treasuries.

    16 Thus was accomplished all the work of Solomon fromSeptuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew to">1 the day the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was completed.

    17 Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Eloth on the shore of the sea, in the land of Edom. 18 And Hiram sent to him by the hand of his servants ships and servants familiar with the sea, and they went to Ophir together with the servants of Solomon and brought from there 450 talentsA talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms">2 of gold and brought it to King Solomon.

    Footnotes

    [1] 8:16 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew to


    [2] 8:18 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Luke 24
    Luke 24 (Listen)
    The Resurrection

    24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

    On the Road to Emmaus

    13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven milesGreek sixty stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters">1 from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

    28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

    Jesus Appears to His Disciples

    36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,Some manuscripts add and some honeycomb">2 43 and he took it and ate before them.

    44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance forSome manuscripts and">3 the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

    The Ascension

    50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.

    Footnotes

    [1] 24:13 Greek sixty stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters


    [2] 24:42 Some manuscripts add and some honeycomb

    [3] 24:47 Some manuscripts and

    (ESV)

    19 min
  • February 3: Psalm 33; Genesis 29:31–30:43; 2 Chronicles 7; Luke 23:26–56
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 33
    Psalm 33 (Listen)
    The Steadfast Love of the Lord

    33   Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous!
        Praise befits the upright.
    2   Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;
        make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
    3   Sing to him a new song;
        play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
    4   For the word of the LORD is upright,
        and all his work is done in faithfulness.
    5   He loves righteousness and justice;
        the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
    6   By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
        and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
    7   He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;
        he puts the deeps in storehouses.
    8   Let all the earth fear the LORD;
        let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
    9   For he spoke, and it came to be;
        he commanded, and it stood firm.
    10   The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
        he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
    11   The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
        the plans of his heart to all generations.
    12   Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
        the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
    13   The LORD looks down from heaven;
        he sees all the children of man;
    14   from where he sits enthroned he looks out
        on all the inhabitants of the earth,
    15   he who fashions the hearts of them all
        and observes all their deeds.
    16   The king is not saved by his great army;
        a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
    17   The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
        and by its great might it cannot rescue.
    18   Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,
        on those who hope in his steadfast love,
    19   that he may deliver their soul from death
        and keep them alive in famine.
    20   Our soul waits for the LORD;
        he is our help and our shield.
    21   For our heart is glad in him,
        because we trust in his holy name.
    22   Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
        even as we hope in you.

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Genesis 29:31–30:43
    Genesis 29:31–30:43 (Listen)
    Jacob’s Children

    31 When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben,Reuben means See, a son">1 for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.Simeon sounds like the Hebrew for heard">2 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.Levi sounds like the Hebrew for attached">3 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah.Judah sounds like the Hebrew for praise">4 Then she ceased bearing.

    30 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2 Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf,Hebrew on my knees">5 that even I may have childrenHebrew be built up, which sounds like the Hebrew for children">6 through her.” 4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan.Dan sounds like the Hebrew for judged">7 7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlingsHebrew With wrestlings of God">8 I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali.Naphtali sounds like the Hebrew for wrestling">9

    9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad.Gad sounds like the Hebrew for good fortune">10 12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.Asher sounds like the Hebrew for happy">11

    14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for wages, or hire">12

    19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun.Zebulun sounds like the Hebrew for honor">13 21 Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

    22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 And she called his name Joseph,Joseph means May he add, and sounds like the Hebrew for taken away">14 saying, “May the LORD add to me another son!”

    Jacob’s Prosperity

    25 As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country. 26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you.” 27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination thatOr have become rich and">15 the LORD has blessed me because of you. 28 Name your wages, and I will give it.” 29 Jacob said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has fared with me. 30 For you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly, and the LORD has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I provide for my own household also?” 31 He said, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this for me, I will again pasture your flock and keep it: 32 let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats, and they shall be my wages. 33 So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.” 34 Laban said, “Good! Let it be as you have said.” 35 But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons. 36 And he set a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban’s flock.

    37 Then Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks. 38 He set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, 39 the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. 40 And Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban. He put his own droves apart and did not put them with Laban’s flock. 41 Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the sticks, 42 but for the feebler of the flock he would not lay them there. So the feebler would be Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. 43 Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

    Footnotes

    [1] 29:32 Reuben means See, a son


    [2] 29:33 Simeon sounds like the Hebrew for heard

    [3] 29:34 Levi sounds like the Hebrew for attached

    [4] 29:35 Judah sounds like the Hebrew for praise

    [5] 30:3 Hebrew on my knees

    [6] 30:3 Hebrew be built up, which sounds like the Hebrew for children

    [7] 30:6 Dan sounds like the Hebrew for judged

    [8] 30:8 Hebrew With wrestlings of God

    [9] 30:8 Naphtali sounds like the Hebrew for wrestling

    [10] 30:11 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for good fortune

    [11] 30:13 Asher sounds like the Hebrew for happy

    [12] 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for wages, or hire

    [13] 30:20 Zebulun sounds like the Hebrew for honor

    [14] 30:24 Joseph means May he add, and sounds like the Hebrew for taken away

    [15] 30:27 Or have become rich and

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    2 Chronicles 7
    2 Chronicles 7 (Listen)
    Fire from Heaven

    7 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

    The Dedication of the Temple

    4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the LORD. 5 King Solomon offered as a sacrifice 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6 The priests stood at their posts; the Levites also, with the instruments for music to the LORD that King David had made for giving thanks to the LORD—for his steadfast love endures forever—whenever David offered praises by their ministry;Hebrew by their hand">1 opposite them the priests sounded trumpets, and all Israel stood.

    7 And Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD, for there he offered the burnt offering and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar Solomon had made could not hold the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat.

    8 At that time Solomon held the feast for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt. 9 And on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for they had kept the dedication of the altar seven days and the feast seven days. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their homes, joyful and glad of heart for the prosperityOr good">2 that the LORD had granted to David and to Solomon and to Israel his people.

    If My People Pray

    11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king’s house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the LORD and in his own house he successfully accomplished. 12 Then the LORD appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. 17 And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, 18 then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.’

    19 “But if youThe Hebrew for you is plural here">3 turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will pluck youHebrew them; twice in this verse">4 up from my land that I have given you, and this house that I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 21 And at this house, which was exalted, everyone passing by will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’ 22 Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore he has brought all this disaster on them.’”

    Footnotes

    [1] 7:6 Hebrew by their hand


    [2] 7:10 Or good

    [3] 7:19 The Hebrew for you is plural here

    [4] 7:20 Hebrew them; twice in this verse

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Luke 23:26–56
    Luke 23:26–56 (Listen)
    The Crucifixion

    26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

    32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”Some manuscripts omit the sentence And Jesus . . . what they do">1 And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him,Some manuscripts add in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew">2 “This is the King of the Jews.”

    39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,Or blasphemed him">3 saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

    The Death of Jesus

    44 It was now about the sixth hour,That is, noon">4 and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,That is, 3 p.m.">5 45 while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.

    Jesus Is Buried

    50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning.Greek was dawning">6 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.

    On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

    Footnotes

    [1] 23:34 Some manuscripts omit the sentence And Jesus . . . what they do


    [2] 23:38 Some manuscripts add in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew

    [3] 23:39 Or blasphemed him

    [4] 23:44 That is, noon

    [5] 23:44 That is, 3 p.m.

    [6] 23:54 Greek was dawning

    (ESV)

    17 min
  • February 2: Psalm 32; Genesis 29:1–30; 2 Chronicles 6; Luke 22:47–23:25
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 32
    Psalm 32 (Listen)
    Blessed Are the Forgiven
    A MaskilProbably a musical or liturgical term">1 of David.

    32   Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
        whose sin is covered.
    2   Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,
        and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
    3   For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
        through my groaning all day long.
    4   For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
        my strength was dried upHebrew my vitality was changed">2 as by the heat of summer. Selah
    5   I acknowledged my sin to you,
        and I did not cover my iniquity;
      I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
        and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
    6   Therefore let everyone who is godly
        offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
      surely in the rush of great waters,
        they shall not reach him.
    7   You are a hiding place for me;
        you preserve me from trouble;
        you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
    8   I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
        I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
    9   Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
        which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
        or it will not stay near you.
    10   Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
        but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.
    11   Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous,
        and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

    Footnotes

    [1] 32:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term


    [2] 32:4 Hebrew my vitality was changed

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Genesis 29:1–30
    Genesis 29:1–30 (Listen)
    Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

    29 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large, 3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.

    4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” 6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” 7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

    9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.

    13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

    15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were weak,Or soft">1 but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

    21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gaveOr had given; also verse 29">2 his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.

    Footnotes

    [1] 29:17 Or soft


    [2] 29:24 Or had given; also verse 29

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    2 Chronicles 6
    2 Chronicles 6 (Listen)
    Solomon Blesses the People

    6 Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. 2 But I have built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.” 3 Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. 4 And he said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, 5 ‘Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there, and I chose no man as prince over my people Israel; 6 but I have chosen Jerusalem that my name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’ 7 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 8 But the LORD said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 9 Nevertheless, it is not you who shall build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ 10 Now the LORD has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and I have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 11 And there I have set the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with the people of Israel.”

    Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

    12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubitsA cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters">1 long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court, and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven, 14 and said, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, 15 who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 16 Now therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.’ 17 Now therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David.

    18 “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! 19 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, 20 that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 21 And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

    22 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, 23 then hear from heaven and act and judge your servants, repaying the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

    24 “If your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and they turn again and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, 25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to them and to their fathers.

    26 “When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflictSeptuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew answer">2 them, 27 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good waySeptuagint, Syriac, Vulgate (compare 1 Kings 8:36); Hebrew toward the good way">3 in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

    28 “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemies besiege them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 29 whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing his own affliction and his own sorrow and stretching out his hands toward this house, 30 then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind, 31 that they may fear you and walk in your ways all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.

    32 “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for the sake of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when he comes and prays toward this house, 33 hear from heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.

    34 “If your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to you toward this city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 35 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.

    36 “If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to a land far or near, 37 yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 38 if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity to which they were carried captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 39 then hear from heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their pleas, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you. 40 Now, O my God, let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place.

    41   “And now arise, O LORD God, and go to your resting place,
        you and the ark of your might.
      Let your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation,
        and let your saints rejoice in your goodness.
    42   O LORD God, do not turn away the face of your anointed one!
        Remember your steadfast love for David your servant.”

    Footnotes

    [1] 6:13 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters


    [2] 6:26 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew answer

    [3] 6:27 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate (compare 1 Kings 8:36); Hebrew toward the good way

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Luke 22:47–23:25
    Luke 22:47–23:25 (Listen)
    Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

    47 While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the servantOr bondservant">1 of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? 53 When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

    Peter Denies Jesus

    54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” 58 And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” 59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.

    Jesus Is Mocked

    63 Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. 64 They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” 65 And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.

    Jesus Before the Council

    66 When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, 67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68 and if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.”

    Jesus Before Pilate

    23 Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”

    Jesus Before Herod

    6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

    13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 I will therefore punish and release him.”Here, or after verse 19, some manuscripts add verse 17: Now he was obliged to release one man to them at the festival">2

    Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified

    18 But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”—19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

    Footnotes

    [1] 22:50 Or bondservant


    [2] 23:16 Here, or after verse 19, some manuscripts add verse 17: Now he was obliged to release one man to them at the festival

    (ESV)

    19 min
  • February 1: Psalm 31; Genesis 28:10–22; 2 Chronicles 5; Luke 22:1–46
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 31
    Psalm 31 (Listen)
    Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit
    To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

    31   In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;
        let me never be put to shame;
        in your righteousness deliver me!
    2   Incline your ear to me;
        rescue me speedily!
      Be a rock of refuge for me,
        a strong fortress to save me!
    3   For you are my rock and my fortress;
        and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;
    4   you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
        for you are my refuge.
    5   Into your hand I commit my spirit;
        you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
    6   I hateMasoretic Text; one Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint, Syriac, Jerome You hate">1 those who pay regard to worthless idols,
        but I trust in the LORD.
    7   I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
        because you have seen my affliction;
        you have known the distress of my soul,
    8   and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
        you have set my feet in a broad place.
    9   Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
        my eye is wasted from grief;
        my soul and my body also.
    10   For my life is spent with sorrow,
        and my years with sighing;
      my strength fails because of my iniquity,
        and my bones waste away.
    11   Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,
        especially to my neighbors,
      and an object of dread to my acquaintances;
        those who see me in the street flee from me.
    12   I have been forgotten like one who is dead;
        I have become like a broken vessel.
    13   For I hear the whispering of many—
        terror on every side!—
      as they scheme together against me,
        as they plot to take my life.
    14   But I trust in you, O LORD;
        I say, “You are my God.”
    15   My times are in your hand;
        rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
    16   Make your face shine on your servant;
        save me in your steadfast love!
    17   O LORD, let me not be put to shame,
        for I call upon you;
      let the wicked be put to shame;
        let them go silently to Sheol.
    18   Let the lying lips be mute,
        which speak insolently against the righteous
        in pride and contempt.
    19   Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
        which you have stored up for those who fear you
      and worked for those who take refuge in you,
        in the sight of the children of mankind!
    20   In the cover of your presence you hide them
        from the plots of men;
      you store them in your shelter
        from the strife of tongues.
    21   Blessed be the LORD,
        for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
        when I was in a besieged city.
    22   I had said in my alarm,Or in my haste">2
        “I am cut off from your sight.”
      But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
        when I cried to you for help.
    23   Love the LORD, all you his saints!
        The LORD preserves the faithful
        but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
    24   Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
        all you who wait for the LORD!

    Footnotes

    [1] 31:6 Masoretic Text; one Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint, Syriac, Jerome You hate


    [2] 31:22 Or in my haste

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Genesis 28:10–22
    Genesis 28:10–22 (Listen)
    Jacob’s Dream

    10 Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladderOr a flight of steps">1 set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the LORD stood above itOr beside him">2 and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

    18 So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He called the name of that place Bethel,Bethel means the house of God">3 but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

    Footnotes

    [1] 28:12 Or a flight of steps


    [2] 28:13 Or beside him

    [3] 28:19 Bethel means the house of God

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    2 Chronicles 5
    2 Chronicles 5 (Listen)

    5 Thus all the work that Solomon did for the house of the LORD was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, and stored the silver, the gold, and all the vessels in the treasuries of the house of God.

    The Ark Brought to the Temple

    2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel, in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion. 3 And all the men of Israel assembled before the king at the feast that is in the seventh month. 4 And all the elders of Israel came, and the Levites took up the ark. 5 And they brought up the ark, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the Levitical priests brought them up. 6 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. 7 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. 8 The cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering above the ark and its poles. 9 And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside. And they areHebrew it is">1 there to this day. 10 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of Egypt. 11 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had consecrated themselves, without regard to their divisions, 12 and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters; 13 and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the LORD), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the LORD,

      “For he is good,
        for his steadfast love endures forever,”

    the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

    Footnotes

    [1] 5:9 Hebrew it is

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Luke 22:1–46
    Luke 22:1–46 (Listen)
    The Plot to Kill Jesus

    22 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.

    Judas to Betray Jesus

    3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. 4 He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

    The Passover with the Disciples

    7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So JesusGreek he">1 sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” 9 They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” 10 He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters 11 and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” 13 And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

    Institution of the Lord’s Supper

    14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat itSome manuscripts never eat it again">2 until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.Some manuscripts omit, in whole or in part, verses 19b-20 (which is given . . . in my blood)">3 21 But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22 For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” 23 And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.

    Who Is the Greatest?

    24 A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27 For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

    28 “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, 29 and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

    Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

    31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you,The Greek word for you (twice in this verse) is plural; in verse 32, all four instances are singular">4 that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 PeterGreek He">5 said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34 JesusGreek He">6 said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”

    Scripture Must Be Fulfilled in Jesus

    35 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” 38 And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”

    Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

    39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.Some manuscripts omit verses 43 and 44">7 45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

    Footnotes

    [1] 22:8 Greek he


    [2] 22:16 Some manuscripts never eat it again

    [3] 22:20 Some manuscripts omit, in whole or in part, verses 19b-20 (which is given . . . in my blood)

    [4] 22:31 The Greek word for you (twice in this verse) is plural; in verse 32, all four instances are singular

    [5] 22:33 Greek He

    [6] 22:34 Greek He

    [7] 22:44 Some manuscripts omit verses 43 and 44

    (ESV)

    13 min
  • January 31: Psalm 30; Genesis 27:41–28:9; 2 Chronicles 4; Luke 20:45–21:38
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 30
    Psalm 30 (Listen)
    Joy Comes with the Morning
    A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.

    30   I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
        and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
    2   O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
        and you have healed me.
    3   O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
        you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.Or to life, that I should not go down to the pit">1
    4   Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,
        and give thanks to his holy name.Hebrew to the memorial of his holiness (see Exodus 3:15)">2
    5   For his anger is but for a moment,
        and his favor is for a lifetime.Or and in his favor is life">3
      Weeping may tarry for the night,
        but joy comes with the morning.
    6   As for me, I said in my prosperity,
        “I shall never be moved.”
    7   By your favor, O LORD,
        you made my mountain stand strong;
      you hid your face;
        I was dismayed.
    8   To you, O LORD, I cry,
        and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
    9   “What profit is there in my death,Hebrew in my blood">4
        if I go down to the pit?Or to corruption">5
      Will the dust praise you?
        Will it tell of your faithfulness?
    10   Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!
        O LORD, be my helper!”
    11   You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
        you have loosed my sackcloth
        and clothed me with gladness,
    12   that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
        O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

    Footnotes

    [1] 30:3 Or to life, that I should not go down to the pit


    [2] 30:4 Hebrew to the memorial of his holiness (see Exodus 3:15)

    [3] 30:5 Or and in his favor is life

    [4] 30:9 Hebrew in my blood

    [5] 30:9 Or to corruption

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Genesis 27:41–28:9
    Genesis 27:41–28:9 (Listen)

    41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran 44 and stay with him a while, until your brother’s fury turns away—45 until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?”

    46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women.Hebrew daughters of Heth">1 If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

    Jacob Sent to Laban

    28 Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women. 2 Arise, go to Paddan-aram to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father, and take as your wife from there one of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. 3 God AlmightyHebrew El Shaddai">2 bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. 4 May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!” 5 Thus Isaac sent Jacob away. And he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

    Esau Marries an Ishmaelite

    6 Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women,” 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and gone to Paddan-aram. 8 So when Esau saw that the Canaanite women did not please Isaac his father, 9 Esau went to Ishmael and took as his wife, besides the wives he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth.

    Footnotes

    [1] 27:46 Hebrew daughters of Heth


    [2] 28:3 Hebrew El Shaddai

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    2 Chronicles 4
    2 Chronicles 4 (Listen)
    The Temple’s Furnishings

    4 He made an altar of bronze, twenty cubitsA cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters">1 long and twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high. 2 Then he made the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference. 3 Under it were figures of gourds,Compare 1 Kings 7:24; Hebrew oxen; twice in this verse">2 for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast. 4 It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward. 5 Its thickness was a handbreadth.A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters">3 And its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held 3,000 baths.A bath was about 6 gallons or 22 liters">4 6 He also made ten basins in which to wash, and set five on the south side, and five on the north side. In these they were to rinse off what was used for the burnt offering, and the sea was for the priests to wash in.

    7 And he made ten golden lampstands as prescribed, and set them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. 8 He also made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. And he made a hundred basins of gold. 9 He made the court of the priests and the great court and doors for the court and overlaid their doors with bronze. 10 And he set the sea at the southeast corner of the house.

    11 Hiram also made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of God: 12 the two pillars, the bowls, and the two capitals on the top of the pillars; and the two latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; 13 and the 400 pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars. 14 He made the stands also, and the basins on the stands, 15 and the one sea, and the twelve oxen underneath it. 16 The pots, the shovels, the forks, and all the equipment for these Huram-abi made of burnished bronze for King Solomon for the house of the LORD. 17 In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah.Spelled Zarethan in 1 Kings 7:46">5 18 Solomon made all these things in great quantities, for the weight of the bronze was not sought.

    19 So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God: the golden altar, the tables for the bread of the Presence, 20 the lampstands and their lamps of pure gold to burn before the inner sanctuary, as prescribed; 21 the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of purest gold; 22 the snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and fire pans, of pure gold, and the socketsCompare 1 Kings 7:50; Hebrew the entrance of the house">6 of the temple, for the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and for the doors of the nave of the temple were of gold.

    Footnotes

    [1] 4:1 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters


    [2] 4:3 Compare 1 Kings 7:24; Hebrew oxen; twice in this verse

    [3] 4:5 A handbreadth was about 3 inches or 7.5 centimeters

    [4] 4:5 A bath was about 6 gallons or 22 liters

    [5] 4:17 Spelled Zarethan in 1 Kings 7:46

    [6] 4:22 Compare 1 Kings 7:50; Hebrew the entrance of the house

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Luke 20:45–21:38
    Luke 20:45–21:38 (Listen)
    Beware of the Scribes

    45 And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 47 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

    The Widow’s Offering

    21 JesusGreek He">1 looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.Greek two lepta; a lepton was a Jewish bronze or copper coin worth about 1/128 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer)">2 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

    Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

    5 And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 7 And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

    Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution

    10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothersOr parents and brothers and sisters">3 and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

    Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem

    20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

    The Coming of the Son of Man

    25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

    The Lesson of the Fig Tree

    29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

    Watch Yourselves

    34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

    37 And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. 38 And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.

    Footnotes

    [1] 21:1 Greek He


    [2] 21:2 Greek two lepta; a lepton was a Jewish bronze or copper coin worth about 1/128 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer)

    [3] 21:16 Or parents and brothers and sisters

    (ESV)

    12 min
  • January 30: Psalm 29; Genesis 27:1–40; 2 Chronicles 3; Luke 19:47–20:44
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 29
    Psalm 29 (Listen)
    Ascribe to the Lord Glory
    A Psalm of David.

    29   Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,Hebrew sons of God, or sons of might">1
        ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
    2   Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
        worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.Or in holy attire">2
    3   The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
        the God of glory thunders,
        the LORD, over many waters.
    4   The voice of the LORD is powerful;
        the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
    5   The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
        the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
    6   He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
        and Sirion like a young wild ox.
    7   The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
    8   The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
        the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
    9   The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birthRevocalization yields makes the oaks to shake">3
        and strips the forests bare,
        and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
    10   The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
        the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
    11   May the LORD give strength to his people!
        May the LORD blessOr The Lord will give . . . The Lord will bless">4 his people with peace!

    Footnotes

    [1] 29:1 Hebrew sons of God, or sons of might


    [2] 29:2 Or in holy attire

    [3] 29:9 Revocalization yields makes the oaks to shake

    [4] 29:11 Or The Lord will give . . . The Lord will bless

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Genesis 27:1–40
    Genesis 27:1–40 (Listen)
    Isaac Blesses Jacob

    27 When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, 4 and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”

    5 Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the LORD before I die.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. 9 Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. 10 And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” 11 But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” 13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.”

    14 So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

    18 So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” 20 But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the LORD your God granted me success.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. 24 He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” 25 Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.

    26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said,

      “See, the smell of my son
        is as the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed!
    28   May God give you of the dew of heaven
        and of the fatness of the earth
        and plenty of grain and wine.
    29   Let peoples serve you,
        and nations bow down to you.
      Be lord over your brothers,
        and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
      Cursed be everyone who curses you,
        and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”

    30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” 34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob?Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats">1 For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

    39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him:

      “Behold, away fromOr Behold, of">2 the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be,
        and away fromOr and of">3 the dew of heaven on high.
    40   By your sword you shall live,
        and you shall serve your brother;
      but when you grow restless
        you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

    Footnotes

    [1] 27:36 Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats


    [2] 27:39 Or Behold, of

    [3] 27:39 Or and of

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    2 Chronicles 3
    2 Chronicles 3 (Listen)
    Solomon Builds the Temple

    3 Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORDSEPTUAGINT; HEBREW LACKS THE LORD">1 had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2 He began to build in the second month of the fourth year of his reign. 3 These are Solomon’s measurementsSyriac; Hebrew foundations">2 for building the house of God: the length, in cubitsA cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters">3 of the old standard, was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits. 4 The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house,Compare 1 Kings 6:3; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain">4 and its height was 120 cubits. He overlaid it on the inside with pure gold. 5 The nave he lined with cypress and covered it with fine gold and made palms and chains on it. 6 He adorned the house with settings of precious stones. The gold was gold of Parvaim. 7 So he lined the house with gold—its beams, its thresholds, its walls, and its doors—and he carved cherubim on the walls.

    8 And he made the Most Holy Place. Its length, corresponding to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and its breadth was twenty cubits. He overlaid it with 600 talentsA talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms">5 of fine gold. 9 The weight of gold for the nails was fifty shekels.A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams">6 And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold.

    10 In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim of woodSeptuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain">7 and overlaidHebrew they overlaid">8 them with gold. 11 The wings of the cherubim together extended twenty cubits: one wing of the one, of five cubits, touched the wall of the house, and its other wing, of five cubits, touched the wing of the other cherub; 12 and of this cherub, one wing, of five cubits, touched the wall of the house, and the other wing, also of five cubits, was joined to the wing of the first cherub. 13 The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits. The cherubimHebrew they">9 stood on their feet, facing the nave. 14 And he made the veil of blue and purple and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and he worked cherubim on it.

    15 In front of the house he made two pillars thirty-five cubits high, with a capital of five cubits on the top of each. 16 He made chains like a necklaceHebrew chains in the inner sanctuary">10 and put them on the tops of the pillars, and he made a hundred pomegranates and put them on the chains. 17 He set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the south, the other on the north; that on the south he called Jachin, and that on the north Boaz.

    Footnotes

    [1] 3:1 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks the Lord


    [2] 3:3 Syriac; Hebrew foundations

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

    [4] 3:4 Compare 1 Kings 6:3; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain

    [5] 3:8 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms

    [6] 3:9 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

    [7] 3:10 Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain

    [8] 3:10 Hebrew they overlaid

    [9] 3:13 Hebrew they

    [10] 3:16 Hebrew chains in the inner sanctuary

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Luke 19:47–20:44
    Luke 19:47–20:44 (Listen)

    47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.

    The Authority of Jesus Challenged

    20 One day, as JesusGreek he">1 was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up 2 and said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” 3 He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, 4 was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” 5 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

    The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

    9 And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. 10 When the time came, he sent a servantOr bondservant; also verse 11">2 to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. 13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” 17 But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

      “‘The stone that the builders rejected
        has become the cornerstone’?Greek the head of the corner">3

    18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

    Paying Taxes to Caesar

    19 The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. 20 So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. 21 So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality,Greek and do not receive a face">4 but truly teach the way of God. 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius.A denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer">5 Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26 And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.

    Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection

    27 There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, 28 and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the manGreek his brother">6 must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second 31 and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.”

    34 And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, 36 for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sonsGreek huioi; see Preface">7 of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.” 39 Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” 40 For they no longer dared to ask him any question.

    Whose Son Is the Christ?

    41 But he said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is David’s son? 42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms,

      “‘The Lord said to my Lord,
      “Sit at my right hand,
    43     until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

    44 David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”

    Footnotes

    [1] 20:1 Greek he


    [2] 20:10 Or bondservant; also verse 11

    [3] 20:17 Greek the head of the corner

    [4] 20:21 Greek and do not receive a face

    [5] 20:24 A denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer

    [6] 20:28 Greek his brother

    [7] 20:36 Greek huioi; see Preface

    (ESV)

    15 min
  • January 29: Psalm 28; Genesis 26; 2 Chronicles 2; Luke 19:28–46
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 28
    Psalm 28 (Listen)
    The Lord Is My Strength and My Shield
    Of David.

    28   To you, O LORD, I call;
        my rock, be not deaf to me,
      lest, if you be silent to me,
        I become like those who go down to the pit.
    2   Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,
        when I cry to you for help,
      when I lift up my hands
        toward your most holy sanctuary.Hebrew your innermost sanctuary">1
    3   Do not drag me off with the wicked,
        with the workers of evil,
      who speak peace with their neighbors
        while evil is in their hearts.
    4   Give to them according to their work
        and according to the evil of their deeds;
      give to them according to the work of their hands;
        render them their due reward.
    5   Because they do not regard the works of the LORD
        or the work of his hands,
      he will tear them down and build them up no more.
    6   Blessed be the LORD!
        For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
    7   The LORD is my strength and my shield;
        in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
      my heart exults,
        and with my song I give thanks to him.
    8   The LORD is the strength of his people;Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts is their strength">2
        he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
    9   Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
        Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

    Footnotes

    [1] 28:2 Hebrew your innermost sanctuary


    [2] 28:8 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts is their strength

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Genesis 26
    Genesis 26 (Listen)
    God’s Promise to Isaac

    26 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines. 2 And the LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

    Isaac and Abimelech

    6 So Isaac settled in Gerar. 7 When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because she was attractive in appearance. 8 When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing withHebrew may suggest an intimate relationship">1 Rebekah his wife. 9 So Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’” 10 Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” 11 So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”

    12 And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The LORD blessed him, 13 and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. 14 He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him. 15 (Now the Philistines had stopped and filled with earth all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father.) 16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”

    17 So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. 18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And he gave them the names that his father had given them. 19 But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, 20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek,Esek means contention">2 because they contended with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also, so he called its name Sitnah.Sitnah means enmity">3 22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth,Rehoboth means broad places, or room">4 saying, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

    23 From there he went up to Beersheba. 24 And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.” 25 So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the LORD and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.

    26 When Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army, 27 Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?” 28 They said, “We see plainly that the LORD has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the LORD.” 30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 In the morning they rose early and exchanged oaths. And Isaac sent them on their way, and they departed from him in peace. 32 That same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well that they had dug and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 He called it Shibah;Shibah sounds like the Hebrew for oath">5 therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.

    34 When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, 35 and they made life bitterHebrew they were bitterness of spirit">6 for Isaac and Rebekah.

    Footnotes

    [1] 26:8 Hebrew may suggest an intimate relationship


    [2] 26:20 Esek means contention

    [3] 26:21 Sitnah means enmity

    [4] 26:22 Rehoboth means broad places, or room

    [5] 26:33 Shibah sounds like the Hebrew for oath

    [6] 26:35 Hebrew they were bitterness of spirit

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    2 Chronicles 2
    2 Chronicles 2 (Listen)
    Preparing to Build the Temple

    2 Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the LORD, and a royal palace for himself. Ch 2:1 in Hebrew">1 2 And Solomon assigned 70,000 men to bear burdens and 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 to oversee them. 3 And Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre: “As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedar to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me. 4 Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the LORD our God, as ordained forever for Israel. 5 The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. 6 But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? 7 So now send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided. 8 Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, 9 to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am to build will be great and wonderful. 10 I will give for your servants, the woodsmen who cut timber, 20,000 corsA cor was about 6 bushels or 220 liters">2 of crushed wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 bathsA bath was about 6 gallons or 22 liters">3 of wine, and 20,000 baths of oil.”

    11 Then Hiram the king of Tyre answered in a letter that he sent to Solomon, “Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you king over them.” 12 Hiram also said, “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, who has discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.

    13 “Now I have sent a skilled man, who has understanding, Huram-abi, 14 the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your craftsmen, the craftsmen of my lord, David your father. 15 Now therefore the wheat and barley, oil and wine, of which my lord has spoken, let him send to his servants. 16 And we will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may take it up to Jerusalem.”

    17 Then Solomon counted all the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, after the census of them that David his father had taken, and there were found 153,600. 18 Seventy thousand of them he assigned to bear burdens, 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 as overseers to make the people work.

    Footnotes

    [1] 2:1 Ch 2:1 in Hebrew


    [2] 2:10 A cor was about 6 bushels or 220 liters

    [3] 2:10 A bath was about 6 gallons or 22 liters

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Luke 19:28–46
    Luke 19:28–46 (Listen)
    The Triumphal Entry

    28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

    Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

    41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

    Jesus Cleanses the Temple

    45 And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”

    (ESV)

    12 min
  • January 28: Psalm 27; Genesis 25:19–34; 2 Chronicles 1; Luke 18:31–19:27
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 27
    Psalm 27 (Listen)
    The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation
    Of David.

    27   The LORD is my light and my salvation;
        whom shall I fear?
      The LORD is the strongholdOr refuge">1 of my life;
        of whom shall I be afraid?
    2   When evildoers assail me
        to eat up my flesh,
      my adversaries and foes,
        it is they who stumble and fall.
    3   Though an army encamp against me,
        my heart shall not fear;
      though war arise against me,
        yetOr in this">2 I will be confident.
    4   One thing have I asked of the LORD,
        that will I seek after:
      that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
        all the days of my life,
      to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
        and to inquireOr meditate">3 in his temple.
    5   For he will hide me in his shelter
        in the day of trouble;
      he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
        he will lift me high upon a rock.
    6   And now my head shall be lifted up
        above my enemies all around me,
      and I will offer in his tent
        sacrifices with shouts of joy;
      I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
    7   Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
        be gracious to me and answer me!
    8   You have said, “SeekThe command (seek) is addressed to more than one person">4 my face.”
      My heart says to you,
        “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain">5
    9     Hide not your face from me.
      Turn not your servant away in anger,
        O you who have been my help.
      Cast me not off; forsake me not,
        O God of my salvation!
    10   For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
        but the LORD will take me in.
    11   Teach me your way, O LORD,
        and lead me on a level path
        because of my enemies.
    12   Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
        for false witnesses have risen against me,
        and they breathe out violence.
    13   I believe that I shall lookOther Hebrew manuscripts Oh! Had I not believed that I would look">6 upon the goodness of the LORD
        in the land of the living!
    14   Wait for the LORD;
        be strong, and let your heart take courage;
        wait for the LORD!

    Footnotes

    [1] 27:1 Or refuge


    [2] 27:3 Or in this

    [3] 27:4 Or meditate

    [4] 27:8 The command (seek) is addressed to more than one person

    [5] 27:8 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain

    [6] 27:13 Other Hebrew manuscripts Oh! Had I not believed that I would look

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Genesis 25:19–34
    Genesis 25:19–34 (Listen)
    The Birth of Esau and Jacob

    19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?”Or why do I live?">1 So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said to her,

      “Two nations are in your womb,
        and two peoples from within youOr from birth">2 shall be divided;
      the one shall be stronger than the other,
        the older shall serve the younger.”

    24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob.Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats">3 Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

    27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

    Esau Sells His Birthright

    29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.Edom sounds like the Hebrew for red">4) 31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

    Footnotes

    [1] 25:22 Or why do I live?


    [2] 25:23 Or from birth

    [3] 25:26 Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats

    [4] 25:30 Edom sounds like the Hebrew for red

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    2 Chronicles 1
    2 Chronicles 1 (Listen)
    Solomon Worships at Gibeon

    1 Solomon the son of David established himself in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.

    2 Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to all the leaders in all Israel, the heads of fathers’ houses. 3 And Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon, for the tent of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness, was there. 4 (But David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.) 5 Moreover, the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of the LORD. And Solomon and the assembly sought itOr him">1 out. 6 And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the LORD, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

    Solomon Prays for Wisdom

    7 In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.” 8 And Solomon said to God, “You have shown great and steadfast love to David my father, and have made me king in his place. 9 O LORD God, let your word to David my father be now fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?” 11 God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.” 13 So Solomon came fromSeptuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew to">2 the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem. And he reigned over Israel.

    Solomon Given Wealth

    14 Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 15 And the king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. 16 And Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s traders would buy them from Kue for a price. 17 They imported a chariot from Egypt for 600 shekelsA shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams">3 of silver, and a horse for 150. Likewise through them these were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

    Footnotes

    [1] 1:5 Or him


    [2] 1:13 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew to

    [3] 1:17 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Luke 18:31–19:27
    Luke 18:31–19:27 (Listen)
    Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

    31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. 33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” 34 But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

    Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

    35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

    Jesus and Zacchaeus

    19 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

    The Parable of the Ten Minas

    11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants,Or bondservants; also verse 15">1 he gave them ten minas,A mina was about three months’ wages for a laborer">2 and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant!Or bondservant; also verse 22">3 Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24 And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”

    Footnotes

    [1] 19:13 Or bondservants; also verse 15


    [2] 19:13 A mina was about three months’ wages for a laborer

    [3] 19:17 Or bondservant; also verse 22

    (ESV)

    12 min
  • January 27: Psalm 26; Genesis 25:1–18; 1 Chronicles 29:22–30; Luke 18:1–30
    Psalms and Wisdom:
    Psalm 26
    Psalm 26 (Listen)
    I Will Bless the Lord
    Of David.

    26   Vindicate me, O LORD,
        for I have walked in my integrity,
        and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
    2   Prove me, O LORD, and try me;
        test my heart and my mind.Hebrew test my kidneys and my heart">1
    3   For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
        and I walk in your faithfulness.
    4   I do not sit with men of falsehood,
        nor do I consort with hypocrites.
    5   I hate the assembly of evildoers,
        and I will not sit with the wicked.
    6   I wash my hands in innocence
        and go around your altar, O LORD,
    7   proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
        and telling all your wondrous deeds.
    8   O LORD, I love the habitation of your house
        and the place where your glory dwells.
    9   Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
        nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
    10   in whose hands are evil devices,
        and whose right hands are full of bribes.
    11   But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
        redeem me, and be gracious to me.
    12   My foot stands on level ground;
        in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.

    Footnotes

    [1] 26:2 Hebrew test my kidneys and my heart

    (ESV)

    Pentateuch and History:
    Genesis 25:1–18
    Genesis 25:1–18 (Listen)
    Abraham’s Death and His Descendants

    25 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5 Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. 6 But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.

    7 These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life, 175 years. 8 Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9 Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, 10 the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. 11 After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.

    12 These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham. 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. 17 (These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.) 18 They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settledHebrew fell">1 over against all his kinsmen.

    Footnotes

    [1] 25:18 Hebrew fell

    (ESV)

    Chronicles and Prophets:
    1 Chronicles 29:22–30
    1 Chronicles 29:22–30 (Listen)

    22 And they ate and drank before the LORD on that day with great gladness.

    Solomon Anointed King

    And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and they anointed him as prince for the LORD, and Zadok as priest.

    23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of David his father. And he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the leaders and the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. 25 And the LORD made Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

    The Death of David

    26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 The time that he reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 28 Then he died at a good age, full of days, riches, and honor. And Solomon his son reigned in his place. 29 Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the Chronicles of Samuel the seer, and in the Chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of Gad the seer, 30 with accounts of all his rule and his might and of the circumstances that came upon him and upon Israel and upon all the kingdoms of the countries.

    (ESV)

    Gospels and Epistles:
    Luke 18:1–30
    Luke 18:1–30 (Listen)
    The Parable of the Persistent Widow

    18 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

    The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

    9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayedOr standing, prayed to himself">1 thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

    Let the Children Come to Me

    15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

    The Rich Ruler

    18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothersOr wife or brothers and sisters">2 or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

    Footnotes

    [1] 18:11 Or standing, prayed to himself


    [2] 18:29 Or wife or brothers and sisters

    (ESV)

    9 min

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